How to reach an unprecedented level of confidence - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / How to reach an unprecedented level of confidence - Introvert Whisperer How to reach an unprecedented level of confidence? Guest Author September 18, 2019 Adaptability, Communication, Dealing with Fear One response “Don’t you dare, for one more second, surround yourself with people who are not aware of the greatness that you are.”  Jo Blackwell-Preston Before starting with this blog, stop for a moment, and accept the fact that you are indeed an awesome being. Indeed, you often find your self-confidence dwindling in the face of challenges. And an inner critic forces you to visualize the failure. It makes you all set to give up. But don’t! Learn how to fight back. Speaking on a general note, we find that there are many people out there who do not have enough confidence to fight life challenges. Such individuals can be of varying age groups. However, they all have one fundamental issue â€"an uncanny level of doubts. Some of these are self-structured while others seep in through external factors. It is essential to understand that lack of confidence isn’t a genetic problem. Nor do you have to rely on others to uplift your tenacity. In fact, you can take charge of things and take concrete actions to improve your reputation, self-esteem, and competence. The only question is how determined you are? Bandura (1990) proposes that there are motivational programs that follow the goal-setting theory and attribution theory. The target of all these programs is the same. That is, help individuals overcome deflated levels of confidence. Without further ado, let’s have a look into some incredible ways that will help you reach a healthy level of confidence: Do not compare yourself with others As social media crawls into our life, its taking a toll on our mental health. You cannot ignore checking out what others are upto.   Those charming pictures and elite restaurant check-ins tend to tempt you to the core. This triggers you to compare your life with them. And upon discovering that you cant afford a lifestyle like that, you feel envious. A 2018 study published in Personality and Individual Differences demonstrated a direct relation between envy and the way an individual feels about themselves. The more you start comparing your life with others out of jealousy, the more you lose your self-esteem. So next time, you are drawing comparisons, take a break. Remind yourself that everyone has their struggles and life isn’t a piece of cake for all. Get things done Your achievements are the most significant source of confidence. Visualize a target and race towards it. Pledge to change the perception of self and overcome all the roadblocks that might create hindrances. For instance: You set a goal of doing Executive MBA from Florida, or doing some short course, but you get skeptical after thinking of a plethora of hurdles that are to come by. When such thoughts come to your mind, bid them farewell. You need to understand that the only thing that limits you is your own “negative thought.” Once you set a goal, start taking steps and keep moving. Authors Katy Kay and Claire Shipman, in their book The Confidence Code, provide extensive research on how people can increase their confidence. They summarize their findings in the following statement: “And so, fortunately, a substantial part of the confidence code is what psychologists call  volitional: our choice. With diligent effort, we can all choose to expand our confidence. But we will get there if we stop trying to be perfect and start being prepared to fail.” Therefore, we recommend you to start by setting small goals. Set a time limit and try to achieve them. Eventually, you can move on to bigger, more meaningful goals. It is all about how you train yourself â€" practice confidence-boosting activities. Read How to Build Self-Confidence to know the steps you should take. Think positively about yourself Once you tick off the second pointer of our list, it’s now time to pat yourself on the back. Succeeding through obstacles is an incredible confidence booster. Most of the time, when you are feeling low, it is because of your inner critic. It keeps bashing you and preaches you doubt self. Consequently, you start believing yourself as more economical than others. Psychologists provide a whole list of things you can do to enhance self-compassion. These bring an optimistic impact on your overall personality. Besides, a 2009 study published in the Journal of Psychology provides an experiment that self-compassion contributes to more consistent confidence. So get into the habit of complimenting yourself when the need be. As Mark Twain puts it “[A] man cannot be comfortable without his approval.” Prepare yourself Whether you work as a part-time manager in a start-up, or you are a part of a corporate chain, you must know about your field. The fact that you want to progress should compel you to learn everything about your position. Have a list of goals that you want to achieve. Make strategies on how you are going to do that. As Denis Waitley states: “To establish true self-confidence, we must concentrate on our successes and forget about the failures and the negatives in our lives.” So sit down and make a list of what you aim to achieve in your career. Prepare your mind for that. Confidence in your capabilities will speed up the process of achieving those milestones. Change your body image Your posture, eye contact, facial expressions, and speech combine to deliver what you are trying to convey. Every time you put your shoulders down and stammer while speaking to others, it’s evident that you have little or no confidence in self. Buck up yourself and learn how to talk with confidence. Research proves that people who take time to speak slowly have higher self-confidence and appear confident to others too. Perhaps, the aura and physique of those around you make you feel less. If that’s the case, start with a self-care program. Start taking care of your body. Go an extra mile and give essential thought to how you appear each day. Next, stop abusing your body. Make sure that you involve in some physical activity. Exercise can be the ultimate confidence booster. A 2016 study in Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment reveals that regular physical activity improves self-confidence. When people find themselves fit and in shape, they are ready to take challenges head-on. Final Thoughts Confidence is all about changing your mind. However, one must have an adequate level of confidence. If it exceeds beyond the limit, there can be opposing consequences. Like you might start feeling others being inferior to you. That, again, is a problem in itself. Find some life rules and live by them. Now the next time, your inner critic or those around you try to steal your thunder, stand tall. Prove how you have all the power to change the game. Source Author Bio: