In life, there is little that can stop you if you have CONFIDENCE! I absolutely love observing some of the most successful people and seeing how they carry themselves. They walk into a room and there is just such a presence. You notice them right away and think, “Wow, they are so confident it shines through them! They’re not even afraid of anything.”
Now I’ve been told the very same thing about myself. Someone recently asked me, “Do you ever notice how everyone stops for a second when you walk into a room? You really have such a confidence about you.”
I truly believe that this is such an important quality to have, even when most of the time behind that confidence we all still have our own personal fears to conquer. For some of us confidence comes a bit more naturally but for those who have to work a bit harder to get there, don’t be down on yourself. Every battle you win to come out more confident on the other side is an incredible win and can be a life-changing experience!
You’d be surprised – a little confidence goes a long way! It is so applicable in all aspects of our lives. From business, to social life, and even exams! If you doubt yourself and you’re not confident in your answers and you’re always second guessing yourself, then multiple choice can become your worst enemy. Its amazing how one quality can have such a universal impact on your life.
Often times I’ve been asked, “What do you do to be so confident?” Of course my answer usually is, “Well, you just do it! Simple as that :)” You can imagine the unhappy replies to that!
So I’ve really thought about the main things I do to step out and be confident and I’ve created a list of 7 amazing tips:
1. Start with You – First off, you need to discover what it is that makes you feel most confident. For me personally I always take the time to pick an outfit I love each day, I put on my makeup, style my hair, and make myself feel beautiful. Making that extra effort to “get dressed for success” really has a major impact on your confidence level, especially for us girls. Taking care of yourself allows you to put aside that self-consiousness and focus on conquering your dreams. We are all wonderfully and fearfully made, so don’t neglect the beauty that you’ve been blessed with.
2. Let Your True Self Shine – Next up, truly understand who it is that you are. Not someone else, or something you’re pretending to be, but the real, authentic YOU! It’s always a lot easier to be yourself than it is to try and keep up with the expectations of someone completely “un-you”. Now, picture the real you as a confident individual. Create a visual image of exactly what that looks like to you! Once you know this, you can make a commitment to being the confident you. Go out each day and model the behaviour of the confident you that is represented in your visual image. How you see yourself is a powerful thing, so continue to visualize yourself as the strong confident person that you are!
3. Do NOT Compare – Comparing yourself to others is one of the most destructive habits to your self-image and confidence. You are not meant to be that other person, you are only meant to be YOU. Each of us is on our own unique journey towards reaching our dreams. There is so much creativity in the world that I often wonder why we waste all of that creative potential by putting our focus on how others are. Now this doesn’t mean we shouldn’t have role models of people to inspire us – it just simple means that we should not judge ourselves based on how we “measure up” to others. So go ahead, embrace your uniqueness! Be proud of what you’ve achieved, no matter what the stage of your journey. There is enough room in this big world for each of us to shine! There is only one you out there, and everyone has something amazing to give!
4. Don’t Be Afraid To Fail – Failure is inevitable. That’s just plain life! We are all bound to fail some time or another, and failure is one of the best ways to grow. What makes a confident person different is the way in which you handle failure. Once you realize that it is okay to fail and that you won’t burn up and die on the spot, you will be able to take it with a whole new approach. You will learn to own it and to be and those experiences will be exactly what made you who you are today. The key is to get up, and move on to new successes. Surprisingly enough, people are routing for you – more often than not, others actually want you to succeed! So there you have it. Failure is not the end of the world, people will still believe in you, and you will be okay!
5. Let Go of the Need to Please Everyone – The first thing you need to know about this is: Not everyone is going to like you! And that is perfectly okay because there are so many that will LOVE you. You were not designed as a “one-size-fits-all”. As we’ve discussed, everyone is unique and so each of us has our own “target audience” who will love you just the way you are. So let go of the idea of having to please everyone, and focus your energy on those who really matter. Secondly, if you’re pleasing everyone else, then where does that leave you? Now that doesn’t mean you should walk all over people and ignore everyone – no. You know exactly who the most important people in your life are and who will support you in your dream. Making room for yourself and those who support you will give you so much more confidence with every success to come.
6. Step Out of Your Bubble! – Ever hear the saying, “Practice makes perfect”? Of course you have! And this is exactly what I mean here. In order to do this you need to purposefully seek opportunities to step outside of your comfort zone. This could be anything from talking to the taxi driver or striking up a conversation with someone in the elevator – whatever you wouldn’t usually do! Now if you usually do those things, then you have to be bolder. Find what makes you “uncomfortable”, because that’s where change happens. The more you do this, the better you’ll get and you will be more confident to take on new challenges. The question my husband, Jacques, always asks is: “If not, why not!?” So go out and get some practice, and if all else fails – Fake it till you make it :)
7. Be Your Own Biggest Fan! – What a great way to ensure that there is always someone on your side. How would you cheer yourself on if you were someone else? I know it sound corny, but if you aren’t a fan of yourself then how do you expect others to be? This is an excellent way to keep motivated and to have this incredible positive mindset about your journey. More times than not, believing in yourself is the first key to success. So if you always believe in you, then there’s nothing that can stop you because, if you already think you can… YOU CAN! Don’t be afraid of the greatness within you, never think less of yourself and don’t you dare quite until you’re proud!
So there you have it! 7 amazing ways to be more confident, no matter what it is you do.
My hope is that in reading this you will be inspired to become your own biggest fan! That you will discover and grow that inner confidence that radiates from within you and trust that you were put on this earth for one incredible purpose!
So now I’d love to hear from you. Did you enjoy these tips? What are some things that you do to be more confident?
As always, desire to inspire!
Xx
Carli
Featured image: Pxlart Photography
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