Confidence is a crucial trait for success. Learn how to be more confident and the actionable steps you can take right away.
Becoming more confident is an excellent goal to have. With self-confidence, you’ll have better self-esteem, relationships, be willing to take risks, and perform at a higher level.
It has many benefits in different areas of your life. Fortunately, you’re not stuck. Self-confidence is a skill that you can develop. The first step is awareness. By having the desire, you’re already on the right path. The following are nine actionable steps to become more confident.
1. Develop a growth mindset
To become more confident, you must shift your mindset from fixed to growth. A growth mindset means that you believe it’s possible to develop your talents and qualities, even if it takes hard work, patience, and external sources.
On the flip side, a fixed mindset means that you can’t develop your gifts or talents. By having a growth mindset, you’re open and willing to change. You’ll overcome limiting beliefs, take actions to move in the right direction, and build self-confidence.
To develop a growth mindset, start by being aware of your thoughts. Then, constantly think about having a growth mindset and what it entails. If you have a limiting thought, remind yourself that you have a growth mindset and can change. The power is in your hands.
Another important aspect of having a growth mindset is understanding that you’re not perfect. There are areas in which you lack. Everyone has weaknesses. A growth mindset will allow you to move beyond and learn from failures, improve your shortcomings, and build on your strengths.
2. Understand your values
To be confident, you must understand and live according to your values. If you’re unsure about what you value, ask yourself the following questions to define them:
- What are your happiest memories? What were you doing, and who were you with?
- When have you felt unstoppable?
- When have you felt proud of what you’ve done?
- What makes you feel fulfilled?
- Who do you admire most?
When you’re answering the questions, consider your personal and professional life. Afterward, take a look at your answers and identify the theme. Typically, you’ll find five to ten things that stand out. Then, you can choose your top three to five core values.
It’s beneficial to identify your values because it allows you to live with purpose and passion. It also makes you more confident because you’ll feel stability and fulfillment.
3. Express gratitude
Gratitude makes you appreciate your life and the people in it. It helps you feel content with what you have. When you practice gratitude, your thinking shifts from being negative or toxic to positive and appreciative. There are many ways to be grateful. It can be a simple thought, or you can journal.
Another way to practice gratitude is when you’re interacting with others. When you get a compliment, make eye contact and thank the person for it instead of brushing it off. As you talk to others, focus on being grateful instead of what you don’t have or negative things that are going on.
Gratitude also builds your confidence because it reminds you of what you’ve already achieved. Your past successes can make you feel confident and proud of yourself.
4. Practice confident body language
Confidence is a feeling and if you struggle with feeling it, start with the outside. Have confident body language, and you’ll begin feeling it on the inside. The following are different ways to exude confidence with your body language:
- Stand with good posture and keep your legs aligned with your shoulders.
- Use your hands when you speak. Have an open palm and never point.
- Make eye contact.
- Be still and minimize fidgeting.
- Give a firm handshake.
- Lean forward when you’re having a conversation to show that you’re interested and paying attention.
- Keep your chin up when you walk.
- Slow down and take larger steps.
By practicing confident body language, you’ll appear and feel an increase in your self-esteem. At first, it may feel awkward and posed. However, stick with it because it’ll become natural, and you’ll feel more confident.
5. Learn how to speak confidently
Aside from how you look, you can become and appear more confident with how you talk. Think of someone who owns the room when they speak. It’s because they’ve mastered the art of speaking confidently, and you can, too.
To sound confident, the first thing you must do is slow down. When you talk too fast, you’ll seem nervous, and you may overwhelm the other person or audience. Whether you’re giving a speech or talking one-on-one, speak at a relaxed pace.
While you’re talking, it’s important to use your hands. Keep your palms up and open as you speak because it makes you look excited, confident, and approachable.
Another key aspect of confident speaking is remembering to smile. You don’t have to smile the entire time, but make sure you smile throughout the speech or conversation. Even if you’re walking on the sidewalk, say hi to people you walk by with a smile.
When you speak confidently, you’ll feel better, and your self-belief will increase. You’ll realize that you’re capable of being confident.
6. Keep learning
When was the last time you learned something new? If it’s been a while, you likely feel stagnant in life, and it impacts your confidence. That’s why continuous learning is crucial. You can take courses, read about a topic, or get a new hobby.
Regardless of what you do or how you do it, keep learning. Gain new experiences, challenge yourself, and sharpen your skills. By doing so, you’ll become more confident by increasing your skills and knowledge.
7. Focus on your path
One of the quickest ways to lose confidence is by comparing yourself with others. So, focus on your path. If social media causes you to feel down, unfollow the people who make you feel that way or stop using it entirely.
Everyone has a different story, and comparing your life to someone else’s highlights won’t benefit you. While looking to others for inspiration and motivation is helpful, a comparison isn’t. Set goals for your journey and focus on your path. Along the way, celebrate your successes. Your confidence will grow as you recognize your achievements instead of comparing yourself to others.
8. Face your fears
Facing your fears is easier said than done. However, you’ll feel empowered and confident when you do. Chances are, fear won’t go away regardless of how confident you are. Overcoming your fear can become easier, though.
When you’re afraid, you can fight it by looking at the facts, taking time to think through the situation, accepting that you may not succeed, and finding support. It’s normal to feel fear. Take control and do it anyway. When you overcome fear, you’ll realize that you’re a strong person. Over time, your confidence will grow.
9. Take care of your health
It’s difficult to feel confident when your health is in a poor state. Take care of your health and body by eating well, exercising, sleeping, and practicing meditation. When you improve your health, you’ll feel good, which leads to increased confidence. You’ll be happy with how you feel and look.
Since maintaining good health requires consistency, you’ll also become more confident as you stick with it. You’ll prove to yourself that you’re able to persevere and be consistent.
Conclusion
Confidence is a feeling. While it’s internal, there are many things that you can do to feel and become more confident. Learn to be comfortable with your weaknesses and shortcomings, as it’ll teach you to persevere and become a confident person.
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Featured image courtesy of Canva.