Top 7 Ways To Gain More Confidence In Yourself (These Actually Work!)

Why is self confidence so important?

Having self confidence can mean the difference between success and failure. When you are confident, you spend less time fretting over "what ifs" and spend more time taking action. And as you know, taking action is what leads to tangible results.

The good news is, you can grow in confidence. It isn't something you are born with, and like most life skills it can be learned and nurtured. With this in mind, here's a few practical tips for building self-confidence.

#1 Limit Negative Self-Talk

Your inner-dialogue plays a key role in how you perceive yourself. If it's predominantly negative, then you are subconsciously damaging your self-confidence. No more telling yourself "I'm not good enough," "I could never achieve that" or "she's out of my league." Instead, tell yourself "I AM good enough," and I WILL achieve that."

#2 Look Good To Feel Good

Taking a little extra pride in your appearance can work wonders for your self-confidence. You don't need to look photo ready every time you set foot outdoors, but taking spending a little extra time getting ready and making sure you look good really helps to build a positive self-image, which is key for gaining self-confidence.

#3 Surround Yourself With Positive People

They have a contagious, positive energy that lifts you up and encourages you, while negative people tend to bring you down and destroy your confidence. Build up your confidence by hanging around with positive people who make you feel good.

#4 Develop Your Skills and Talents.

Perhaps your self-confidence suffers because you feel unsure about your abilities. Everyone, including you, has certain skills and talents that showcase the things they do well. Keep developing these talents and you'll find that your self-confidence will grow as you excel in these areas.

#5 Stick Up For Yourself

When others speak out against you, remember that those words are simply their opinion. Your opinion is just as important. When you do what you know is right for you, feel confident that you've made the right decision, regardless of how others may feel.

#6 Reward Yourself When You Achieve

It's easy to beat yourself up when you fall short of the mark, but how often do you congratulate yourself for new achievements? From now on, when you've accomplished something in your life, whether big or small, it's important to pause and reward yourself. If you go out of your way to make yourself happy, you'll feed your drive to persevere and succeed.

#7 Avoid Dwelling on The Past

If you keep your past self-confidence issues in mind, it will be more difficult for you to get over them. Your past certainly doesn't have to be your future. Focus on the present moment, with pleasant thoughts about your future. Picture everything going well.