The good news is that there are plenty of ways to build it, and most of them have nothing to do with pretending to be someone you're not (which should be a big relief), so with that in mind, keep reading to find out more.
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Revamp Your Appearance
This isn't about completely changing who you are or trying to look like someone else, which is never a good idea; you always need to be yourself as much as you can. However, the truth is that sometimes confidence gets a boost just because you've spent a bit of time looking after yourself, so why not give it a go?But how to go about it? Well, you could start by updating your wardrobe, getting a new haircut, sorting out things you've been putting off for ages, or just making more of an effort with your appearance, for example, and the point is that when you feel good about how you present yourself, it generally tends to affect how you carry yourself as well, and that’s essentially confidence.
Get Fitter
Physical fitness and confidence often go hand in hand, and that’s got a lot to do with the fact that people just feel happier with how they look, but it could also be because exercise has a way of showing you what you're capable of.It’s true that at first you’ll probably struggle through a workout, but don’t worry because a few weeks later you realise it feels easier, and then you’ll be able to lift more, run further, or really do things that seemed impossible when you started.
For example, you could join a Boxcross gym because you want to improve their fitness, but along the way you’ll probably find you’re becoming more confident as well - that's because pushing yourself physically can be an amazing reminder that progress is possible.
Learn A Skill
Think about something you couldn't do five years ago that now feels completely normal - chances are you didn't wake up one morning knowing how to do it, and what you actually did was learn how to do it.Guess what? Confidence grows in exactly the same way, as strange as that might sound, and that’s because every time you learn a new skill, whether that's cooking, public speaking, photography, coding, gardening, or something else that you’ve never even thought of before now, you're proving to yourself that you can improve through practice, and that’s a very useful thing to have in the back of your mind.
Stop Comparing Yourself To Everyone Else
This is probably easier said than done, and the problem is that comparison creates impossible standards because you're usually comparing your everyday life with somebody else's highlight reel. And of course, there's always going to be someone earning more, achieving more, travelling more, or appearing more successful, no matter how realistic or accurate that actually is.The issue is that if you’re always focusing on what everybody else is doing that leaves very little time to appreciate how far you've come yourself, so of course you’re going to find your confidence dipping (or totally disappearing).
Give Back
Helping other people can do more for confidence than you might ever think was possible, but the truth is that when you're supporting a charity, volunteering, mentoring somebody, or just helping where you can, your focus isn’t on your own insecurities for a while, which is a very good thing to happen.You’ll start seeing the difference you're making rather than constantly analysing your own perceived shortcomings, and with that refreshing change, your confidence levels can soar.
Keep Small Promises To Yourself
A lot of confidence comes down to trust. Did you know that? And we’re not talking about trust in other people, but trust in yourself. Now perhaps it’s making a bit more sense.If you’re still not seeing it, think about this: if you constantly tell yourself you're going to do something and then never do it, it becomes harder to believe your own promises, and you won’t have confidence that you can do things.
That’s why it’s important to keep those little promises because it all adds up and boosts your confidence. So go for the walk, read the chapter, make the phone call, finish the task… You’ll be glad you did.
Spend Less Time Worrying About Being Perfect
Perfection sounds great in theory, but in practice, it usually stops people from doing things at all. For example, they don't apply for the job because they don't feel ready, they don't start the hobby because they're worried they'll be bad at it, they don't speak up because they're afraid of saying the wrong thing…But remember, confidence doesn't usually appear before action - more often than not, it pops up afterwards.
Celebrate Progress More Often
People are often very quick to notice what they haven't achieved yet, but what they forget to notice is everything they've already done. And it’s so easy to move straight on to the next target without giving yourself any credit for the previous one.The problem is that confidence needs evidence, and your own achievements are some of the best evidence you'll ever have.
Spend Time Around Positive People
If you're constantly surrounded by negativity, criticism, and people who make you doubt yourself, boosting or even maintaining your confidence gets a lot harder. Of course, we’re not saying you need people telling you you're amazing every five minutes, but it’s wise to spend time with positive, encouraging people when you can.Confidence Builds Gradually
One thing that often surprises people is that confidence doesn't usually happen all at once, and most of the time it develops little by little.Perhaps you handle a situation that would have scared you six months ago, or you learn something new, or you achieve a goal, or you prove yourself wrong about something you didn't think you could do… And then you start feeling a little more confident than you did before.
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