How to have more confidence? Gosh. Sometimes it’s the simple things that we forget to implement in our lives. Big issues often have easy solutions. There is one such issue that has plagued me during much of my life – lack of confidence. Everyone deals with self consciousness to some degree, but it doesn’t have to hold you back. Lately I’ve been reading the book “The Magic of Thinking Big”. In the book was a wonderful section on confidence with great tips. They are simple and practical, but also very effective.
1. Be a front seater
I’ve never been one to sit in the front pew or desk, but it builds confidence. Ever notice how most back and middle seats are full at church, while the front is sparse? Take the challenge. Be more confident. Sit up front.
2. Make eye contact
Not only is looking someone in the eye when speaking polite, it says you are a confident person. Even when walking by people, adverting your eyes can say “I’m afraid of you. I’m inferior to you. I’m hiding something.” I know I definitely have trouble making eye contact when I’m with an important person! Force yourself to make eye contact. It may feel weird at first, but it will gradually help boost your confidence. I’m not great at this one, but I can tell a difference when I remind myself to do so!
3. Smile more
You’ll be surprised how much putting on a big smile can change your attitude about yourself. Feeling not so great? Try smiling at everyone you meet. Soon you’ll feel more comfortable in your own skin. It’s also infectious. Who doesn’t like a person who’s smiling anyway? Think about it. Compare a person who walks into a room with a big smile with one who isn’t smiling. Which person seems more confident? The smiling person wins every time. I’m always nervous when I meet new people, but putting on a big smile helps me be a bit more confident.
4. Speak up
Ok, I’m horrible at this one. I never feel like the smartest person in the room, so I usually stay quiet so I don’t risk making a fool out of myself. It’s easy for me to speak my mind when blogging, but in actual conversation I am extremely conscious. Usually, I’ll only speak up when I’m extremely comfortable with the company. It’s something I have to work on! The more times we succumb to fear and don’t speak up we loose even more confidence. When you do speak up, you’ll find it gets a little easier to do so each time. And that’s all confidence really is…having courage to do the hard thing day by day.
5. Walk 25 percent faster
People that are down about life are usually dragging their feet. Walking faster says “I’m going places. I have places to be. I’m happy with life.” Your attitude can change just by picking up your pace. I’m not usually slow, but I’ve implemented this one and it really works. You can feel your spirits lifting as you speed up.
A book called The Happiness Project says, “act the way you want to feel.” How we feel about ourselves is a choice. We can change our attitudes! 2 Timothy 1:7 says “For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and of a sound mind.” In Christ we have confidence, not pride, but confidence. Lack thereof is basically telling God that He didn’t make us good enough. We are fearfully and wonderfully made, and we can have confidence in that.
