It’s not always easy to feel confident in this day and age. Magazines left and right are telling us how we should look and making us feel the need to achieve some sort of “perfection.” On top of that, we are constantly being told how to act, what to say, and what not to say. All of this can be exhausting. And, at the end of the day, it’s hard to find your inner confidence. Some people aren’t exceptionally lucky when it comes to their upbringing. Not everyone is born with a loving mother or father who unconditionally loves them and is their biggest supporter. When you don’t have that positive and supported childhood — and often, even when you do, it can be still difficult to find that on your own.
So, when you’re not feeling confident within, how can you still exude confidence? Maybe you’re working on building up your self-esteem, but in the meantime would like appear confident to others. I don’t blame you for wanting others to perceive you as confident. You don’t want your self-consciousness on display. And the truth is that the whole "fake it until you make it" thing — well, here's a little secret: It kind of words sometimes. With a little effort on your end, you can do certain things that will help you project confidence. Here are the ways to increase confidence within yourself, while also looking more confident to others around you.
1. Walk the walk.
In order to exude more confidence, you going to have to walk the walk. Literally. A person with low self-confidence might tend to walk with his or her head down low, not making eye-contact with anybody else. Walking with good posture and your head held high is a sign of a self-assured person. They always say to understand a person’s life, you should walk a day in their shoes. Well, to understand a confident person, you would notice their shoes make them feel mighty tall and their posture to be stick straight.
2. Talk the talk.
So, now that you’ve got the walk down, you’re going to need to get the talking part down next. A confident person doesn’t talk badly about himself/herself. Making negative comments about yourself, your appearance or anything else will only make others see things that probably aren't even there. I know we can be our own worst critic, but keep those critiques to yourself.
3. Fake it until you make it.
Sometimes in life, you’ve got to just fake it ‘till you make it. There are some things you shouldn’t fake, like an orgasm. But, you can definitely fake confidence. Act as if you are playing the role of a confident man or a self-assured woman and see where you go from there. You never know, you might start believing in this new role you’ve taken on.
4. Speak your mind.
A confident person doesn’t hold back when it comes to speaking his or her mind. Having an opinion is a sign of a bold and self-reliant person. Don’t be afraid to say how you feel, and say it loudly. Whether it’s speaking up for another person when a group is putting someone down, or it’s getting in a healthy debate over political views - speaking your peace is crucial to confidence.
5. Do things outside of your comfort zone.
A highly secure person will push themselves outside of their comfort zone. Bungee jumping — they’ve done it. Started their own business — done and done. Moved thousands of miles away from home — been there, done that. Even if it’s a tiny act that is outside of your comfort, try it.
6. Stand up for yourself.
Someone who exudes confidence is most definitely secure enough to stand up for himself/herself. If someone is putting you down or making a joke at your expense, say something. Furthermore, a self-assured person will stand up for other people as well. It shows that you’re confident enough to believe in yourself and your great qualities, and others around you.
