With the new year just around the corner, we’re all thinking about our New Year’s Resolutions- it can be anything from eating more greens, to joining the gym, or my personal favorite- growing 2 inches taller (yes, I’m aware how biology works, but still!).
These are all fine and dandy, but chances are that come February we’ll forget that we have a gym membership, and the portion of greens will dwindle from our meals. That’s the problem with making resolutions that don’t resonate with our core.
This year, we should make promises to ourselves that make us more likely to feel better about ourselves- regardless of what we look like, or how much of our diet is made up of cheesecake.
Let’s make it our New Year’s Resolution to be more confident in 2016. Learning to be more confident takes work, but it is one of the best gifts you can give yourself. Building your confidence in work and life allows you to create opportunities and build relationships that are not only important for your mental well-being, but your career as well.
Some might say that confidence is one of those things that falls under the “fake it till you make it” category. I would beg to differ- building your confidence is a series of steps that you can take on a daily basis. It’s recognizing your comfort zone and stepping outside of that. Most importantly, it’s knowing that you deserve everything that you desire- everyone else is a little slow on the uptake.
Need help on how to get started?
Here are 7 easy ways to increase your confidence this year:
FIND YOUR STYLE
Nothing makes your feel like a million bucks like that power suit. Finding the right one is like finding your battle armor. No, this doesn’t mean that you need to wear pant suits everyday; it means that you find the style and fit that work with your body. I feel awesome in wide legged pants, and pencil skirts so I tend to rock those often. Not sure how to get started- consider hiring a stylist who can go through your closet and help create outfits.
KNOW YOUR WORTH
This one is a bit more tricky because most of us (especially women) have a hard time knowing our worth. Knowing your worth means having a better idea of what you bring to the table. This could be to relationships, teams, work, family etc. Once you recognize the value that your presence provides, you’ll be more confident participating in life.
FIND SOMETHING THAT MAKES YOU FEEL HEALTHIER
This is different for everyone. I feel healthy after my yearly physical, and pretty much after every soccer game. Other people might like yoga or even understanding that there are solutions to personal concerns such as bladder leakage. Or even finding that those concerns are more common than they anticipated.
There is often a loss of confidence that comes with bladder leakage. Women will stop doing things they love, like exercising or visiting new places, because they’re afraid a leak will happen or they won’t be able to find a bathroom when needed. As men and women age, so do the bladder muscles causing them to lose their strength and weakening their ability to control urination. Luckily this doesn’t have to the case- there are products out there like Depend Silhoutte Active Fit that can you feel you’re in control of your body and your life!
BE SPONTANEOUS
When was the last time you did something impulsively? When was the last time you booked that ticket, or went to that show, or asked out that cute guy on the 3rd floor? We are the biggest roadblocks to our happiness. We tend to over-think, and sometimes over-analyse situations that have no business being analyzed in the first place.
Seriously, want a quick confidence boost? Go do something impulsive right now!
FOCUS ON YOUR BODY LANGUAGE
Body language is key when it comes to portraying confidence. Next time you’re at a party, take a look at how are people are standing and if they look confident or not. Easiest tips to appear more confident- don’t slouch, make eye contact, pay attention to who is speaking and take your time before responding so you’re able to convey what you mean.
VENTURE OUTSIDE YOUR COMFORT ZONE
Most people have a hard time grasping this. Stepping outside your comfort zone can be something as simple as wearing a colour that you normally don’t, going to lunch, dinner or a movie by yourself, or something as big as traveling solo. We all know what we’re comfortable with, and what makes us a little uncomfortable. Next time you get that feeling, examine it, and ask yourself what would happen if you pushed the boundaries a bit.
TEST YOURSELF
Find a challenge, a class, a physical activity and give it your all. This could be something that you’ve always wanted to do- like taking a painting class, or learning Japanese, or even joining cross-fit. Do something that you didn’t think you could do.
Like I said, being more confident isn’t a switch that you can flip as it does take work, but it’s so worth it.