MIND & BODY
BOOST YOUR CONFIDENCE, BE LESS CRITICAL OF YOURSELF WRITTEN BY CHELSEA BRIMER
Almost everyone can benefit from a confidence boost now and then, but what, exactly, is self-confidence, and how can you increase it? Simply put, self-confidence is a sense of satisfaction with, and trust in, your feelings, abilities, and personal judgment. It’s what allows you to be positive yet realistic about yourself and your situations. So what happens when you don’t feel confident? According to the Mayo Clinic, “low self-confidence can negatively affect virtually every facet of your life, including your relationships, your job, and your health.” But there are steps you can take to boost self-confidence, even if you’ve felt bad about yourself for years. Perspective plays an important part in how you see yourself and the world around you—the whole “glass-ishalf-empty” versus “glass-is-half-full” business. Both viewpoints are true, but one allows for a more positive outlook on life than the other. If you can learn to adopt the glass-is-half-
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SIMPLYkc MAGAZINE
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JULY 2021
full view, your self-confidence will start to rise. For instance, if you find yourself always running late, don’t beat yourself up over it—acknowledge the fact that you may show up late, but at least you always get there. Another way to help change your perspective is to start focusing on your talents instead of your flaws. What do you love doing? What is it that you do well? Take pride in those things; it will help you feel accomplished, which in turn will help build your confidence. Next, recognize your insecurities and listen to your thoughts about them. According to the Mayo Clinic, self-criticizing situations might include a family crisis, business presentation, job loss, or trouble with a spouse, loved one, or coworker. What do you tell yourself about those situations or behaviors? Are you beating yourself up? Pay attention to your self-talk and see if you can take a more positive outlook or approach. Make sure you are not comparing yourself to others. Boosting your
