Written by: Kamini Wood, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Sometimes it can be difficult to be confident. In order to understand how to be more confident, we first need to understand what confidence is.
Healthy, strong self-confidence means feeling good about yourself and your ability to reach your goals. In other words, confidence represents your readiness to believe in yourself.
Having a balanced sense of confidence can improve your resilience, help you perform at your best, and accomplish your goals. On the other hand, low self-confidence may affect how you think and feel about yourself, causing you to experience self-critical thoughts about your skills, appearance, worth, and so on. In turn, perceiving yourself as incapable may hinder your success and prevent you from attracting positive outcomes.
We all use negative self-talk sometimes, which brings down our confidence. Self-criticism may affect your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Also, self-critical thoughts can influence your life choices, prevent you from achieving your goals, and develop your potential.
Strategies such as mindfulness meditation, positive affirmations, visualization, gratitude, and setting boundaries can help you to belt up your inner critic and become more confident.
Here are five strategies to help you change your mindset about your skills and cultivate confidence
1. Try mindfulness meditation
Research has shown that mindful relaxation can improve your self-awareness, enabling you to observe your self-critical thoughts while in a state of deep relaxation. This strategy can improve your self-respect and boost your confidence. Besides, regular mindfulness practice can improve your mood, enhance your optimism, and alleviate stress, anxiety, and depression.
2. Practice positive affirmations
Affirmations are powerful motivating messages that we send to ourselves. Studies show that these messages can boost our confidence and help establish a positive self-image. We tend to think, feel, and behave in line with our self-perception. Therefore, positive self-talk is a powerful way to improve your confidence, so start each day with positive statements about yourself, such as the following:
I am confident in my skills.
I can achieve my goals.
I am strong and resilient.
I have the power to control my thoughts.
I choose to be happy.
I am ready for success.
I am always growing.
I am proud of myself.
3. Express gratitude
A gratitude practice can be extremely helpful in boosting your confidence and improving your overall well-being, as shown by gratitude studies. A simple exercise of counting your blessings each morning and/or evening can increase your self-assurance and self-respect.
4. Practice visualization
Visualization or mental imagery is one of the most effective strategies to attract positive outcomes and opportunities in your life. Imagine yourself as the person you want to be. This mental rehearsal practice can significantly boost your self-confidence, teach you to recognize your strengths, and help clarify your goals.
5. Create boundaries
Setting firm, clear boundaries and requesting others to respect them will help you to take control over your life and improve your self-confidence. If you are not sure how to set boundaries, take an assertiveness course and learn how to express your needs in a self-confident but respectful way.
Kamini Wood, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Kamini Wood is the founder and CEO of Live Joy Your Way and the AuthenticMe® RiseUp program. An international best-selling author Kamini is driven to support people of all ages to heal their relationship with themselves and to stop outsourcing their self-worth. As a result, her clients become their own confident, resilient self-leader with healthier relationships. Kamini is a certified life coach, board-certified by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners, holds specialty certifications in Calling in the One®, Conscious Uncoupling®, NewMoney Story®, and teen life coaching. Also trained in conscious parenting, Kamini aims to meet her clients where they are, supporting and guiding them on their journey to where they want to be, both personally and professionally. Her mission: create space for each person to see the unique gifts they bring to this world.
