- the feeling or belief that one can rely on someone or something; firm trust.
- synonyms: trust, belief, faith, credence, conviction
- the state of feeling certain about the truth of something.
- a feeling of self-assurance arising from one’s appreciation of one’s own abilities or qualities.
- synonyms: self-assurance, self-confidence, self-possession, assertiveness
Confidence is not a trait easily mastered. There is a fine line between confidence and cockiness, and more often than not we fall into the extremes of having no confidence at all or the kind of confidence that makes others cringe.
But I want to let you in on a little secret: confidence is truly one of the best gifts you can give yourself. And by this, I mean having faith, trusting yourself, and belief that you can succeed – before you actually do.
Far too often, I’ve heard, “Once I have that body… I’ll be confident,” or “Of course he/she is confident – he/she has {fill in the blank}.” And let me be honest, I’ve had the same attitude far too many times to count. Like at the gym the other night.
My girl friend and I work out together in the evenings and I happen to be struggling to complete the pull-ups that we had in our set that day. Could I do them? Sure. But it wasn’t until I actually believed that I could – until I had the confidence in myself – that I actually did.
While it may feel easier to compare at times, it does nothing for YOU and your own self-happiness or success. So today, I want to bring you a couple tips that have helped me remember to be confident at the times it’s easy to forget!
- Do what you’re good at and what makes you happy!
- Working out at a gym may be “good for you”, but do you enjoy it? If not, find other ways to be active! Whether it’s going on walks, a home workout program, swimming laps, or group fitness classes – do what makes you happy! Doing something you don’t enjoy just because you think you should doesn’t make any sense and won’t be productive to your health, or confidence.
- Wear clothes that make you feel good
- Confidence comes from within, yes, but feeling comfortable in your own skin is important as well! Forget what the label says – pick out clothes that fit well, make you feel comfortable and beautiful. You deserve it and it will help you walk with confidence.
- Reach for obtainable goals
- If you’ve never ran a day in your life, should you sign up for a marathon next week? Probably not. It’s easy to talk of huge goals, but where does that leave our confidence? That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t dream big, but start off by setting SMART goals for yourself that you can feel confident about achieving.
- What is really holding you back?
- Choosing to believe in yourself before you’ve had success can feel a bit intimidating, but if you really understand where your fear [or lack of confidence] is coming from, it becomes much easier to be confident! When I was struggling at the gym, I had to take a step back and realize that it had nothing to do with my ability as much as my desire. As soon as I recognized that the only way I could do it, was if I actually tried and put in the effort, then I was fine!
But most importantly, no matter what – be unapologetically you with everything you have. While feeling good on the outside may provide a boost, confidence is not only skin-deep. The one thing that will always win is carrying your head high in the person that you are. Be confident in who you are, and nothing will be able to stop you.
