“The most beautiful thing you can wear is confidence.”
-Blake Lively
Confidence is one of the most important qualities we can have. It can give us the strength to attempt difficult things and help us endure painful setbacks.
Despite its importance, confidence is something that many people struggle to have.
While the root cause of low confidence can vary, there are many ways to take steps towards improvement. I recently watched a Ted Talk that discussed its importance and gave three easy steps towards growing in confidence:
- Visualize your success. When you’re beginning a difficult task, imagining yourself doing it successfully can be a great tool. Our mind is one of the most powerful things in our body. When you set your mind on achieving something and truly believe that you can, your chances of doing so greatly improve. Setting the environment can be a helpful way to foster an environment of success. Something as simple as listening to music with deep bass can promote feelings of power. You can even strike a powerful pose or give yourself a pep talk.
- Believe in your ability to improve. If you’re looking for a long-term change, consider the way you think about your abilities and talents. Your thoughts and beliefs can influence the way you respond when you’re faced with setbacks. If you see challenges as an opportunity to learn and grow, they won’t seem so intimidating. Statistics show that people who have a growth mindset are more successful, obtain better grades, and tend to do better in the face of challenges.
- Practice failure. Face it, you’re going to fail sometimes. There are countless successful people that can reflect back on times where they met failure on a consistent basis. Studies show that those who fail regularly, and keep trying anyway are better equipped to respond to challenges and setbacks in a constructive way. They learn how to try different strategies, ask others for advice, and persevere. The key is to accept the challenge, realize it’s not going to be easy, accept that you’ll make mistakes, and be kind to yourself when you do. In the end, you’ll have gained greater knowledge and understanding regardless of the outcome.
Confidence may not improve over night, but with persistence and determination you can work towards becoming a better, more confident version of yourself.
Written by: Salima Hart
