So many things can batter at your confidence. Is it any wonder sometimes you’re feeling less capable, or even something of a failure? The main thing is not to allow yourself to stay in this frame of mind for any longer than necessary. Here are some quick ways to reclaim confidence after losing it:
Watch Your Language
First of all, you’re not a ‘failure,’ and using any variation on that word isn’t going to help. By paying attention to your self-talk, you’ll find you can shift your focus very quickly. Reword negatives over to positive phrasing and be careful not to allow any putdowns in how you think of yourself.
Figure Out the Roadblocks
How are you undermining your confidence? It might be you have some habits or behaviors which are doing you a lot more harm than good. For example, you might be hanging out with a ‘friend’ who continually puts you down. While it might seem hard to do this kind of self-examination at first, it’s crucial to protecting your confidence and ability to move forward. Once you have these things listed, ask yourself what you can do to change these behaviors.
Find Your Tribe
Nothing builds up confidence, like being surrounded by people who believe in you. Find friends, mentors, and people who share your interests and are more interested in building you up than tearing you down. Make concrete plans to spend more time with these individuals.
Understand Yourself
Sometimes we can’t help but feel shattered, especially when some outside force (such as the loss of someone dear) has left us emotionally vulnerable. Research what you’re going through. Understanding where you are and that your reactions are normal, will go a long way to preserving your confidence as you work through the crisis.
Practice Self-Care
It’s hard to feel confident when you’re not feeling well. Eat right, Exercise, Get enough sleep. You’ll be amazed at what attention to the basics does to improve your outlook and your feelings regarding yourself.
Live in the Moment
Confidence is easily shattered by the failures of the past and can make you feel weak and frail when faced with an uncertain future. For this reason, take some time to focus on the now. Meditation or mindfulness are great ways to relax and put yourself in the moment. You’ll find yourself feeling a lot calmer and less stressed, a place where confidence thrives.
Being more confident happens when you pay attention to what’s hurting your confidence now. Be mindful of yourself and intentional in your actions. Confidence will grow best when you pay attention to these details.
I wrote a book on changing that self-defeating voice inside you "Prove Your Inner Critic Wrong". It is available at Amazon. Use the link below.
