If you want to know how to overcome self doubt and increase confidence, you’ll love this article.
Self-confidence is a skill that could be cultivated by anyone with some effort and plan. Self-confidence is not the courage to take up a task that you have not prepared for. However, a quality or skill that is nurtured based on self-knowledge, knowledge about environment and clarity in plan of action. The self-confidence stems from the amount of self-esteem an individual possess.
It is very important for an individual to value himself or herself. This esteem is the result of the self-appreciation about the praiseworthy qualities or achievements.
In short, if you remain valuable to self, you would feel courageous. The mind body and environment has indispensable role in developing the self-confidence of a person.
What is Self-confidence
The Dictionary defines confidence as freedom from doubt; belief in yourself and your abilities. Self-confidence in a border sense could be understood as the ability to confront a situation and take right actions to deal with it. It is the belief in self.The saying goes that not everyone is perfect, a self-confident individual are secured to admit their mistakes and learn from others.
The concept of self-confidence was around for a long time. Different schools of thoughts (religion and its subsets) constructed this concept based on the core ideas of their beliefs. However, very recently the modern science has taken up much effort through extensive and methodologically robust experiments to understand the impact of self-confidence.
Sports and academia were two areas where many such researches were conducted. A group of scientists discovered that sixty to ninety percent of success in sports is due to mental factors and psychological mastery. This has led to the increased advocacy for mental training in recent yearsThe examples emphasizes that self-confidence is a cognitive construct and it has much to do with the inner fabric of an individual.
Being an internal ability, self-confidence is a temperament that could be nurtured and preserved. To be precise it is courage plus some other things. Motivation, positive results and experience play the key role in the cultivation of a healthy level of self-confidence.
Usually the source of courage is grounded in the perceived worth of self. This self-assumed worth is collectively referred as self-esteem. Self-esteem could be understood as the realistic and self-applicative image of self. So far we have established self-confidence is a cognitive process routed in your assumed worth of self in a given situation. The next question is how one gets to enhance this confidence level and what are the impediments one has to face on the way of self-improvement.
Enemies of self-confidence
Unwanted thoughts and worry
Stress is a psychological responds to an unforeseen or difficult event. Human mind is generally compared to a monkey. The monkey has the habit of jumping around trees. Sometimes it loses grip and falls into the mental wilderness of doubt and guilt. During such situation one is using the limited physical energy for unproductive speculations
Doubt and over confidence
Small amount of critical and analytical thinking is healthy. It is difficult to make good decisions without doubting and analysing our own plans. However, too much doubt is not healthy. Researchers found that people who doubt too much end up in excessive information processing which leads to unhappy situations. Therefore one has to cautiously avoid over analysing and doubt and learn to balance their level of confidence, presence of mind, wisdom and motivation.
Indolence
Laziness is another factor that kills the self-confidence. This seemingly untactful trait not only creates mental issue but also brings serious physical harms. Laziness could be both cause and effect of low self-esteem. Try to engage yourself in things that interest you, do something new and keep challenging yourself.
SEE ALSO: How To Stop Seeking Approval From Others And Feel More Confident
Motivation and change
Motivation is one of the most vital component that help one sustain the work and survive the changes.
Motivation is a process of creating and sustaining a positive gaol oriented behaviours, could be intrinsic or extrinsic. The motivation is the catalyst for change and has the quality to makes a person reflect up the barriers rather than abandoning the mission. A motivated person do not abandon his/her mission.
Motivation is potently the corner stone for change and development
How To Overcome Self Doubt:
1. Self-compassion
Self-compassion is an essential component in process of self-development. the first thing one could do is accepting yourself with all the imperfections which is a vital step in building up a healthy relationship with self. write down all the unpleasant things that you have done and then forgive yourself for each of these mistake.
2. Address insecurities
It is important to identify and acknowledge your own insecuritiesThe insecurities may make you feel inferior to others. As a matter of fact people hardly have time to focus on your flaws, even if they do it is their opinion and their opinion cannot harm you in anyway.
3. Holding grudge
Another important thing to be cautious about is the act of holding grudges. Some people hold grudge against others. To be a person with strong self-confidence one has to shed this kind of negative baggage
4. Comparing yourself with others
Comparing yourself to others could boost or hamper your self-confidence. If the person is worse off than you, then you would find happy, if it were the opposite you would feel belittled. it is best to accept the fact that you are a unique person and there would be someone who is better than you are similar someone who is worse than you are.
