3 Ways to Build Your Self-Confidence
For some people, self-confidence seems to come naturally, but for most of us, it’s a character trait we have to develop. There are many ways to build your self-confidence, from improving your posture to trying something new every day, and from reciting affirmations to using visualization techniques. You can use the three tips below as a starting point to building your self-confidence.
Present Your Best Self
Self-confidence is largely a matter of personal perception—convincing yourself that you are the kind of person you want to be. To truly believe this, you have to act like it. Take some time to do some soul-searching, and ask yourself questions like, What are my strengths? What kind of personality do I have? What kind of person would I like to be? Whatever your answers are, use them to help you visualize your best self, and then behave like that kind of person.
Build Meaningful Skills
Perceiving yourself as competent and knowing that you can do the things that are important to you is a big part of self-confidence. Identify a skill that’s important to you and work on developing it. It doesn’t matter what skill you choose, as long as it has meaning for you. You might decide to take an art class, join a Toastmasters club, devote half an hour each day to knitting, or study mechanics. As your knowledge and competence grows, so will your self-confidence.
Help Someone Else
Altruism has all kinds of benefits for your self-confidence, emotional well-being, and even physical health. Helping someone else can take the form of volunteering with an organization you believe in, donating to a good cause, or teaching someone a new skill. It can also be more casual. When you text a friend, recommend a great book, or give someone a ride, you’re helping them and building your own self-confidence at the same time.
Building self-confidence is a rewarding endeavor and can benefit you in many ways. As your self-confidence grows you will be more positive, experience better mental and emotional health, and feel happier, knowing that you are the kind of person you truly want to be.
