How to Build Confidence in Your Appearance, Your Abilities and Yourself

It’s much easier to build a positive self-image when you’re taking care of yourself. This includes fueling your body with nutritious foods, getting good quality sleep, pumping those endorphins with regular exercise and treating yourself to some R&R through self-care and mindfulness practices like meditation. Living a healthy lifestyle will help to improve your overall health and wellbeing, and you’ll naturally feel more confident in your appearance as a result.

Did you know body language plays a big role in your confidence and how you present yourself? Even if you don’t *feel* 100% confident, you can present an image of confidence in the way you hold yourself. Simple things such as standing tall, pulling your shoulders back, maintaining eye contact and using positive facial expressions when speaking to people can all improve your body language and, in turn, help to boost your confidence.

Flashing your pearly whites is an easy way to appear more confident and approachable. But the benefits of smiling aren’t just for appearances. Studies have found that smiling in anxious or stressful moments can help to reduce your body’s stress response and trick your brain into feeling happier and more at ease.

But when you’re not 100% happy with your teeth, cracking a smile isn’t so easy. If this sounds a little too familiar, talk to us about getting specialised dental care, such as Invisalign, so you can feel more confident and comfortable with your smile.

There’s a reason why this idiom is used so often. It’s believed that if you act or “fake” being confident, this can actually change how you feel on a physiological level and help you gain a true feeling of confidence in real life. Start by practising positive self-talk or walking tall with your head held high and see how different you feel.

Want to feel more confident? Start by acknowledging all the great things you’ve already done or the positive skills and qualities you already have. Whether you write them down or take a mental note, give yourself praise for everything you’ve achieved so far. The simple act of acknowledging your abilities and what you’re good at will give you a guaranteed self-esteem boost.

Confidence grows through accomplishment. When you set goals, you give yourself a sense of purpose. And when you achieve those goals, your confidence in yourself and your abilities grows. Remember, you don’t need to set major life-changing goals to feel accomplished. In fact, small, manageable goals — like making your bed every morning — will still give you that same sense of accomplishment needed for a confidence boost.

The best way to build your confidence in your abilities is to learn something new. If you’re worried about embarrassing yourself or making mistakes, try to remember that nobody is *that* good at something the first time they try it. Cut yourself some slack and keep practising. As you pick up new skills and see yourself improving over time, you’ll start to cultivate a stronger belief in yourself.

Failure is a normal part of life. We’re all human and we all make mistakes. But it’s what you do after you fail that can either boost or break your confidence. When you’re faced with failure or make a mistake, it’s normal to feel angry or disappointed. Recognise your emotional response and allow yourself the space to feel upset. Next, set your emotions aside and look at the situation logically. Ask yourself: What can I learn from this experience? What steps can I take to fix my mistake? What can I do in future to ensure this doesn’t happen again? The most important thing is to move forward and not let your mistakes kill your confidence.

We are often our own worst critics, right? That’s why it’s so important to be kind to yourself and practise positive self-talk to increase your self-compassion. Self-compassion is all about treating yourself with love, kindness and respect — especially when you experience setbacks or challenges. Studies have shown that having a sense of self-compassion contributes to more consistent levels of confidence.

Comparison is the thief of joy… and the killer of confidence. When you compare yourself to others, you invite in negative emotions like envy or resentment. In fact, a 2018 study found that people who experience high levels of envy, often experience a lower sense of self-worth and self-esteem. Remember that life is *not* a competition. Focus on running your own race and achieving your own goals. The only person you should be trying to compete with is the person you were yesterday.

Life is short! Find the things that make you happy and try to create time for them every day. Doing something that makes you happy will not only give an instant boost to your self-worth and self-esteem, it can also help to reduce stress. Finding activities that bring you joy can also show you what you’re truly passionate about and talented at, helping to grow your belief in yourself and your confidence.