Confidence can be a fickle beast. One minute you feel confident and able to take on the world, the next you’re convinced that everyone is laughing at you behind your back. Whether it’s during job interviews or first dates, we all have moments when we feel less than confident. This can be especially true during our teen years, when there are so many changes taking place in our bodies, our friendships, and personal relationships.

However, confidence is an essential part of healthy mental functioning

Not only does confidence help us tackle new challenges head-on and achieve more in life; research also suggests that having high self-confidence may even extend life expectancy! To help you build your confidence as fast as possible, this article covers everything from small tips and tricks to major changes to make yourself more confident in your own abilities and qualities as a human being.

How you talk to yourself matters

It’s easy to slip into imaginary conversations with yourself where you berate yourself for your mistakes and failures. This is one of the worst things you can do for your confidence. It only serves to prove that you don’t trust yourself and that you have little faith in your own abilities. Instead, try to talk to yourself the same way you would talk to a friend who is experiencing the same situation.

Talk to yourself like you would a friend

If a friend is going for a job interview, for instance, you would remind them that they’ve got this. You’d take a step back from the situation, put it into context, and offer them reassurance based on your own experiences and knowledge. If a friend is struggling with a relationship, you’d remind them of the feelings they’ve been through before and give them advice based on your own knowledge.

Exercise

Exercising regularly has an incredible effect on boosting self-confidence. Not only does it improve your physical health, but it also helps to improve your mental health by releasing endorphins and serotonin in the body, which makes you feel happier and more relaxed. In fact, one study found that exercise “sharply” improved participants’ self-confidence, especially those who were already a bit more anxious or depressed.

Let's talk about different kinds of exercise

There are so many different forms of exercise out there so let's break them down so we can see what other benefits some forms of exercise can give

Mental focus

Yoga and Tai chi are well known to improve mental focus during exercise. The require slow controlled movements that allow you to clear your mind of everything but the slow water like movement. Jiu-jitsu is another form of exercise that requires mental focus as it requires holds and techniques, close body contact movements, as opposed to other martial arts that are focused on kicking and strikes.

Cardio

Running, HIIT and cycling have the benefits of increasing cardiovascular function, meaning they make the heart stronger. The heart is a muscle, and how to we increase muscle strength? Pushing your muscles to their limits, so cardio is the bodies way of pushing your heart to the limit.

Memory

Dancing, gymnastics, and any other sport that requires you to memorise patterns has the added benefit of testing your memory. The more you push your memory to remember more, the more you'll improve your memory.

Communication

Team sports also have the added benefit of talking to people that surround you. Team sports are a great way to build communication skills, as well as a way to make new friends. The social aspect can be especially important for people who might not otherwise have much in common with their work colleagues or neighbours.

Breathe deeply

When we’re feeling particularly anxious or stressed, it can be easy to forget to breathe. In fact, it can be so easy to get into the habit of holding your breath that you don’t even realize you’re doing it! Because we don’t consciously remember to breathe, our bodies have an “autopilot” breathing pattern that’s a little different to what we’d do if we were hyperfocused on our breathing.

What happens when we get anxious?

When you’re stressed or anxious, your body tends to take short, quick breaths. This is both psychologically and physically detrimental, as it causes your brain to become foggy and less able to function properly. When you’re in this state, your confidence takes a hit, too.

How do I fix my confidence with breathing?

When you’re feeling low on confidence, try to focus on your breathing. Deeply breathe in through your nose for 5 seconds, and then breathe out for 5 seconds. Breathing like this will help to calm your anxiety and slow down your thinking, making it easier to focus on what you need to do next and feel more confident in your ability to tackle it head-on.

Be proud of who you are

When we lack confidence, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking we don’t deserve success or that we aren’t worthy of being treated well by others. When you’re lacking in confidence, you should take a step back and remind yourself of all the things you have to be proud of.

You’ve overcome so many challenges and made it to this point in your life, and you have so much more potential still to be explored! You are an individual with your own strengths and weaknesses. Make sure you’re proud of these things. They make you who you are. And who you are is a pretty rad person.

Don’t compare yourself to others

When you lack confidence, you’re likely to find yourself constantly comparing yourself to others. You might look at your peers and wonder what they have that you don’t; you might look at celebrities you admire and wish you were more like them; you might even compare yourself to your siblings and parents and wish you were just a little bit different!

It's time to stop comparing yourself to others

When you’re struggling with your self-confidence, the first thing you need to do is stop comparing yourself to others. This will only make you feel worse and more self-conscious. Instead, try to focus on your own strengths and weaknesses and how you can tackle each day with the knowledge that you’re a unique and special human being.

Why is Confidence important?

Confidence is incredibly important, not just in your everyday life but also in your career and relationships. When you feel confident, you’re more likely to pursue your dreams and go after what you want in life. You also have the increased self-esteem and self-worth to deal with any problems and reject help from others. When you’re lacking in confidence, it can be hard to tackle challenges head-on and reach for your goals. When you’re struggling with your confidence, it’s important to remember that it is something you can improve.