Struggling with your confidence? It’s easier than you might think to radically boost your confidence.
#1 Master something in secret – tell no one
Our confidence gets rocked by the judgments and opinions of others. Mastering something in secret gives you the space to try your hand at something new without the confidence crushing power of criticism. There’s no need to be sneaky or mysterious here. Simply pick up something you’ve been hoping to try but haven’t had the courage to go for it! Explore improv, ballet, water color, poetry, or whatever else piques your interest.
Find online resources to help you grow your craft or skill. Share with the world when the time is right or keep your newfound mastery all to yourself. You’ll be amazed at how your confidence soars when you can be a novice in a judgment free zone.
#2 Do something you’ve been too scared to do
Prove to yourself that you can do scary things! Ride the roller coaster, take on a small public speaking engagement, hold the tarantula at the pet shop. Do something you’ve been scared to do and take the confidence you’ve gained all the way to the bank.
#3 Write yourself a love note
Practice a little self love. Write yourself a mushy love note replete with all of the reasons why you’re amazing. Go into detail about the things you love about your personality, your positive habits, your talents, and of course, your beautiful physical features (don’t you dare invoke the excuse that you don’t have any!)
#4 Clarify your values
Your values are a wellspring of confidence! Values are a set of beliefs, ideals, or practices that guide your thoughts, impulses, and decisions. When you become clear about your values you can make decisions with more confidence and live in a manner that supports your self-esteem.
Take a free values assessment here
#5 Figure out your strengths
We’re all good at something. Discovering your strengths will boost confidence in your ability. You’ll have a renewed sense of awareness in the spaces where you naturally excel and your confidence will grow as you become more competent in your strengths.
My favorite tool for discovering your top 5 strengths is StrengthsFinder 2.0
#6 Schedule a self care day
Nothing puts pep back in your step like good self care. Take a break from your busy schedule and renew your sense of self worth with face masks, your favorite candle and some trashy TV (if that’s what you’re into). But seriously, schedule a self care day.
#7 Help someone
Confidence doesn’t just come from things we do for ourselves. Confidence can be conjured up through acts of kindness. Giving from our resources (time, energy, creativity) reminds us that the world is so much bigger than ourselves. An act of kindness forces us to stop hyperfocusing on our faults and instead turn our inward gaze toward someone in need.
You’ll be amazed at how much better you feel about yourself and the world around you when you take even a moment to help someone else. Give the barista a generous tip, sign up for a friend’s meal train, or volunteer with a cause that’s close to your heart.
#8 Name your inner critic
Name your inner critic. We let her off the hook when the critiques inside our head run wild without any sort of accountability. Choose a name for your inner critic. Bertha, Francine, Olga, whatever name inspires you, and remind her who’s boss by giving her a name and calling out her critiques!
#9 Take on a new challenge
Push yourself! Taking on a new challenge is a great way to boost your confidence. Take on the challenge of learning something new or pushing the limits of something you already excel at.
Sign up for a half marathon, enter yourself in a baking contest, volunteer to teach on a topic you are knowledgeable about. Define your personal challenge and go for it!
#10 Affirmations
Create a few positive affirmations for yourself. Recite them often.
Affirmations are short, encouraging statements or phrases. For example, “I am capable” or “I am strong” are affirmations that can boost your confidence.
Take a moment to brainstorm a positive affirmation or two that encourages you. Make affirming yourself a practice and watch your confidence soar!
#11 Identify confidence killers
Take the power out of the things that kill your confidence by identifying them. Confidence killers can be people, situations, or beliefs about yourself, to name a few.
Think about a time when you felt self-conscious or insecure. What factors contributed to those feelings? Those factors are likely confidence killers in your life. Make every effort to avoid those confidence killers.
#12 I do ___ well list
Give yourself a proverbial pat on the back with an I do ____ well list. Create a list of at least 5 things that you do well. And believe me, there’s way more than 5.
Don’t be shy, brag on yourself. Create your I do ___ well list and keep it handy.
#13 Filter criticism through the 100% filter – nothing is ever 100% true or false
Criticism is never 100% true or 100% false. You can boost your confidence by running criticism through this 100% true/false filter. Identify the truth in criticism and acknowledge it. Then call out the falsities in the same criticism.
This filter is an especially powerful confidence booster because you aren’t operating under any delusions. You are acknowledging what is true and calling out what is false. You aren’t blowing up your own self-importance through denial or deflection. Rather, you are standing confident in reality.
#14 Cut out comparison
Comparison inflames insecurity faster than anything else. As much as possible, remove yourself from situations and environments that encourage comparison. Take a break from scrolling, gossiping, or participating in other activities that inevitably lead to comparison.
#15 Let go of perfectionism
Break up with perfectionism. Confidence can’t thrive when perfection is the standard. Perfectionism creates pressure that stunts our confidence.
Confront your perfectionistic tendencies and give your confidence room to grow.
#16 Celebrate your wins
Give yourself credit where credit is due! We brush past wins and accomplishments way too quickly. Embrace your wins and make space to celebrate them!
