Many people struggle with confidence. It can be hard to love ourselves when we don't feel good about the way we look or when others put us down. However, confidence is essential to a happy and fulfilling life. In this post, I will teach you five ways that you can start building confidence and loving yourself today!

1. Goal setting

The first way to build confidence is by setting goals. When we have something to strive for, we are more likely to put in the effort to achieve it. Whether your goal is big or small, reaching it will give you a sense of accomplishment and pride. A simple way to reach every goal you ever set is by breaking down big goals into smaller goals.

Realistic is key

A goal should be something you can actually see yourself doing in the future, if you're afraid of blood, maybe don't aim to be a surgeon. If you love animals, why not choose a goal that has you with animals in the future, maybe saving a large quantity with a pet rescue, or becoming a zoologist. Goals should be something you look forward to in the future.

2. Positivity

Another great way to build confidence is through positive self-talk. Every day, take a few minutes to look in the mirror and tell yourself three things that you love about yourself. It may seem silly at first, but after a while, you will start to believe the things you are saying! We are taught through magazines and social media that there is an exponential number of things wrong with our bodies, so your task here is to do the exact opposite. Ignore the ignorant, be your best self.

There's more though

Positivity doesn't just stop at self talk. Maybe try being nice to a hospitality worker and see how it feels to have a genuine conversation with someone you don't know. Or maybe try to make three strangers smile a day, and feel the good feelings and confidence of making others happy by a simple smile. You could even try doing mundane activities like cleaning the house to your favourite music, dancing away with a big smile on your face.

Give it a try today

The more you do with a positive outlook, the more your mind will start to see everything positively first. If you are used to seeing things negatively, it may take a while for your mind to automatically change its aspect.

3. Compliments

A third way to build confidence is by accepting compliments. When someone pays you a compliment, don't brush it off or downplay it. Instead, say thank you and allow yourself to feel good about the compliment. Even if you don't believe the compliment within yourself, every time you accept a compliment, you are one step closer to believing that compliment.

Be kind to yourself

Confidence doesn't just come from compliments from other people, but also from yourself. You should start to compliment yourself by looking at yourself in the mirror and saying something positive to yourself. Do you like the way you hair looks today? Compliment yourself. Do you think you did really well on a test? Compliment yourself, no matter the result. You need to start being kind to yourself and complimenting yourself to build up that inner confidence.

4. Friends and family

Fourth, surround yourself with people who make you feel good about yourself. Find friends or family members who build you up instead of tearing you down. These positive relationships will help you to see yourself in a better light. Sometimes it can be hard to find people who are truly happy for your successes, and it can also be a lonely journey, but trust the process.

Take a page from my experreince

When I started doing this, I went through a phase of having only my parents and brother in my life, however after only a few months of this journey, I found someone who was a true friend. A handful of months later, I found another true friend. I would go through those few lonely months time and time again to be able to be where I am now, with two true friends in my life rather than surrounded by people who prefer to surround themselves with those they think are worse off than themselves.

don't be disheartened

Unfortunately, the world is filled with people like this because for them, being around people who aren't as well off as them raise them up and make them feel good. Please never be one of these people, firstly it will make your life unfulfilled, and secondly, we don't need anymore selfish people in the world, it doesn't help anyone, even those that are selfish.

Head my warning, and the benefits will come

You may be thinking here that I am spending a lot of time focusing on steering clear of “bad people” but for me, it was the hardest step I had to take. Cutting people out of my life as a people pleaser is harder than I thought it would be, and I truly want you to be able to see who are the right people for you in your life.

5. Healthy body, healthy mind

Finally, take care of yourself! Eat healthy foods, exercise, get enough sleep, and do things that make you happy. When we take care of ourselves, we feel better about ourselves. If work is causing you too much stress, do less work, change jobs or increase your hobby hours. If you find that exercise causes you large amounts of stress, change your exercise style or regime, or even just give it a break for a while.

Do it for your body

Remember that stress comes out of our body in many ways, personally I get a lot of breakouts on my face, which means my confidence takes a hit because I always think people will be judging me. This then leads to a hard week of self love, where I have to focus more on myself than letting my mind wander to negative thoughts.

Tell me how you go

Start using these tips today and watch your confidence grow! Remember, confidence is the key to loving yourself. With confidence, you can achieve anything you set your mind to!

If you liked this post, be sure to check out my other posts on self-love and confidence! Thanks for reading!