Life has the tendency to throw curve balls that may dampen our spirits. It happens to the best of us and the best thing is to recognize it and fix it as soon as you notice a dip in confidence.
Here are some tips to get you tip top and peppy once more. Life is too short to spend it mopping around.
Get Physical
Research has linked any type of exercise—cardio, strength training, stretching—to greater body confidence. And it works whether or not your fitness level or weight changes, or whether your sweat sessions are mild or intense. Plus, just talking about a workout can up your self-image.
Get inspired
Read a book or your favorite verse or story. Encouragement is best served regularly and daily is about as regular as anything gets. Just as fire needs you to fan it’s flamed by adding fuel, so does the mind need encouragement to give it the fuel to overcome whatever it may have to face.
Listen Up
Learnt to listen to your body. It tells you all what you need to know. The more in touch you are with the way your body works, the less you may dwell on its appearance. In one study, women who could more accurately count their heartbeats objectified themselves less. Practices like meditation and yoga can help you tune in to you.
Stop negative self talk
Most women think such self-deprecation is harmless or even helpful. In reality, it’s anything but. Even being involved in third-party discussions (say, dissing a coworker’s shape) can reinforce a negative view of your own body. Replace fat talk with positive reinforcing talk. Praising someone else’s strength or their healthy habits can make everyone feel more confident.
Speak the (Body) Language
Whenever you hunch your shoulders, cross your arms over your chest, or stare at the floor, you announce your self-consciousness. Try a fake-it-till-you-make-it experiment: Walk upright, as if a string is pulling from the top of your head. When you talk to someone, squeeze your butt muscles to straighten your spine, and stand with your feet a foot apart, toes pointing at the person you’re facing. Smile, and don’t be afraid to use your hands when you talk–this kind of openness makes you seem more secure.
De-clutter
First, do an environment scan for confidence-destroying stuff. As in: old jeans that don’t fit, a laptop perennially set to friends’ too-perfect Facebook posts. If you can’t cut this stuff out entirely, avoid it before a big moment. Clutter from the past just goes to show that you still cling to former emotions that may be holding you back.
If your weight is bothering you, put away the scale for now and quit obsessing about it. The number’s not going to change today, so reminding yourself of it is counterproductive.
Leave positive messages on sticky notes around your apartment or office. (“Yeah, you are amazing!” “You’re going to kick butt!”) Strategically place them so they’re the last things you see before stepping out the door.
Here are some tips to get you tip top and peppy once more. Life is too short to spend it mopping around.
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| Things You Can Do Daily To Improve Self-image and Confidence |
Research has linked any type of exercise—cardio, strength training, stretching—to greater body confidence. And it works whether or not your fitness level or weight changes, or whether your sweat sessions are mild or intense. Plus, just talking about a workout can up your self-image.
Get inspired
Read a book or your favorite verse or story. Encouragement is best served regularly and daily is about as regular as anything gets. Just as fire needs you to fan it’s flamed by adding fuel, so does the mind need encouragement to give it the fuel to overcome whatever it may have to face.
Listen Up
Learnt to listen to your body. It tells you all what you need to know. The more in touch you are with the way your body works, the less you may dwell on its appearance. In one study, women who could more accurately count their heartbeats objectified themselves less. Practices like meditation and yoga can help you tune in to you.
Stop negative self talk
Most women think such self-deprecation is harmless or even helpful. In reality, it’s anything but. Even being involved in third-party discussions (say, dissing a coworker’s shape) can reinforce a negative view of your own body. Replace fat talk with positive reinforcing talk. Praising someone else’s strength or their healthy habits can make everyone feel more confident.
Speak the (Body) Language
Whenever you hunch your shoulders, cross your arms over your chest, or stare at the floor, you announce your self-consciousness. Try a fake-it-till-you-make-it experiment: Walk upright, as if a string is pulling from the top of your head. When you talk to someone, squeeze your butt muscles to straighten your spine, and stand with your feet a foot apart, toes pointing at the person you’re facing. Smile, and don’t be afraid to use your hands when you talk–this kind of openness makes you seem more secure.
De-clutter
First, do an environment scan for confidence-destroying stuff. As in: old jeans that don’t fit, a laptop perennially set to friends’ too-perfect Facebook posts. If you can’t cut this stuff out entirely, avoid it before a big moment. Clutter from the past just goes to show that you still cling to former emotions that may be holding you back.
If your weight is bothering you, put away the scale for now and quit obsessing about it. The number’s not going to change today, so reminding yourself of it is counterproductive.
Leave positive messages on sticky notes around your apartment or office. (“Yeah, you are amazing!” “You’re going to kick butt!”) Strategically place them so they’re the last things you see before stepping out the door.
