If you’re anything like me, sometimes you might start to feel insecure about yourself. It could be about appearance, personality, or personal interests. For me, I was always more introverted growing up and began comparing myself to other people. Over time I started talking less and less and ended up feeling trapped inside myself. I made a lot of progress after entering college and wished that my younger self knew what I know now, but I can still share what I know with anyone that may want it.
- Push yourself!!!
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I cannot stress this enough! Please, please, please push yourself to go for what you want, or maybe something that you never imagined yourself doing. We tend to put doubt in ourselves before we even try and end up holding ourselves back from doing amazing things. Before I went to Agnes, I never imagined dancing in public at a party let alone being on a team. Now I do both. Just being on a team with creative people brought out some of the best sides of myself. Some that I didn’t know existed. Maybe you don’t have to dance, but apply for that exec position in a club, submit your art, start that YouTube channel, and shamelessly promote yourself. Remember: the worst you can do is not try. It’s not about how others will react, but what it will do for you. When you start doing for you, you’ll always succeed.
- Surround yourself with people that bring out the best in you
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Having great people in your corner is very effective for gaining a stronger sense of self and higher self-esteem. It feels so good to not only have people that root for me but to have people to root for as well. My friends and I do this for each other all the time and because our bond grew stronger, we became more comfortable with each other and it made me less afraid to be my authentic self in public as well as private. My friendships made me better at communicating, relationship building, and being supportive of other’s goals.
- Take time to love yourself
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This can come in many ways. For me it was journaling. I write anything I’m feeling in the moment and affirm myself. For you, it could be self-affirmations in the mirror, or taking pictures of yourself (in any state not just made up) and affirming your beauty in all forms. Be the first one to tell yourself that you look good and you’ll start to feel good. You’ll start to be more comfortable with and confident in however you present yourself, made up or otherwise.
- Stop comparing yourself to other people
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This is probably the MOST important tip on this list. I had to tell myself this when I entered college, especially when I started using social media. I had a bad habit of feeling insecure and less than when I would compare my looks or success to other people. Then I had to pause and ask myself: do I even want to do what they do? Do I even want the life that they want? The answer was always no. By accepting that there is no right way to be nor a correct path to take, I slowly got better at being happy for others instead of shaming my success. So next time you start to feel the boiling desire to shame yourself, pause and accept that you’re going in your own direction and that you’re not meant to follow anyone else.
There are always more ways to build your confidence, and these are a great place to start. Experiment with things that make you happy and challenge you. You’d be surprised how challenging yourself can bring out the best in you.