Take a moment to pause here and brainstorm what celebrating your wins would look like. Would you go out to a nice dinner, have a spa day at home, log off work an hour early? Define celebration for yourself and make room for the confidence that is sure to follow your post-win celebration.
#17 Build confidence boosting community
Have you heard the saying that you are the sum of the people you surround yourself with? It’s true. Be intentional about the company you keep.
You need consistent community in your life that is investing in you and building you up. We weren’t meant to do life alone. Do you and your confidence a favor by actively investing in relationships that contribute to your confidence.
Read more about confidence boosting community here.
#18 Workout
Get your endorphins pumping with a workout. You’ll look good and feel good after moving your body. Take 20 minutes out of your day for a vigorous walk, yoga session, or quick HIIT workout.
You’ll feel more confident after making a healthy choice, investing in yourself, and of course, getting those endorphins going!
#19 Advocate for yourself – don’t shy away from confrontation
It may be scary and uncomfortable at first but advocating for yourself is an insanely effective way to boost your confidence. Advocating for yourself doesn’t just boost your confidence, it sustains it. Your long-term confidence depends on your ability to advocate for yourself and participate in healthy confrontation.
This isn’t an encouragement to start beef with everyone who has ever wronged you. Start small with things like telling the waiter when your order is wrong or saying no when saying yes would be easier.
#20 Adopt a growth mindset
Most of us operate under a fixed mindset. Through a fixed mindset we view our intelligence, abilities, and other personal qualities as unchangeable.
When we embrace a growth mindset, we adopt the belief that we can improve our intelligence, abilities, and other personal qualities. Don’t you feel more confident already knowing that you are capable of improving the best and worst parts about yourself?!
#21 Visualize a confident you – act like her
What would you do if you were 100% confident in every area of life? Take a moment to visualize that reality. Now, start acting like her.
The only thing that is holding you back from that version of yourself that you just envisioned is the belief that you can’t act like that. Give yourself permission to start showing up as the most confident version of yourself. And believe me, you can!
#22 Practice gratitude
Gratitude has an uncanny way of putting things into perspective. Practicing gratitude reminds us of the good things we’ve got going for ourselves!
Remember, confidence suffers because of comparison. Gratitude is a powerful antidote to the confidence sucking power of comparison. Gratitude boosts our confidence by turning our lens away from what others have and back toward the amazing things going on in our own lives.
#23 Set boundaries – uphold them
Nothing zaps our confidence like the feeling of being a doormat. Boost your confidence by setting necessary boundaries and upholding them. Setting and upholding boundaries will help you increase your confidence by defining your personal limits and preventing others from walking all over you.
Read more here about how to set healthy boundaries.
#24 Complete a project you’ve been procrastinating
You know that project, the one you’ve been putting off…You’ll feel so much better when it’s done! Give yourself a boost of confidence by overcoming that project you’ve been procrastinating.
Make a game plan to complete your procrastinated project and soak up the sweet relief and confidence that will surely follow.
#25 Increase your competence
Increase the knowledge and expertise you already have on a topic. Pick up a new book, enroll in an online course, or a join a group on any topic that you want to increase in competency. As your knowledge and skill grows so will your confidence.
#26 Set a small goal – crush it
You won’t believe how achieving even a small goal can radically boost your confidence. Achieving goals reminds us of what we are capable of and inspires us to reach even higher in the future. Prove to yourself that you are capable of growing and positively changing by setting a small goal.
P.S. You can snag my best goal setting tips here.
#27 Focus on things in your control
Dwelling on things outside of your control is a sure fire way to give away your power and confidence. Take your power back and shore up your confidence by focusing on the things within your control.
#28 Put on an outfit that makes you feel good about yourself
It’s true what they say, when you look good, you feel good! Put on an outfit that makes you feel good and work it!
Not feeling confident in anything you’ve got hanging in the closet? Treat yourself to a shopping spree. You don’t have to go crazy but I do recommend having at least a favorite top, bottom and shoe that instantly boosts your confidence when you slip it on.
P.S. If you’re looking for a way to celebrate your wins from #16 consider adding a confidence boosting clothing item to your wardrobe as a way to celebrate!
#29 Curate an epic playlist – listen often
We all have those songs that pump us up! And if you don’t, today is your day to find them. Create a playlist of songs that boost your mood and shore up your confidence. Put your confidence boosting playlist on whenever you’re feeling blue. And if the urge to bust a move emerges don’t fight it!
#30 Ask for the encouragement you need
Last but not least, be bold, ask for the encouragement you need.
Remember, we need confidence boosting community, and no one can read your mind. Don’t be shy! Text a friend, call your mom, or ask your significant other to remind you how awesome you are!
Which confidence booster will you try first?
There you have it, 30 ways to boost your confidence. Which confidence booster are you going to try first?
I recommend starting with #9 and taking on the challenge of practicing one of the confidence boosters above for the next 30 days.
Want more help building your confidence?
Hi I’m Bailey, I’m a certified life coach and I LOVE helping women build unshakable confidence! Through one-on-one coaching I’ll help you say Goodbye to stuck, scared, and uncertain and Hello to major confidence! Book a free Discovery Call here to learn more.
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