“Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy.” –Norman Vincent Peale
Oftentimes, I hear my clients say, “I lack confidence” and I see the defeat on their faces that follows. Some clients may have never experienced self-confidence at all, whereas others have had highs and lows. Self-confidence can be negatively affected after a bad experience, a failed relationship, or struggles with mental health issues.
But the good news is confidence is a skill that we all can learn! With consistent acts of bravery, we can gradually build and strengthen our confidence. We can do this at any age and at any phase in our lives!
Whether you are looking to rebuild your self-confidence or looking to build it for the first time, here are some helpful tips to get started on your journey to self-confidence!
Think about your strengths: What are you good at? Acknowledge and be proud of your strengths and don’t diminish them.
Get Active: – Physical exercise is proven to improve mood and decrease symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Look your best: Taking pride in your appearance is a simple, but effective, way to build self-confidence!
Challenge yourself by trying something new! When we try new things, we learn from our mistakes and develop problem-solving skills! We grow and improve in our abilities!
Knowledge is power – and builds confidence! Knowledge allows you to make better decisions and when we learn new things, it helps us to feel prepared and ready to tackle the task at hand! It also helps us to have meaningful communication with others.
Be aware of negative self-talk: Make healthy self-talk your daily routine!
Give yourself one compliment a day: “That workout was really hard! I am proud of myself for not giving up and getting through it!”
Accept compliments of others: Believe it when someone pays you a compliment – and just say thank you!
Gratitude Journal: Write regularly and focus on only good and positive things in your life!
Set goals: In what area(s) of your life do you want to build your self-confidence?
Building self-confidence is an ongoing journey. We hope these tips are helpful and encourage you to reach out to a mental health professional if you need some support!
For more information on Family Focus's outpatient therapy services, or to learn about our providers, please visit https://www.familyfocusinc.com/meet-our-op-team.