Do you love yourself? And I don’t mean in a stuck up, narcissistic kind of way. If not, here are some tips for how to build self-confidence.
Let’s face it – most people don’t have perfect self-esteem. Too often, they look in the mirror criticizing everything from their body to their mind. Or they get in their own head and beat themselves up over something they have done – or haven’t done – with their lives.
That’s no way to live. So why do so many people go through life feeling this down on themselves? There are lots of reasons. So, let’s take a look at a few of them.
# Stop caring what other people thinkThis is a huge tip for how to build self-confidence, especially for women. A lot of people are not only people-pleasers, but if you’re self-conscious, then you always care what other people are thinking about you.
But guess what? Most people are so busy worrying about themselves that they are probably not even judging you. It’s a reassuring thought, eh?
# Stop comparing yourself to other peopleThis is a difficult one. Like I said earlier, we’re constantly bombarded with messages and images of beautiful, rich people in the media. And we even compare ourselves to people we know.
Stop doing that! But if you do have to compare, then compare yourself to people who are worse off than you. I don’t mean that to sound bad, but it helps you realize how good you have it when you do that.
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Monitor your self-talkMost people don’t even know what goes on inside their heads! Even positive people have negative thoughts go through their minds a lot. So, you need to become aware of your self-talk, and then stop yourself when you say negative things. Then change it into something positive instead.
# VisualizeIt might sound like a cheesy tip for how to build self-confidence, but research proves that visualization works for just about everything. Even Olympic and professional athletes do it. So, visualize yourself feeling really good about yourself, and eventually, it will become reality.
# Re-frame things
If you are down on yourself because you need to lose 50 pounds, well, be happy that you don’t need to lose 100! Or if you feel like you don’t make enough money in your job, just be grateful that you have a job and that you can feed yourself. Re-frame and focus on the positives.
# Develop honest relationshipsSometimes we need people in our lives to help us along. So, hang around people who are positive and honest. Ask them to help lift you up and re-confirm your positive self-image. Sometimes it’s easier to believe when we hear it come from someone else other than ourselves.
# Let go of the pastMaybe you cheated on an ex. Or you were a bully in the 2nd grade, and that affects how you feel about yourself. Whatever it is, it’s in the past. You can’t change the past, so just forgive yourself and move on. Let it go and look toward a positive future.
# Seek support
Making any kind of change in our life can be challenging, so why not grab a friend or two and form a “self-confidence support group”? You can all lift each other up as you continually focus on building each other’s self-confidence.
# Use affirmations
This may or may not work for everyone, but it’s a tip for how to build self-confidence that is worth a try. Write out positive statements about yourself, and them repeat them over and over. All this repetition will help you believe good things about yourself, and then you will automatically believe them.
# Try hypnosisIf using affirmations doesn’t sound appealing to you, why not try hypnosis? It’s not scary at all. You can even get your own digital download from the internet. There are many you can find, and they will re-program your mind with self-confidence. Or, you can seek out a hypnotherapist to help you instead, if you prefer.