4 Simple Tips to Practice Self-Confidence
We can develop any skill by simply practicing. The following four tips are great ways to practice self-confidence. By reminding yourself of these four tips before social situations you will improve your comfort level and confidence even if you don’t think you need to.
1. Remember that we are all in this together.
I like to visualize the earth from space, then zoom in on the country I live in, then my community, then myself. This little exercise in perspective reminds me that we are all connected and that my insecurities in the grand scheme of life are kinda silly.
We are one big human family, living on one planet in a vast universe. Some of us are suffering due to lack of food or fresh water, some us do not have personal freedom, and some of us are worried about our bad hair day or about what the cool kids are going to think of our outfit.
A little perspective can go along way to relieve you of your insecurities. We ultimately are all made of the same stuff, we all pee, we all poop, we all feel insecure, we all see greener grass elsewhere, we are all in this together.
2. Celebrate our differences.
One of the biggest fertilizers for insecurity is comparison. Stop comparing yourself to others and celebrate your uniqueness instead.
If we were all the same, life would be extremely boring. Allow yourself to be different and allow yourself to be comfortable in your skin and personal style. It is the contrast in life that make it beautiful, train your eye to see it.
We all are looking through our own individual lens, filtering everything we see based on our own life experience and environment. You may think a big shiny SUV is awesome while someone else thinks it’s a gas hog, you may think that flat abs and skinny legs are beautiful while the next person prefers curves and a big ass.
So embrace your uniqueness and celebrate it in others, realize when you are comparing or even worse judging others.
3. Mind your own business.
We feel insecure or lack confidence because we think everyone is thinking about us. We think they are paying attention to every move we make and every word we say.
This is simply not the case and if we could remember this during social interaction we would all be super confident.
People are thinking about themselves, just like you are! They are worried about what they are wearing, what they should say, and what people are thinking about them.
If you find yourself worrying about what someone else is thinking then MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS. Spend your mental energy actually listening to people who are speaking to you, thinking about the topics they are discussing, and looking for the beauty in the setting and event.
4. Who do you like to be around?
Smile, be pleasant, be kind. People love to be around people who are happy, positive, and fun! They don’t care if you know everything, look a certain way, or have a lot of money, it doesn’t matter to them.
People care about how they feel when they are around you. Make people feel good by being genuine, listening, complimenting, and simply smiling.
5. Stay in the present.
It’s easy to get sucked into thinking about past mistakes and future worries. Concentrate on staying focussed on the present moment.
Take deep breaths to calm yourself if you are nervous. Look around and take in your environment. What does the air smell like? How is the temperature? How does your body feel?
Be in the moment.
Try to remind yourself of these five tips before social situations. Life is a practice, even if you are going to be around your family and friends try to practice these ideas so you are prepared when you are in a different setting.
And at the end of the day just be you!
