Self-confidence can be hard to come by. Even many attractive, successful people will struggle with chasing it at times. There are several ways to elevate your own confidence. Below are several easily-accomplished ideas.
Health
The easiest change you can make today is with your diet and activity. As Vincent van Gogh said, “Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.” Have an extra glass of water, take the stairs, and add vegetables to your lunch. Maybe take a short walk around the building during your lunch break. You can add cardio to your exercise regime or restrict your meal portions eventually, but don’t stress about those.
Focus on maintaining the small changes. They will be easier to keep up with, and over time, the small changes compound to affect your life in ways you didn’t think possible. For the present, though, knowing that you’re doing something to help yourself will make you feel good about your choices and give you a boost.
Kindness
For most people, a decent portion of their lives are spent aspiring to be someone other will look up to and admire. You can achieve this by being kind to others. During your commute, at work, at the drive-thru, in the market: We make choices every day, all day about how we will treat others. A smile and a kind word are much more likely to make friends than a dirty look and an insult. The smile and kindness are also more likely to bolster your confidence because most people respond to kindness with kindness, so they can, in turn, help you.
Hobbies
If you already have interests, cultivate them further. Join a club or check out a book from the library. Building your skills will help you feel better about yourself, and being a part of a community that shares activities will help you build lasting friendships. Ideally, this will include outdoor activities, from walking or gardening to sitting and reading with a book club. Being outdoors is a great way to help you feel better and be more optimistic.
Personalization
Everyone should have a corner of their own, a place to escape when life becomes too much to handle. Whether that place is your bedroom, apartment, home, dorm room, mancave, or something entirely different, you need to personalize it. Dust off those knick-knacks and turn your space into something you can be proud of. Then, you’ll be able to relax and de-stress when you’re in your zone.
Appearance
Your appearance goes hand-in-hand with your self-confidence. Hygiene is critical, but after that, it’s up to you how far you wish to take your personal care. Do what you want, not what anyone else wants, because at the end of the day, you’re the one who has to live with any changes you make. It’s good to get advice when buying new clothes. After all, you want clothes that make you look and feel great. However, if you hate something your friend loves and says looks great on you, don’t buy it. Odds are, it will stay in the back of your closet gathering dust, because you don’t like it. Why wear something you don’t like? The same goes for a new haircut and any other changes you make to your appearance.
That said, consider making changes to your appearance. Try a different haircut or style. Get your nails done. Try a new pattern of facial hair. Test some hair loss concealer, if you’re missing that full head of hair. Just make them changes you can live with.
In short, confidence is something we are all responsible for. If you can build yours up enough on your own, it won’t matter what one person thinks. You will have respect for yourself and people in your corner ready to defend you if need be. Start building your self-confidence today.
