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Self-confidence could be the difference between getting passed over for a raise or getting the promotion of a lifetime. Confidence can get you many places in life, so you want to have a favorable opinion of yourself. You can work on this skill by incorporating confidence building exercises.
Having low confidence could result from numerous past experiences in your life — even stemming as far back as childhood. When you’re used to a particular way of thinking, it can be hard to convince yourself that you’re worth it. Try these confidence building exercises at home for yourself and reflect on your progress later.
If you live alone, you may have to build up your confidence by yourself. Practicing in front of a mirror is one option to build yourself up, but there are plenty of other confidence building exercises you can tackle while living alone.
Getting to know yourself means that you’ll feel more confident when you talk about yourself. How often have you felt lost for words when someone asks you to explain who you are? By taking inventory with yourself, you’ll know what you stand for and what your likes and dislikes are. This way, it’ll be easier for you to communicate with others.
If your lack of confidence stems from not knowing much about a field you love or work in, aim to close that gap. In your free time, research as much as you can about the topic you desire so that you’re prepared to answer any question thrown your way. By having an answer prepared in advance, you’ll feel more confident talking about your field or favorite things around people you may not know as well.
Ideally, this notebook should be small enough for you to carry with you on your daily excursions, but it’s okay to keep it at home, especially if you have a good memory. Whenever anyone compliments you — whether it’s on something physical, a skill you have or your kindness or thoughtfulness — you need to write it down in the journal.
Looking back on your notebook full of compliments can help you improve your confidence on days you aren’t feeling well. You can easily remember what nice things someone said about you and realize that you’re valued for who you are.
All it takes is ten seconds in a power posing stance to make you feel a boost of confidence. Because this exercise is so simple, you can perform it anywhere — at home in front of the mirror or the bathroom at work before a meeting. By standing in such a way that you occupy more space around you, you can feel more powerful and confident in a pinch.
You should aim to smile at yourself, too. You likely aren’t treating yourself with the kindness you deserve. Simply seeing yourself smiling may make you feel happier subconsciously, and happier people typically tend to be more confident in who they are.
Where do you see yourself in five years? You may have heard that question plenty of times, but how often have you acted on it? Creating a vision board can help you keep your goals within sight, and it’s something inspirational to look back on whenever you feel discouraged.
Just keep in mind that the person you see portrayed through your vision board could be you someday. Manifesting opportunities daily and working toward your dreams will boost your confidence.
If you don’t live alone, practicing your confidence building exercises in your room may feel embarrassing. Ask someone you live with to help you build your confidence. They may be ready and willing to help you achieve your self-confidence goal.
If you feel anxious when introducing yourself to people, professionally or personally, come up with a short elevator pitch explaining your name, who you are, and why you do what you do. An elevator pitch aims to be a brief explanation of yourself — something you could explain to someone while riding an elevator with them!
You can practice your pitch with another person in your household. They can then give you feedback on sounding more natural or lead you into questions your pitch may leave unanswered. Unanswered questions aren’t always a bad thing — they can lead to a discussion afterward!
Introverted people may have a hard time accepting that their opinions and points of view should be heard and recognized. If you struggle with self-confidence, talking about your ideas with someone you trust within your household is one of the greatest confidence building exercises you can try.
By talking out your thoughts with someone you trust, you can grow accustomed to hearing yourself speak and making your voice heard. Before long, you’ll be able to speak up in other settings, such as with a group of friends or in your workplace. You have great ideas — now you just need to make sure others know about them, too.
If you have a partner, some of your goals may be intertwined. Items such as getting a promotion at work or buying a house together might be goals to discuss with your partner. While you can set some small goals for yourself, you should thoroughly discuss with your partner any goals that may affect them, too.
Once you have goals in mind and written down, you can move forward with confidence knowing that you have a set plan for the future. You may find that knowing what you want to do next helps you feel more confident about the future.
Rejection hits nearly everyone hard. When you have someone else in your household, it’s the perfect opportunity to practice giving and receiving feedback. When openly communicating with loved ones, make sure to tell them how you feel professionally, and practice taking feedback on something you did that may have affected them negatively — it’ll help you prepare for situations in your career where you’re expected to accept and implement constructive feedback.
If you’re too shy to tell your achievements and setbacks to anyone publicly, consider finding one “buddy” — whether they’re your partner or best friend — who you know won’t judge you. You can trust this buddy with anything, and in return, they’ll know to motivate you and hype you up, no matter the season of life you’re weathering through.
Confidence can help you stand out in both your personal and professional life. If you’re confident in your abilities, you’re more likely to perform well when it counts. People will consider you a knowledgeable person, and you may be thought of for more exciting opportunities. Even if your confidence doesn’t blossom overnight, with these confidence building exercises, you can be sure that you’re making a worthwhile difference in your life.
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