Feeling good about yourself and your abilities, judgment, and accomplishments is important to your well-being. If you don’t feel so great about yourself, it may be time to work on boosting your self-confidence. Here are 10 steps you can take toward better self-confidence.
- Focus on what you’re good at. Everyone has strengths in different areas. Whether it’s your wit, penmanship, athleticism, or your ability to hold a conversation—think about what you’re already good at and ways you can build upon these strengths.
- Don’t compare yourself to others. You are unique and wonderful just as you are.
- Spend more time learning. Learning things can give you a sense of accomplishment, which can increase your confidence. These don’t need to be big accomplishments or formal things that are in a classroom setting. Things like taking an online course to get beginner skills in a hobby you’ve wanted to start, using an app to start learning a new language, or reading a how-to book to help you work on a DIY project all count as learning, and they can all help remind you of how capable you are!
- Aim for your personal best instead of perfection. Remember, nobody is perfect.
- Set achievable goals. By setting goals that are within reach, you can create a clear roadmap for progress and growth. Each time you meet a goal, celebrate, then set your next goal by building from your success.
- Use positive self-talk to boost your confidence. Switch your inner self-talk from “I can’t” or “I won’t” to “I can” and “I will.”
- Live in the moment and appreciate the opportunities for growth around you. Tell yourself that life is not a competition, but provides opportunities at every moment to enjoy, learn, and grow.
- Surround yourself with supportive people who value you for who you are. These should be people who will cheer you on, remind you of your true worth as an individual, and help you feel strong.
- Judge yourself like you’d judge your friend. Chances are, you’d be encouraging when a friend makes progress on something and understanding when they didn’t do something perfectly. Be a friend to yourself and replace judgmental thoughts with healthier thoughts, like “I still have a ways to go, but I’ve already made progress/shown improvement!”
- Exercise regularly to improve your mood and overall well-being. Any type of physical movement can play a part in building your self-esteem! That’s because exercise produces the feel-good brain hormones that lift your mood.
Following these steps can help you boost your self-confidence and feel better about yourself. However, if you still feel like you’re struggling with negative thoughts and emotions, consider talking to a counselor for additional support.
