“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” -Eleanor Roosevelt
Great quote, simple, concise, and profound! If you really take those words to heart, we can almost start and finish our subject with that single thought, but we’re not. With the summer season under way, this is a perfect time to broach the subject of confidence.
Let’s dive into this by first saying as far as the general male population is concerned; most of us are walking around feeling less than confident about ourselves. Could that be possible? It’s not only possible; it’s understated. The majority of us are living our lives not feeling confident about ourselves because we fell into a slump, had a bad breakup, our boss is an ass or we are benchmarking ourselves against individuals who possess qualities that we feel we lack in ourselves.
Here are 5 Tips that you can start today and feel the results immediately:
Tip #1 - Smile!
This is going to be HUUGE! Let’s make the assumption you already know to not walk out of the house without being well groomed, practicing good hygiene, and putting some thought into what you wear (if you didn’t, you know now).
Start smiling. The physical act of smiling is scientifically proven to elevate your mood, but that’s only the start.
The big stuff comes in when you smile at strangers during routine interactions. Next time you are speaking to a stranger at the grocery store, the bank, or the coffee shop, simply smile at them while making eye contact and speaking with them (note: no shit eating creepy grins). 9 out of 10 times they will smile back at you. When they do, know you were responsible for making that person’s day a little better and trust us, it’s a great feeling and a huge confidence builder! If you are not used to smiling and making eye contact, it’s much easier to start with strangers as opposed to people you already know.
Tip #2 – Posture.
Once again, scientifically proven to boost confidence is maintaining good posture. Stand straight, shoulders back and hold your head up high when you walk or talk. Catch yourself each time you find yourself looking down at the ground. Again, this tip is simple to execute but you will feel the effects immediately! Also try to maintain good posture while sitting at your desk or while eating a meal.
Tip #3 - Speaking.
What you say matters and is worth hearing, but if you don’t believe it is neither will anyone else who’s listening. So, speak slowly, clearly, and (very important) at a volume loud enough to be heard. Mumbling gets you nowhere.
Tip #4 - Exercise and Goals.
We combined these two because they go hand in hand. Setting and achieving goals gives you a sense of accomplishment and increases your self worth. Exercising not only pumps up your muscles but also pumps up your confidence. When you exercise your body releases endorphins helping relieve stress and taking your mind off life’s everyday issues. This happens because you are taking charge and that’s a great feeling. These great feelings coupled with accomplishment boosts confidence (not to mention you’ll start to look better, too).
Tip#5 - Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone.
By trying new things you prove to yourself that you are adaptive and can take on new challenges. Having something new and engaging to share with people is exciting and admirable. And being admired builds (you guessed it) confidence. So, take a Mixology class, start Taekwondo, or learn to play the guitar. Just change it up. Oh, one more thing, only mention it to your social circle after you have started. Own making the decision to do something new!
All these tips are suggested in order to help build your confidence and ultimately become more comfortable in your own skin. That’s when you start realizing your true potential.
"Always be yourself and have faith in yourself. Do not go out and look for a successful personality and try to duplicate it." -Bruce Lee