2021 is fast approaching and some say, it couldn’t come soon enough! But you might find yourself writing those all important new year’s resolutions to ensure that you kick start the new year the right way. With 2020 certainly being a year that none of us ever expected, it might be that you have some great intentions for the new year ahead and plan on making it the best one yet.
But while so many of us focus on things like weight loss and fitness journeys, do any of us really tackle some of the issues we handle on a daily basis? You may find that each day you have a constant battle with yourself – that you aren’t good enough, that you can’t do something or that you might fail. Many of us have this voice, it’s just that it is louder for others and often it can stem from a lack of confidence.
Confidence isn’t something that we are born with. It isn’t the case that some of us have it and some of us don’t. It is all about learning the habit of confidence and doing different things in our day to day lives that can increase that. In a poll of 500 employees, Development Academy found that 43% of people have had to learn to be more confident. The more confidence we have, the more we are likely to go for that promotion at work, to change our careers, to embark on the relationship, start a family or generally just do things in our lives. Everything has halted this year, but that doesn’t mean you have to halt things in your own personal life. Making personal changes could be the start of a great adventure. With that in mind, here are some of the things that you can do to help increase your confidence levels.
Make an effort to feel good about yourself
One sure fire way to give your confidence a boost quickly is to make an effort in an area that makes you feel good. If you automatically feel better when you dress nicely go ahead and do it, it doesn’t matter if you have no place to be. If wearing makeup makes you feel stronger then wear it with pride, and while you’re at it go for a bold lip colour. If it’s a case of just doing your hair then get up earlier and do it. Often the way we look can have a strong impact on how we feel, and it starts from the lingerie right through to your outfit choices. So invest in what you wear underneath by looking for good sustainable underwear think about your outfit choices and what you wear and also don’t be afraid to wear that bold lip colour or style your hair differently. It is all about trying to boost your confidence. Making effort with these actions will help you to feel better and ultimately feel more confident.
Change your mental mindset
Often the little voice in our heads is the negativity trying to take over our thought process, so make sure you are aware of it, and then focus on a positive outlook instead. With any negative thought you get to turn it around into something positive. This might feel hard at first but it will soon become a daily habit, much like the negativity did. You will soon start to hear that inner critical voice less. A positive mindset can also mean feeling grateful for what you do have in your life. Your mind is a powerful tool, and often we don’t pay too much attention to how it can be impacting our lives.
Negativity breeds negativity. You only need to have one thing go bad in the morning and it can instantly set your day off in the wrong way. It is all about changing your habits, so faking it till you make it. Positivity will soon become a new habit that you have formed and you will start to notice the difference straight away.
Just start smiling
Smile. It is that simple. Smile and the world smiles with you. But, let’s be honest not all of us are confident in our own smile. Can you sense the running theme here? If you have your own issues then why not make some changes and tackle them. Visit the dentist and get some work done on them to help you feel better. Maybe look at home kits that you can do to whiten your teeth. Smiling is one of the most natural things to do, but in this day and age we do it less frequently. Change the habit and smile and see what a difference it could make. While you are at it, when you smile, wish someone a good day. It is the small things that can often have the biggest impact on our lives. Try it today and see what a difference you can make, not to yourself, but to others. We never know who needs a kind word and a smile, especially during these tough times.
Give a little more
Finally, giving and doing good deeds is a great way to feel good about yourself and boost your confidence. You get that overwhelming feeling of doing something for others or less fortunate than you and that can really highlight some of the amazing qualities you have. Give to charity, forfeit some of your time to do something worthwhile. Just give a little more into the world and you will find that naturally it gives a little back to. Right now, there are a lot of people who need a little help. It is a very difficult time to get through, and we all certainly could do with some kindness. Whether you donate clothes, help a local food bank, or simply help a friend in need, you will start to feel good inside and with that see your confidence naturally increase because of it.
Let’s hope that some of these ways help you to boost your confidence in the new year and beyond.