Confidence is something that many women (and some men) struggle with daily. Often, it’s because of outside pressures such as a demanding boss. You know the type: you work extra hard on a project and oversee every little detail, only to have your boss pick it apart. Or a co-worker is disappointed in your effort. Maybe you have a friend who is demanding, someone you never seem able to please.
Other times, confidence can fail simply due to life’s challenges. Has one of your kids ever thrown a tantrum or pouted over a decision you made? You might have been right, but there was probably a little bit of you that wondered if you’d made the right decision.
Believe it or not, all of these difficult situations can chip away at your self-confidence even if you try hard to not let them bother you. While building self-confidence that remains regardless of internal or external pressure can be a lengthy process, there are a few things you can do right this very minute, today, to be more confident.
Being more sure in the moment can be the start of a strong foundation of confidence that you will carry with you. So, what can you do immediately to boost your confidence?
1. Exercise
I know…when you feel like nothing is going right, the last thing you want to do is get up and get moving. But exercise actually releases endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin. These are “happy†hormones and neurotransmitters that boost your mood.
Confidence grows when you’re happy and it falls when you’re not. If you think of the times where you felt each of these, you’d see the pattern. Even a brief 15-minute walk can give your brain that extra boost of happiness. This can in turn give you the confidence to handle whatever challenges you face during the day.
Extra Boost
If you already have an exercise routine, consider adding an aspect that you’ve ignored due to difficulty. Maybe it’s a challenging yoga pose or doing extra reps. Conquering that challenge would be an immediate boost of confidence.
2. Finish what you started.
The longer your to-do list becomes, the more you feel like you will never have the time to complete every task. Put your head down, focus, and plow through that list. Nothing is more satisfying than checking off a list item. This is especially true if you have jobs or tasks that seem to have rolled over repeatedly from list to list. Even if you finish everything else, having something hanging over you can give you a feeling of failure. Do what you need to do to get it done.
Do them right.
If at all possible, take the time to do things the right way. You could rush to get through your list and think, “Hey, I did it!†But how will you feel if even two of those tasks end up having to be re-done because you made mistakes – or (worse) created more work for yourself. Be confident in the method you choose to complete your list and take the necessary time to complete it correctly.
3. Don’t give ANY attention to what others think.
Another method that is “easier said than done.†We tend to put a lot of credence on what other people think (see the boss, coworker, and friend mentioned above). Not only is this detrimental to our self-confidence, but it gives other people power over us that we should be controlling ourselves. Have the confidence to know that the choices you make are the right ones and follow them, ignoring what others say. Your inner voice is the ONLY voice that was made for you!
Collaborate and listen.
Now, that’s not to say that you should bulldoze your way through a group effort without consulting other members of a team. But have the conviction and be strong enough to support your vision, and don’t let other opinions burst your confidence bubble.
4. Surround yourself with things that make you happy.
This is the easiest thing you can do to boost your confidence. Maybe it should have been in the first spot, but if you remember anything from today’s blog, it should be this. Why is it the easiest? Do you have a favorite tea that you drink? A favorite breakfast food? What about music? How do you feel after indulging in a favorite food or activity?
In your daily routine, is there something that you look forward to each day? Do more of it. Obviously, I don’t mean to overeat or ignore other responsibilities for the sake of doing more of what makes you happy. But make sure that those happy items have a prominent place in your day. The key is to really pay attention to the feeling that you experience. Find more of them to scatter throughout the day as well.
Use downtime
Just as exercise releases happy hormones, so does doing things that are pleasurable to you. Your daily schedule may make it difficult to find those happy moments throughout the day, but you can make up for them on the weekend or day off. There’s a reason that people call certain activities a “brain break.â€
As I mentioned before, building a storehouse of confidence starts with small details. So, there you have it. Four things that you can do immediately to boost your confidence.
Notice that they aren’t grand gestures or even something that you need other people for. Doing what makes you happy, ignoring naysayers, finishing what you’ve started, and getting a healthy dose of exercise are all things that you have control over. The steps may feel small, but actively apply these and you’ll see your confidence start to grow.
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