Self-confidence is defined as a feeling of trust in one’s abilities, qualities, and judgement. Self-confidence is something that you acquire the more you practice trusting yourself. Some people are naturally self-confident, while others struggle with the idea.
There are a lot of factors that play into the psychology of why some people are more self-confident than others. We could spend weeks, months, years trying to understand the why. The good news is we can implement a few strategies today that will help us build our self-confidence muscle immediately.
It’s easy to give your self-confidence a boost and feel your energy shift. My clients experience this shift all the time when they begin to share their 30 second message that connects with who they are and how they serve their clients. It’s amazing to see the transformation clients experience when they have a clear concise message they can share with confidence.
You can have the same experience when you begin to trust yourself. Years ago, I learned a fun confidence building technique that makes you feel like a super hero who just conquered 20 bad guys. I’ll be sharing it on my Facebook Live in 30! Episode this Thursday at 3:30pm. Join in and give it a try, register now and get a reminder before we go “Live in 30!” Here are a few tips you can put into practice to help build your self-confidence right away.
- Check your posture.
My mom used to tell me to imagine I had a string attached to the top of my head and that someone was pulling on it. Standing or sitting tall with your shoulders back and head held high gives off the air of confidence.
Sitting up and sitting forward can have the same effect. Ever notice how you feel when you slouch in a chair as opposed to sitting on the edge of one? Sitting forward also causes you to pay more attention to what is going on around you.
- Practice a firm handshake.
A firm handshake lets the other person know you are in control of your own feelings. You believe in yourself and are ready to meet them on firm ground and it conveys your willingness to connect and let them into your world a little more. (Didn’t know it does all that did you?)
Remember to offer your right hand look the receiver in the eyes and smile. This makes a deep first impression and will give you the boost you need when you receive the same response of a smile.
- Share and wear a smile.
Smiles are the most priceless gift you can give to someone and they don’t cost you anything. If you wear a smile all the time, people will be naturally attracted to you.
They might even wonder what you’re on and want to become your friend in hopes that you will share. Share your smile all the time. It doesn’t cost anything, and it can make you a fortune when you share it with the right people.
- Practice positivity.
These days, when people, media, and everyone else is busy whispering about the next guy, it is refreshing to meet people with a positive attitude. Be that person!
It’s easy to get pulled into a conversation where people are talking politics or talking about other people. Excuse yourself or change the subject. Negativity destroys brain cells, avoid at all cost! I know I am guilty, I can easily get sucked into knit-picky conversations. I’m a work in progress, we all are. It’s time to try.
- Practice your message.
Practice your message. What do you want people to know about you? How will you answer the question, “So, what do you do?” Even after years of speaking and teaching people how to create and deliver their message with confidence, I still practice in the car.
Practice does make perfect, it also makes it easier for you to focus on other people. When you know what you are going to say, you no longer obsess over it, it comes out naturally allowing you the opportunity to focus on the other people in the room.
Trust your abilities, your qualities, and your judgement. You’ve got this! Your self-confidence will grow when you put these simple actions into practice. I believe in you and you should too, after all you were created with some unique and wonderful gifts that the world is ready to receive.
If you need help stepping into your confidence with the right message, we can help. At 30 Second Success we offer online courses for people who like to work at their own pace and individual coaching for people who want more personalized attention. If you’re ready to “Ditch the Pitch and Start Connecting”™ schedule a call today.
