Confidence is a transformative trait. It quite literally can change the way you approach situations and help you to achieve your goals. Even though confidence is an inner beauty, it radiates outward and can be seen by everyone around you. If you’re struggling with confidence, or if you aren’t but you’d like tips on how to enhance it, I’ve compiled a few ways that you can embrace your uniqueness and project confidence outward.
1. Recognize Your Value
You’ve probably heard a hundred times to “be yourself, because there’s only one you”. It sounds so cliche and I don’t want to sound repetitive but once you start embracing your unique personality you’ll understand just how important this concept is. Everyone in the world is slightly different, and something that I used to struggle with is the idea that not everyone is going to like me. When a situation like this approaches me, I often have to stop and remind myself that if someone doesn’t appreciate me for who I am, their values probably don’t align with mine. More likely than not, that’s not a person that’s going to add any positivity to my life. So when this happens, instead of doubting myself or shutting down, I embrace my personality even further. There are so many people who are going to appreciate you in this world so focus your energy on them.
2. Fake It Til You Make It
Growing up I was a pretty confident kid, I loved to make people laugh, and I always wore clothes that I really loved. My parents really encouraged me to be social and outgoing. But there were definitely many times in my life, as there are in everyone’s, where my confidence really struggled. It’s easy to feel tired and overwhelmed in a world that values beauty above everything else. The great part about confidence, though, is that it comes from within. Confidence starts with your mindset that moves outwardly. When I’m not feeling my best I remind myself to pick my head up and move with purpose. I know at the end of the day I have good intentions and that keeps me feeling confident in every decision I make, regardless of external forces.
3. Wear Things and Do Things That Make You Feel Confident
I think my favorite pieces of clothing in my closet I have in at least two different colors. When something makes you feel good on the outside it can completely shift how you feel within. My friends and family often don’t understand why I spend so much time getting ready every day, and all I can say that time is basically my therapy. It’s the one moment when I get to really appreciate being alone and spending time on myself. So much of our day goes by focusing on other people and the problems we need to fix. I really encourage anyone reading this to take the time in the morning and at night to pamper yourself, and feel your best before walking out the door and going to bed.
4. Be Prepared
Whether it’s for class, an interview, or simply a conversation, it’s important to show others and yourself that you’re interested in the interaction you’re having. Before you go to class, do your homework and go over what’s going to be discussed. You’re going to find that you feel more engaged, as well as confident that if you’re called on to speak you’ll have something valuable to contribute to others. Before going into an interview do your research, know the history behind the organization you’re applying to and pinpoint how you can feel passionate about the job position. When in a conversation with someone, slow down and pay attention to what they’re saying. Remember points they make to bring up later in the conversation and don’t cut them off, people often have more to say if let them continue. This will allow you to walk away feeling that you led a meaningful conversation.
5. Push Yourself Outside Your Comfort Zone
As hard as it can be to put yourself in situations that are outside your usual interactions, the feeling of accomplishing something you never thought you would’ve done is the biggest confidence booster. Most situations you’re nervous for, like a class presentation for instance, end up going great and you leave feeling super confident. If you’re feeling anxious about a situation try and disconnect for a moment. A lot of the time we overthink and wind up in a spiral of scenarios. Remember to trust in yourself and your ability. You’d be surprised at just how capable you are of conquering most situations when rely on your instinct.
Confidence not only transforms how you perceive yourself, but also how others perceive you. You’ll find that by channeling your own sense of self assurance you’ll inspire others around you to do the same. Confidence is contagious and simply by helping those around you, you build up not only your own but theirs as well. So next time you aren’t feeling your best, refer back to this article and remind yourself, confidence can be channeled at any time and at any stage of your life– it’s never too late to take control of your mindset.