As a child, I always assumed that confidence is just a characteristic in a person to firmly present their thoughts to a group of people. While growing up, I learned that confidence is more than a belief in somebody/something. It takes confidence to order food at a restaurant, to have a telephonic conversation or to talk to a sales personnel while shopping. A thing as simple as stepping out of the house needs confidence.
No matter how much we have gained or achieved, we often tend to come across situations that make us feel under-confident in our ability to handle them. But thankfully, it’s easy to face situations like these if you pay attention to a few things that can make you feel confident within yourself. It’s in your hands to be able to implement them and use them to your advantage every time you feel that you are lacking confidence:
1. They Use Eye Contact: Looking in the eyes of the person you are talking to gives an impression that you are paying attention to what is being said. Avoid looking at your phone when you are talking to someone and establish a proper eye contact to convey the fact that you are attentive to detail.
2. A Confident Handshake: A confident handshake is a great gesture to start and end the conversation. Handshake is not just a way to greet someone, it’s a reflection of your overall personality. Make it sure to greet people with a confident handshake to establish an excellent first impression.
3. They Surround Themselves With Loving People: Who all you surround yourself with determines who you actually become as a person. Always choose to be around people who impart positive energy and make you feel confident in who you are. Positive people will always try to push you ahead in life and you will barely find yourself questioning your abilities. Always try to reciprocate the love you get as it gives a boost to your self-confidence when you know that you are spreading love around you.
4. They Are Organized: If you wish to find the confidence to get your day right, start by being organized right from the time you wake up. I never bothered to make my bed in the morning until college but the day I started doing it, I started feeling contended with how I was going about the day. Any day started in an unorganized manner usually ends up being chaotic. Get your things prioritized, eat on time and make sure that you practice self-care every day.
5. They Always Look Their Best: When you are looking your best and you know that, it gets reflected in your eyes and face. Looking your best shouldn’t be misunderstood as having a certain skin tone or body type or features. It’s rather a way of recognizing your own unique style and feeling comfortable in what you choose to wear. When you look your best every time you step out of the house, it takes your confidence level a notch higher.
6. They Know Their Worth: Know your worth and accept nothing less than what you deserve. Knowing your self-worth and being able to fight for it gives you a confidence that nothing else can. It helps you know yourself better, makes you feel comfortable with who you are and helps your build your self-esteem.
7. They Compliment Others: Develop a habit of complimenting those around you more often. Say it when somebody looks good or has done something good. It gives an impression that you are able to witness the things in a positive light and makes you feel confident in your ability to convey what you feel.
8. They List Their Strengths & Accept Their Weaknesses: Knowing your strengths and weaknesses is the best way to build up your confidence. Your strengths always remind you of what you are capable of when you feel like giving up. Being aware of your weaknesses helps you know the areas where you need to work on to be a better person. A few years back, I had this tendency of not having a firm belief on my choices. I was so used to looking for guidance that I wouldn’t even buy the clothes of my choice and would always seek a company for shopping. This sure changed when I recognized that it was actually turning me into a person always dependent on others’ time and choices. I now do my own shopping and love what I wear.
9. They Show Others How To Treat Them: ‘People will treat you the way you allow them to.’ They take their clues and behave accordingly. Never let anyone assume that you are under-confident and they can treat you in whichever way they decide to. Voice your opinion when needed and send a message that you can speak up for yourself when required.
10. They Never Criticize Themselves: Self-criticism makes you feel unsatisfied with your achievements and messes up with your self-confidence. Don’t go around thinking that ‘I’m not attractive, I’m not confident enough to do this job by myself or I’m not intellectual enough to make my own decisions.” Approve yourself to take up anything that comes your way and see what happens.
Being a confident person isn’t a one day activity. It’s rather a never ending path towards your overall personality development that helps you be happy and satisfied within yourself.
