Confidence is a feeling you can develop, it isn't a fixed trait. Knowing you can handle situations that come your way brings peace of mind even during difficult times.
Ways we can boost our self-confidence include
- Keeping the promises you make to yourself. Self-trust is important for believing you can meet life's challenges.
- Forgive yourself for mistakes you've made. Make peace with the past and learn from your regrets.
- Consistent effort, even tiny steps, in the direction of what matters to you is a way of honoring yourself
- Communicate your needs directly, accepting that people have different preferences and sensibilities.
- Savor your accomplishments
Remember we are all starting from a different place, in terms of our life experiences, history, and opportunities; keeping your attention on your own growth at any speed will help you to move forward.
Self confidence blocks
- Rumination - repeatedly thinking about past mistakes
- Comparing yourself to others
- Not following through on your commitments
When we ruminate on mistakes we've made in the past, we may be reinforcing negative feelings about our abilities and contributing to our self doubt.
It's important to learn from our mistakes, and think of ways to not repeat what we regret.
The 2 statements below will lead to different feelings and generally different outcomes:
"I tried, I failed, and I will do better next time or that thing wasn't for me."
And
"I tried, I failed, and therefore I'm a failure."
“Fall down seven times, stand up eight.” - Japanese proverb
Similarly to exercise or learning any skill, we can turn our weaknesses into strengths with intention, patience, and determination.
