There’s one thing in the world that most people can use a little bit more of: confidence. We all need it! Whether it’s for class presentations, first dates, or that dream job interview. While it is unrealistic to be confident all the time, if you need a quick boost of confidence, look no further than these 6 tips that can help you increase your confidence in 5 minutes or less.
1. Put on a cute outfit
Everyone knows the power of a good outfit. If you look good, you feel good. Taking 5 minutes out of your day to just focus on you and how you look may seem shallow at first, and you may think “looks aren’t everything,” but the results can be astounding. Each time you pass by a window, you’ll find yourself turning your head and going “Wow, I look good today.” And if you’re noticing, chances are, other people are noticing too.
2. Wash your face
Has anyone ever felt good with a dry or oily face? In two minutes after you wake up, you can have a clean face giving you a fresh start to your day. It can quite literally, wash away any feelings of insecurity that you may be feeling.
3. Dance party to one of your favorite songs
Put on one of your favorite pump up songs, and dance like no one is watching. Dancing helps release endorphins, such as serotonin, and can make you feel better and decrease feelings of stress and insecurity. And if you have *that* song which makes you feel like you can take on the world, give it a quick listen and go rule the world.
4. Compliment yourself
If you have 15 seconds, you can give yourself a mini-pep talk. Find a mirror, look into it, and pick out just one thing that you love about yourself. The mental power that believing in yourself gives you is incomparable. Some days, this is harder to do, but practice makes perfect. Finding one thing in the mirror you like everyday will help you believe in yourself, and give you the confidence to get on with your day.
5. Strike a power pose
There is a TED Talk by Amy Cuddy that discusses the benefits of “power posing,” or holding an open, expansive pose for 2 minutes. She has done research to show that holding one of her poses for 2 minutes will increase testosterone by 20% and lower cortisol by 25%, only after doing it once! These changes will give you the quick boost of confidence you’re looking for with nothing but yourself, some privacy and 2 minutes.
6. Smile
Perhaps the quickest one of them all is putting on a smile and faking it until you make it. It has been proven over and over again that smiling increases feelings of confidence. Cuddy’s TED Talk also discusses the idea of “faking it” until you become it and shows that putting on a smile and acting confident can have an affect on your confidence levels in the long run. So get out there, and get smiling!