5 useful tips to boost your self-confidence

We’ve all had those days when we feel down about ourselves – whether it’s about our looks, our personality, or anything in between. These days can be very damaging to your self-esteem, so the next time you find yourself or your friend feeling sad for themselves, tell them that self-confidence will get them through.

Now, self-confidence isn’t something you can achieve overnight, although I wish I could wake up and transform into Super Woman. The tips in this article will help you become the best and most powerful version of yourself.

1. Don’t listen to self-limiting beliefs

I know this may sound cliché, but it really is good advice. Whether it’s a bully or a towering adult figure who has instilled negative thoughts about yourself in you, know that it’s up to you to think about how you really feel. The next time you find yourself in an uncomfortable situation, treat it as a learning opportunity. If you’re successful, you can definitely ignore that self-limiting belief, and if you don’t, well, that’s what next times are for! It’s harder than it looks, but it’s totally doable.

2. Do you talk about negative self-talk?

Negative self-talk is one of the most damaging things you can engage in, especially when you’re emotionally vulnerable or unstable. This is the time when you should be lifting yourself up, not lowering yourself. You are the only you and you will find no pleasure in criticizing yourself more harshly than others are to you. And if that’s not enough to convince you, people can tell when you’re insecure – why give them that power?

3. Be curious

Being curious can not only help you learn new things, but also distract you from negative thoughts. Plus, curiosity only helps you grow. It can give your mind something positive to think about and can steer you in directions you didn’t know were possible. Now I’m not saying ask Hermione-level questions in class or change your personality by being obnoxiously curious, but just being curious about other people can help you get out of your own head.

4. Take control by facing your fears

When we feel we are in control, there is a sense of confidence and comfort that surrounds us. By pursuing what makes us feel uncomfortable, we can make things more comforting and less scary. The result of such action makes us more confident because we feel more capable. Also, provided nothing bad happened to us when we chased what scared us, that’s a win to add to our confidence scorecard. Living in fear is not worth it.

(By fear, I don’t mean scream like Kevin McAllister in Alone at home. I mean, something like taking a risk or asking one more question in class.)

5. Don’t compare yourself

I can feel the eyes rolling.

And, I know this is something you’ve probably been told countless times, but that doesn’t make it any less important. You can only become truly satisfied with yourself if you have no standards or expectations of who you should be. When you think of yourself: i want to be like her Where Why can’t I look like him? your self-confidence is down. Now, I’m not saying it’s wrong to have role models, but don’t let your mind trick you into thinking you’re less than them.