We all have things that shake our confidence, but confidence is key and when you’re confident you can get through anything. For me, I get really nervous speaking in front of people. Although I get nervous, I’ve still done countless interviews and TV appearances with ease. Here are my 5 easy steps to building inner confidence that will shine!

1) LEARN TO LAUGH AT YOURSELF

I mean no one is perfect, and if you’re building confidence you’ve got to realize that. How many times have you posted a no-makeup selfie? Try posting one today! If you make a mistake or do something you wish you hadn’t, view it as an opportunity to have a good laugh in your car, on the way to work, or at your office. As you practice laughing at yourself and shaking it off, you quickly realize it’s perfectly okay to be imperfect. We all are. Isn’t laughing at yourself a better option than over-analyzing something you said or did? Having the ability to laugh at yourself means you feel pretty good about who you are. Try to list your positive attributes and strengths and find ways to use both more. When you spend more of your time using your strengths, you’ll feel more confident about who you are as a biproduct. We all have a superpower — something we do better than anyone else. What’s yours?

2) CHOOSE TO MAKE GOOD CHOICES THROUGHOUT THE DAY

All day, every day we make tons of decisions, big and small. Choose wisely. Positive decisions make us feel more positive. If you constantly make decisions that make you feel good about yourself, your self-esteem will rise. Spend more time working on things that bring you joy, and less time daily on things that don’t. Fast forward on every decision that you are going to make and think about how it will affect your confidence. Do you really want that second glass of wine? You can keep the positivity up by taking on a fun project. Talk favorably about someone when they aren’t around. Clean out a closet. Grab a healthy snack. Call someone who needs to talk. Unplug when you need it. Watch how much better you’ll feel about yourself when you make positive decisions.

3) ACCEPT WHO YOU ARE

You can spend your time wishing you were someone else or comparing yourself to others, but where will that get you? Your time can be better spent liking who you already are. If that means unfollowing people who make you feel bad, or less than, do it! Stop watching some of you shows that get you in the “poor me” mood and so on. Celebrate your strengths. Embrace your perceived flaws. Know that we all have both. Tell your inner critic to hush and show yourself some self-compassion. Once we accept ourselves, we become infinitely more comfortable in our own skin and in our lives. Self-acceptance allows you to enjoy your own journey.

4) INVEST IN YOUR WELL-BEING

A quick way to undermine your confidence and boost your anxiety is to not get enough sleep. Sleep deprivation can throw off both your mind and body. If you’re ever in a funk and you can’t snap out of it, see if a good night’s sleep will do the trick. It’s amazing how different you can feel with a good night’s rest. Your entire outlook can change. “Sleep on it” is excellent advice. If you need some help, try using a sound machine or Beauty Kitchen’s Lavender products to transport you to dream land. Also, exercise and stay alert! Being alert is very important when building confidence. You may realize some people, places, or things that don’t serve you well. Fake it until you make it. Sometimes just playing the part of confident You can help that confident You to shine through.

5) KILL NEGATIVE THOUGHTS

You have to learn to be aware of your self-talk — the thoughts you have about yourself and what you’re doing. Sometimes when I wake up my mind is racing, and I have to tell myself to slow down and remind myself that I’m not as busy some days as others. You have to kill the negative thoughts that overcome you with worry or self-doubt. If it’s not going to matter today, then choose not to worry about it now. Keep moving and stay positive!

I hope these 5 easy steps help you on your journey to self-confidence! What makes you feel confident? Tag me with your own tips and tricks @AskHeatherMariannaBlog on Instagram or comment on the corresponding post.

Xoxo,
Heather