This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Utah chapter.
One of the hardest things to develop at any time in life is confidence. It’s easy to feel confidence in boosts – maybe the professor commends us for our comment in class, maybe we reach a new mile time, maybe we have guys hitting on us – but it seems like it’s one of the hardest things to maintain.
It seems like the smallest things can deplete our confidence, and its easy to slip into a pattern of no-confidence than confidence.
So how does one maintain confidence? Even I’m not the expert. Life happens and so we go through bursts when we don’t feel confident. Sometimes we can’t escape the yogapants, messy bun, and zits. But… here are some great suggestions to improving your confidence:
1. GRATITUDE!
One way to feel confidence is to wake up every morning feeling grateful. To wake up feeling grateful, just start listing off things you appreciate about yourself or your life. It could be your toothbrush, running water, your personality, etc. Being grateful is one of the best things you can do to start feeling confident and positive about yourself and your life.
2. It’s Not a Failure.
Another way involves the way you view your failures. Do NOT view your failures as failures because that only creates more failure! View your failures as learning experiences for yourself. You may bomb a midterm, but that’s only going to make you study harder for the next one, right? And if you’re ever in doubt, take into account the many “failures” that became the biggest successes: Lucille Ball, Marilyn Monroe, Lady Gaga, Albert Einstein.
3. Take Care of Yourself
Something that always inspires more confidence is taking care of your body. Taking care of your body involves plenty of action. First, by working out and maintaining your physical fitness, you begin to feel more confident about yourself and who you are. Working out releases endorphins creating a natural high, and it helps you to feel confident. In college it’s very hard to find time to workout, but it IS possible. Try taking that extra time you would’ve spent with Netflix and dedicate it to cardio or weights.
The other way to take care of your body is through getting enough sleep and eating right. Getting enough sleep and eating right are two of the most difficult feats in college, but it is possible! The smartest way to eat healthy is to go shopping once a week for groceries that you can take on-the-go that are healthy. To get enough sleep, plan your schedule in a planner which will help you to structure your time better.
4. Surround Yourself with People Who Support YOU
Negative people are the biggest destroyers of confidence. You might be having a fantastic day, but your sunny feeling could be squelched by one Debby-Downer. So be around the type of people you want to be like! Pessimism, sadness, and sarcasm are contagious, but happiness, optimism, and confidence are as well! Pick the feelings you want to have in your life.
5. Project Confidence!
You may not be feeling confident, but you can still show it! Stand up straight when you walk, make eye-contact, and smile! People will notice! You’re beautiful so own it! Don’t cower when you walk!
You deserve to feel confident. Own who you are and love who you are.