Reframe

Confidence is often seen as an elusive trait that others have but you don’t.

The truth is confidence is what appears after you go for what you want; it is the result of stepping into the unknown in spite of feeling nervous or fearful.

How you hold yourself physically plays a big part in how you hold yourself mentally.

In order to begin to feel and look confident, stand tall, shoulders & head back, being aware of what is around you, and keeping hand motioning to an absolute minimum.

Changing your environment changes the stimuli that are going into your brain—this affects your moment-by-moment perception of the world.

Think of places you frequent where you feel your most creative, happiest, relaxed. Aim to go to these places when you feel low in confidence.

Whenever we are doing something new, we tend to feel bad when we fail. We ultimately wonder if we should quit. However, any skill that’s worthwhile will always be preceded by failure as you go through the process of learning.

By combining this process with doing something you are good at, you will feel your confidence rise. Be aware of your strengths and use them daily.

Your thoughts will influence your behavior. Reframing can change the direction of your thoughts. When you catch yourself having negative thoughts, ask these 3 questions:

• How can I make this work in my favour?
• What is the benefit that has come from this?
• What is a more useful way of looking at this?

Feelings that bring about low confidence like fear & anxiety can result in 2 effects: shallow breathing and thoughts of a disastrous future. 

Counteract this by having periods of intentionally breathing deeply and visualizing a future where you are handling situations in a controlled and confident manner.