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How Self-Confidence Will Change Your Life

self-esteem happy

In our modern society, judging ourselves (and our bodies!) is something that comes incredibly naturally to a lot of people. People of all genders are afflicted by this problem and it can lead to incredibly damaging behaviours!

Exploiting the Issue

There are countless companies cashing in on this widespread problem by selling diet pills, cosmetics, and endless creams and lotions— said to reverse ageing and perfect our skin.

It’s not only the pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies exacerbating this issue. The high street shops and fashion retailers who tell us which clothes to buy  are also adding to this problem.

Confidence & Anxiety

A lack of self confidence can soon lead to greater problems, such as social or general anxiety, which can really hinder your day-to-day life.

Anxiety can make even the smallest and easiest of tasks seem complicated and impossible, which can then cause people to avoid certain situations altogether. Attempts to self-medicate this anxiety away can also lead to drug and alcohol dependency, as a few drinks to power through a social occasion develops into a habit.

People who lack self-confidence are often the best at pretending they’re doing okay, but having to do so can be incredibly exhausting.

Your Authentic Self

When you are able to let your authentic self present itself, free of the disguises and tricks you have used to keep it hidden, then you’ll find that you’re able to move through the world with greater ease than before.

Self-confidence, alongside self-love, is the key to a free existence where dependance on the validation of others simply does not exist. Learning to love your natural form—your hair, skin, emotions, fears and every aspect of the package—is the biggest step you can take towards living a life of happiness.

Embracing your flaws and understanding that it’s these imperfections that make you who you are, is essential in building your confidence. When you reach this point, no make-up advert or ignorant opinion can leave even the slightest of dents in your self-esteem.

Learning to Love Yourself

Experiencing negative thoughts about our bodies is something that happens to every one of us. When it comes to our appearance, self-doubt is a concept that has become next to natural as we’re constantly bombarded with images of what perfect is.

You might often find yourself thinking that certain situations or opportunities are influenced by your perception of your body. For example, “Did I miss out on that promotion because I don’t look the part” or “Would my relationship be better if I was ten pounds lighter”.

Overcoming this doubt can be a long process but it will lead you to a place of positivity where your body image no longer has an impact on your day to day life. Learning to love your body will mean that you are less susceptible to perceived criticism from other people in regards to the way that you look. But of course, that’s easier said than done so how can we all reach this point?

Affirmations for Body Confidence

Affirmations are a great way to encourage a positive body image and should be something that you aim to work into your daily routine.

Starting the day with a body positive affirmation and having a list that you can refer to throughout the day for encouragement is something I strongly advise! When you start to feel the negativity creeping in, you can say one or more of these affirmations out loud or in your head.

Focusing on the things you already love about your body is one of the best ways to eradicate unhappy thoughts about the things you wish to change.

Every day when you look in the mirror, focus your thoughts on one of these things and remind yourself why it is you chose that particular feature. Whether it’s your skin or your muscles or a part of your face, there has to be something about yourself that you do find attractive and this is a good start for spreading that love for yourself.

Don’t forget about exercise

Finding an exercise regime that works for you, and continuing to fill your body with healthy foods that promote optimum wellness, are both important parts of self-care.

By caring for yourself in these ways, you will help to grow the love you have for yourself and that will extend into love for your body also!

True Confidence

This of course isn’t something that’s going to happen in a day, or in any unreasonably small period of time. It is a process that must be approached with complete honesty and an unrelenting willingness to change.

As your fake exterior is peeled away, your true self-confident self will emerge and you will never look back!

This Post Has 20 Comments

  1. Really well-said and so true. I am working on it at the moment as I reach closer to 50 and feel a tad out of shape. Thanks for reminding me of its importance 😉

  2. Wonderful to remember, Julie, and hard to achieve. So many people are out to convince us of all the things we “need” to be okay. Fortunes are made on our insecurities. I am right there with everybody else. But my awareness increases daily. Thank You!

  3. YEs, accepting who you are and being confident about it is such a beautiful thing. Are you familiar with Amy Cuddy’s work on Ted Talks? She tells about these great 2 minute stances that can help boost your confidence (and decrease your cortisol). Her talk is wonderful. I wrote a post about it on my blog: http://wp.me/p5UDMq-Cb I have a link to her Ted Talk there. It’s sooo good!

  4. ” When you are able to let your authentic self present itself, free of the disguises and tricks you have used to keep it hidden, then you will find that you’re able to move through the world with much greater ease than before. Self-confidence, alongside self-love, is the key to a free existence” You have spoken such TRUTH! I spend much of my existence striving toward this. The gold.

  5. My anxiety makes things seem much “larger” than they really are. I’ve struggled since childhood and am just now getting help at 41. I have been given tools to help me realize that people are not focused on me the majority of the time, they are struggling with their own concerns. Thank you for the article!

  6. This is so true, even for me and my current struggles, which is why I’m trying this new yoga journey. It seems like a challenge because I feel alone at it but I’m sure I can do it, just have a lot to learn. Thank you for this post 🙂

  7. Reblogged this on highschooleveryday and commented:
    This applies to almost every teenage girl. (Guys, not saying you don’t have your problems.) We need to find the beauty in ourself. We don’t need to compare ourselves to the girl who has a boyfriend, is on the cheer team, and can do about everything. Believe in yourself!!!

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