Confidence is a personal attribute that comes in handy in many different areas of our lives. It can help you walk into a first date with your head held high or ensure that you outperform other candidates in a job interview. However, for one reason or another, many people struggle to build their confidence.

With that in mind, we’ve pulled together some expert tips for becoming more confident.

Don’t be afraid to hit the gym 

According to a recent study, 2 in 5 adults experience “gym dread.” For example, you may avoid going to the gym, as you are intimidated by all of the equipment, meaning you aren’t sure where to start. You may also be worried about what other gym-goers may think of you. Regardless of the reasoning, allowing these worries to stop you from working out will not help you build your confidence – in fact, it could actually lower it.

After all, working out consistently is good for your mind and body. This means that, if necessary, you can begin to lose weight in a healthy way, becoming stronger and fitter while doing so. This, in turn, should mean that you have higher self-esteem when it comes to your appearance.

Furthermore, the mental benefits of exercise will also come into play when ensuring that you maintain a confident mindset. This is because exercise triggers the release of endorphins, such as serotonin, which leave us feeling happier and more positive.

Consider cosmetic procedures 

If you’ve been unhappy with a particular part of your appearance for some time, such as your nose, then you may want to look into cosmetic procedures that can help you address this. However, you should be sure to hire an experienced plastic surgeon who is able to show you a diverse portfolio of work they’ve carried out beforehand. This way, you know that you are making the right decision and are putting your health and happiness in good hands. 

Challenge yourself every day 

Setting yourself new challenges each day is a great way to elevate your confidence levels because once you’ve completed that task/challenge, you’ll be filled with a sense of pride and satisfaction.

Setting daily challenges/goals as opposed to larger goals (akin to New Year’s resolutions) is often the most effective method of goal-setting, as it gives you a sense of both purpose and urgency. Furthermore, these goals and challenges are often smaller in scale, which makes ticking them off your list a little easier. 

Perfect your skincare routine 

Skin complaints, such as acne, redness, pores, and dryness, are major confidence killers. However, while it’s important to note that nobody’s skin looks flawless 24/7, updating your skincare routine can help you maintain a natural, healthy glow.

When curating a skincare routine, it is important that:

1. You keep things simple
2. You choose products designed for your skin type

You do not need a 100-step skincare routine in order to achieve the results you are looking for; you simply need to develop a list of reliable products that bring out the best in your skin. Most people only need to use three to four products in their skincare regimen, such as a toner, cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen. You can also give your skin a glow-up by increasing your water intake.

Dress to impress… yourself 

Wearing the right clothing can also help boost your self-esteem and confidence. However, for this reason, it’s important that you dress for yourself and not for others. When you dress for others, it’s likely that you’ll feel somewhat uncomfortable in the clothing – whereas, you’ll feel great in clothes that you’ve picked out because you actually like them.

Surround yourself with the right people

The people who we spend time with will also contribute to our rising (or dropping) confidence levels, which is why you should endeavor to spend more time with friends who make you feel good about yourself. Make more time in your schedule for that friend who always has something nice to say or the friend who challenges you to become a better version of yourself. In doing so, try to take a step back from those who try to tear you down.

Log out of social media

Right now, the average person spends around 151 minutes a day on social media. And while it’s a great tool for business development or for staying connected with friends, it’s also a well-documented confidence killer. This is because it’s impossible not to compare ourselves, or our lives, to those of others when scrolling – whether you’re looking at your friend’s engagement announcement or a celebrity’s latest red carpet pics.

For this reason, now is the perfect time to take a social media detox. Log out of all of your accounts or uninstall the apps if you think you’ll be unable to avoid the temptation of looking at them. While taking a break from scrolling can be difficult, especially if it is something of a passive hobby, you’ll soon notice that you feel much better for doing so. It also encourages you to live in the moment instead of living from behind the screen – something that we don’t often realize we are doing.

Upon your return to social media, try to be more selective in the content that you consume. Unfollow any accounts that make you feel bad about yourself and build a feed that’s full of positivity instead. For example, you could follow body-positive influencers over those who post harmful dieting content.

Either way, make sure your social media is a positive place for you, not a hobby that will negatively impact your self-esteem. You should also be mindful of the fact that the majority of pictures posted on socials are edited.

Final Thoughts

Don’t wait for confidence to find you – as if you go to bed one night expecting to wake up with confidence, it’s an attribute that you’ll never possess. It’s something that you have to work for in order to obtain, and the guidance above should help you get on the right track.