Top 10 ways to master your inner confidence

Are you tired of struggling with low self-confidence, self-doubt and overthinking?

Confidence is linked to almost everything we do in life. The good news is anyone can build confidence and take that first step to improve their life.

Confidence starts from the inside out. It doesn’t come from what others think about you, it comes from what you think about yourself. It’s about learning to trust yourself and know that you are worthy as you are. You deserve to achieve the happiness and success that you want in life. You just need to start taking the steps today to change your mindset.

Here’s 10 ways to master your inner confidence:

1. Understanding what self-confidence means to you. Being confident will mean different things to different people. If you had all the confidence in the world, what would you do? Write down the first things that comes up for you.
2. Stop negative thoughts. I’m guessing there might be something you really want to do or achieve, but self-doubt and insecurity might be holding you back. The key is to understand how you think so start observing your thoughts. The next time a negative thought comes up, ask yourself ‘is it helpful?’ What we tell ourselves is what we start to believe. Try replacing it with a positive statement.
3. Set goals. Confidence is all about taking action, you don’t have to wait to be confident to get started. Now you understand what confidence means to you, ‘where do you hope it will take you?’ What would you like to accomplish? You can then set goals to help you get there.
4. Know your strengths. Sit down and reflect on what your strengths are. What are you good at? What do others compliment you on? What boosts your confidence? It’s important to focus on the value you bring instead of always focusing on your shortcomings.
5. Practice acceptance. It’s important to see your current reality without judgement. Life happens, but it’s important not to keep going over painful setbacks or experiences. You will just increase your own suffering. Accept the situation the best you can because it’s the starting point for change. You can start to turn your attention to focus on new opportunities rather than dwelling on the past.
6. Practice self-compassion. If things don’t go to plan its tempting to keep beating yourself up, but this response isn’t helpful. Give yourself a break. Instead treat yourself as you would a friend. Speak nicely to yourself, be kind and understanding. Forgive yourself when you make mistakes.
7. Meditation. One of the best ways to build confidence is to focus on self-awareness and meditation is a powerful tool to help with this. It will help you to change the relationship you have with your thoughts. You will start to understand yourself on a deeper level through consistent practice. Start by sitting in a quiet spot and time yourself for 5 minutes. Follow the sensation of your breath as it goes in and out. Notice when your mind wanders and simply return your focus to your breath. Remember not to judge yourself, just come back to the now.
8. Get out in nature. Getting out for a walk provides many benefits for our mental and physical health. It helps to improve our general mood and it grounds us which helps to put things in perspective. It’s a simple way to improve confidence and self-esteem so get out there and enjoy the green space.
9. Improve competence. When you practice something repeatedly you become more competent. If there’s an area you want to improve then start practicing. You will naturally start to feel more confident the more you do it. You just need to be willing to give it a try.
10. Practice Gratitude. Our minds are wired to zoom in on all the negative events so it can be easy to feel like you don’t have much to be grateful for. Low self-confidence is often linked to a scarcity mindset. When you think you don’t have enough of something to get to where you want to be. If you find yourself focusing on an area you’re lacking, replace it with thoughts about what you do have. There will always be something to be grateful for.

Confidence is about knowing who you are and what you want. You will finally make choices that benefit your own happiness and not someone else’s. It’s not something that happens overnight so be patient with yourself. You gain confidence by doing so consistency and repetition are key. Remind yourself of all your amazing strengths rather than thinking about your flaws. Make a choice today to start building the confidence and self-esteem you deserve because it really will change everything for you.

About the author

Sarah Giles is a resilience coach and meditation teacher. Supporting individuals with mental and emotional wellbeing. She is passionate about helping quietly ambitious women to free themselves of self-doubt and improve their confidence in life and work.

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/s-giles

Instagram: www.instagram.com/sarahgilescoaching