We’ve heard time and time again that confidence is a powerful tool, boosting it can help you reach your full potential whilst enhancing your overall happiness and wellbeing. Yet, it is easy to become fully immersed into our daily responsibilities, meaning that building up the confidence muscle can often fall by the wayside. Rituals have gathered expert tips, to see how we can tap into our inner power.
Master life coach and happiness expert, Lydia Kimmerling, makes a particularly compelling case for taking the time to work on this tool of empowerment. “Being more confident can significantly improve our lives, unlocking our true potential by fostering resilience, assertiveness, and the courage to take on new challenges,” she says. “Self-confidence can enable us to overcome obstacles, embrace opportunities, and build fulfilling relationships.”
Confidence Blockers
From negative self-talk and a fear of judgement, to comparing ourselves with others, and how we frame what we consider to be our past ‘failures’, the root cause of what’s blocking our full potential can be uniquely varied.
But while our individual concerns may differ, Ludovica Colella, a CBT therapist and coach who specialises in helping women boost their confidence has identified a few common habits that can immediately thwart that growth mindset that’s key to building ourselves up from the inside.
“A big barrier is the huge misconception that in order to do something, we first need to feel confident. When in reality, confidence often follows action – the more we take action and gain experience, the more our confidence in our ability to deal with challenges grows,” she explains.
“Another is the belief that confidence is a fixed personality trait that some are born with and others aren't. This is a detrimental belief because it stops people from even thinking that they can become more confident. Confidence is a skill that can be developed through practice and effort, rather than an innate quality.”
How to be more confident at work
1. Ask for feedback
A key component of confidence is self-awareness, so Colella suggests requesting constructive feedback from colleagues or supervisors to help you recognise your strengths, and identify areas of improvement. As this LinkedIn article suggests, receiving formal recognition from your company, manager, or even peers will inform and fuel your self-esteem and self-worth, reinforcing your positive behaviours and encouraging you to continue on that path to excel in your workplace. In summary, when you ask for feedback, not only do you get to see what you’re doing right but you get the framework to your success. What could be more confidence-boosting than that?
2. Daily affirmations
To boost confidence at work, Kimmerling advises practising self-affirmations daily, acknowledging your accomplishments and setting clear goals. Although this one can make us feel self-conscious at first, it’s certainly effective. Don’t trust us? Listen to the scientists. This study found that using kind self-talk before a job challenge reduces anxiety and increases the likelihood that you will excel in your performance, while Forbes reports that people with an optimistic outlook who believe in themselves climb the career ladder faster and farther than pessimists consumed with self-doubt.
3. Expand your comfort zone
While this could look different for all of us, Colella recommends gradually exposing yourself to new situations. For some it may be going to a networking event, for others it might mean attending a party where you don’t know anyone. Remember, the more you expand your comfort zone, the more you’ll increase your belief in your abilities to deal with challenging or new situations.
4. Learn something new everyday
This could include reading a book or an article, watching a documentary, or watching a YouTube video about a topic you’re interested in. Either way, it’ll open your mind to new perspectives, expand your knowledge, and nurture your curiosity, says Colella. Knowledge fuels self-confidence. Learning new skills makes you more interesting to be around, more valuable at work and helps you cope with the stress and strain of everyday life while increasing your energy levels.
An instant reset
Looking for a quick tip to help bring you back to a place of confidence and empowerment during a wobble? The experts highlight the power of visualisation.
“Visualisation is also called ‘mental rehearsal’,” explains Colella. “When we engage in mental rehearsal, for example by visualising ourselves presenting in front of an audience and being successful, the brain activates neural pathways similar to those it would during the actual performance of the task. Our brains don’t distinguish between vividly imagined experiences and real ones, so this is an effective way to actually trick your brain into believing you’re already acing that challenge.”
Kimmerling adds: “Remember to breathe deeply and connect with your body. Visualise success and remind yourself of past achievements. Shift your focus from perfection to authenticity, allowing yourself to be human. Embrace any nervous energy as excitement, and remind yourself that you have what it takes to shine brightly.”
Take an impactful 8 minutes to transform your day with Rituals’ confidence boosting meditation.