HOW TO BECOME MORE SELF CONFIDENT

Many people lack self-confidence and that can have a negative effect on a person's business and social life. There are many theories about why some people are more confident than others. It may may have to do in part with early conditioning and in part with natural personality. If you are low on self-confidence, an important thing to understand is that you can develop more self-confidence.

HOW TO BECOME MORE SELF CONFIDENT

1. Stand up straight. Although it sounds like a very simple thing, good posture alerts the body that things are okay and that you are confident. Others picking up on this visual clue may treat you better as well.

2. Dress better. This doesn't mean dressing up at home when you do not feel like dressing up, but taking some extra time to dress better and make sure you are well-groomed will make you feel more confident. Consider how you feel when going out in sloppy clothes versus how you feel when you know you look good. It is that simple.

3. Set small, step by step goals. When you break tasks into smaller steps, they doesn't seem as overwhelming, and each time you reach one of the goals, your confidence may grow. This applies to small day to day matters as well as to larger situations and goals, such as building a career.

4.  Change your internal monologue. The internal monologue is that inner voice in our thoughts that tells us how we are or who we are. "What an idiot. I can't believe I just did that" is an example of a typical negative statement. Start paying attention to that inner voice, and when you catch yourself putting yourself down, change it to something positive, such as, "Everyone makes mistakes and I know I will do better and I am a good and capable person."

5.  Challenge yourself to overcome little or big fears. Fear public speaking? Enroll in a course that helps train you to be a better public speaker. You can choose a smaller fear to start with. Every time you overcome a fear, small or large, you gain more confidence.