7 Ways to Build Confidence

In order to build confidence you have to believe in yourself and be sure that you will succeed at something. It's normal for your confidence levels to go up and down throughout your life, especially when faced with a challenging situation. Nevertheless, you can build confidence with these simple strategies, and a little determination. As a child, your parent had the ability to help you build confidence, through their loving support and encouragement. As an adult, it is up to you to be your own advocate. When you find yourself struggling with self-doubt more often than you'd like, you can take measures to get yourself back on track before you get stuck in a rut. Read through the techniques below for inspiration on how to build confidence and gain self-assurance. 1.) Choose someone to model your behavior after. Take a look at the people around you and pick out a person you feel behaves with confidence. What makes this person appear so confident? • Does she have good posture and carry herself well? • Is she approachable and friendly with others? • Maybe there are other characteristics that you admire and respect about this person. Think about what they are. It could be they have a great sense of humor, or have a way of making people feel comfortable around them, or appear genuinely interested when others are talking to them. When you determine what the qualities are that make this person appear confident, mimic their behavior to build your confidence. 2.) Determine what it is that you are doing right. While it's easy to point out what you're doing wrong, focusing on what you are doing well will strengthen your confidence. Everyone does something better than others. Find out what those things are for you. • You are a unique individual. No one else has the exact same qualities and traits that you do. Consider how you combine these to do things well and make a list of what you're good at. When you see where your strengths are, your self-confidence rise. 3.) Become an actor. Chances are you can think about situations in the past that you were uncertain about an outcome and not feeling upbeat about it. Consider what you did to get through it. • If it was a day you were feeling good about yourself, you held your head up high and plowed forward and acted like you could get through it. And chances are, you did! • Next time you're feeling less self-assured, think about the person you're modeling and act like they would. • Strive to believe in yourself. Trust that you will make it through, just like your parents believed in you when you were a child. 4.) List the characteristics that you are proud of. Consider your personality characteristics that are your strong points. Are you honest, kind, friendly? Knowing what you like about yourself and your strong points will improve your self-confidence. 5.) Recognize the good that you do. If you completed something on time, cleaned out a cluttered room and made it look terrific, or helped a friend in need, give yourself credit. • On a daily basis, make it a point to reflect on the good things that you did that day. These little reminders of the good person that you are will build your confidence. 6.) Congratulate yourself. When you've reached a goal or completed a difficult task, take notice and celebrate. Remind yourself of your good fortune, revel in your success, and applaud yourself as you work to build more self confidence. 7.) Choose to be positive. Being optimistic and choosing to have a positive attitude will bring you more of the same.Confident people are positive people. When you decide to see the best in a situation, your self-confidence will rise to a new level. You have the power to build your confidence. Selecting someone to model your behavior after, embracing your strong points, and celebrating the achievement of your goals, no matter how big or small, are a few ways to gain confidence. Commit to believing in yourself and your self-confidence will soar.