Seven ways to boost your self confidence

Everywhere you look, you will see people being confident and living their best lives. The reality, however, is that many people still battle with esteem and confidence issues. It’s easy to feel like you’re the only one struggling only to discover that even the most popular celebrities are struggling with themselves.

With the right steps though, we can all learn to believe in ourselves a little more and have a more positive outlook on life.

Here is how to do it.

Part of building self-confidence is surrounding yourself with people who make you feel good about yourself. There are those friends who will always put you down and honestly, these aren’t really the kind of people you need around you. Spend time with people who will encourage you and cheer you on even when you’re not feeling too great about yourself. This is a key step in being confident.

Surrounding yourself with positive people won’t do much if you’re not kind to yourself. You’ll need to silence your inner critic and that mean voice inside in order to build true confidence. When you notice that the mean voice is becoming louder, treat it like a passing thought and replace it with more positive affirmations.

Self-confidence requires you to be dedicated to your self-improvement goals. Focus on keeping up with gym appointments, dressing better or taking care of your hair more in order to feel better about yourself. Our outward appearance has an effect on how we feel and how people treat us. It’s therefore important to look good in order to feel good.

Toxic habits usually have a way of squashing your esteem and confidence. The fact that you’re caught up in a vicious cycle leaves you feeling low and stressed. You have to first accept that there are things you need to change and actively work towards breaking free and finding your confidence again. Once you get rid of toxic habits, your relationship with yourself and others will change for the better.

Low self-confidence is often a symptom of depression, anxiety and other aspects of mental health. You might look good and keep up with gym appointments but, if you don’t work on how you feel, it can be hard to be and to feel genuinely confident. Some of the ways of keeping your mental health in check is by keeping a journal to track some of your triggers or even meditating daily. Your emotional and mental health is just as important as your physical health so it’s essential to make it a priority too.

Self-confidence always gets a boost when you take time to get out of your comfort zone. Many people don’t like change and this is usually a huge culprit that damages your confidence over time. Learning something new will help you rediscover yourself and be more proud of your achievements. Try something you have never done before and you’ll surely fall in love with yourself all over again.

Many of us get caught up in a façade of trying to impress those around us. Society standards usually dictate our every move and this is damaging to our confidence. There’s no better time to embrace your uniqueness than now. Accept yourself the way you are and don’t feel pressured by society. This move will help you to appreciate yourself and love yourself for who you truly are. And in all honesty, this is the most crucial step to self-confidence.