5. Positive Self-talk
The self needs to be appreciated and cared for. You are the first person who has the power to cheer up your inner self. Take a paper and write down your good qualities and say few encouraging words to yourself. Continue this talk when you are stressed or feel depressed.
6. Grooming
Taking good care of your body is the most fundamental act of self-care one could genuinely display. This is one way of appreciating yourself. Grooming not only helps you feel better it also helps you build positive self-image The concept of good dress is a matter of taste. Good cress doesn’t mean wearing an expensive outfit, but cloths that makes you presentable in a particular situation. This would definably help you feel at ease.
7. Healthy Food
Eating adequate and healthy food is important. It is estimated that an adult person needs 2000 to 3000 calories of energy every day. A healthy food reduces the risk of illnesses and enhances the functions of the body. A study published by Population Health Management in 2012 discovered that eating an unhealthy diet puts people at a 66% increased risk of productivity loss. Food is the primary fuel for body, so consume safe food on time to keep the body functioning appropriately.
8. Exercise
It is found that the human willpower and determination is at its peak at the time we wake up. This help the body to carry out exercising easily in the morning. Brain consider exercising as a stressful fight or flight situation. Therefore the brain release two types of hormones BDNF, which enhances the brain cells and Endorphins, which is responsible for pleasant mood. Regular exercise in the morning not only helps one stay fit but also endow one with pleasant mood.
9. Developing Self-knowledge
The benefits of self-knowledge is immense. First, you will be happier to know yourself and your own desires so you may not remain confused or indecisive in the event of making a decision. This knowledge will reduce the amount of inner conflicts by giving you exact picture of the things that your inner self desires and the also the values that your inner self appreciate. This will increase your tolerance and understanding of others.
Self-knowledge about your body is equally important. You can understand your body just like your explored your mind.
10. Presence of mind
The Buddhist call this attribute the mindfulness. This is the basic ability to be present in the moment and be aware of self and environment at a given point of time. One need to remain calm and focused in order to be productive. Lack of presence of mind will lead to serious troubles. The result may be forgetfulness, failed communication and missing out on important details. This situation would create unwanted stress, poor productivity and mood swings.
SEE ALSO: How To Stop An Argument In Order To Prevent Emotional Damage
11. Practice and preparation
Practice is the process of repetition of the same act for the sake of improvement and mastery. In most of the real life situations, success comes as a result of hours of practices and preparation. Mastery assists in increased self-esteem.
12. Support
It is important that you associate yourself with people who do not restrict you in any manner, that they help you out in times of need. In the same manner you can try to be make a positive difference in the life of others. The act of social support helps you develop strong social bonds, which could later grow into strong social capital.
13. Avoid negative influence
Negative people
People who have a negative impact on us If you are a person who suck your energy out is your boss or spouse we may need to have another technique. The best thing to do is using their energy to build your character and become stronger. You can try to empathize with them. While do not letting their negative energy consume you. Do not let their energy drown you or make you do a negative act. The next thing you could is trying to use humour or certain activity to redirect the negativity away. This takes practice but humour is a strong medicine to get rid of negativity.
Negative thoughts
Often people have negative thoughts. Sometimes these thoughts affects our psychology. First it is very important to remain positive for two psychological reasons. 1.Brain health, 2. Prolonged negative thought can infest you with negative physical traits. When the brain is overburden with negative thought it develops synapsis to support such thought. Hypertension, heart attack, irrational bowl syndrome etc.
The best thing is understand your body langue during such time then and correct the issue.
14. Journal for reflection
Apart from preparing a good account of self to verify later the act of journal writing can benefit you in many other ways. Journal writing help you articulate your thoughts into words which helps you understand your situation better. This provides you mental clarity on issues. It provides you take a relook at your own situation later.
15. Fake it till you become it
At times after being reasonably good in your own trade, certain people cannot get to develop sufficient esteem for self-confidence.
Amy Joy Casselberry Cuddy an American social psychologist and a professor in Harvard invert gave a talk in TED during 2012. She said that body language is the most important factor that influence our total personality
Conclusion
The confidence is the outcome of several things playing in harmony. The body, process of thought, environment and capacity are very important factor here. One could think of developing the right and harmonious vison mission and action. Next time be the one you always wanted to be in your own right.
Having clarity on action could solve many a problems. Once the first few things such as vision and mission is fixed with adequate self-knowledge. With some perseverance, one can manage to convert otherwise uncertain situations into positive actions.
There are times when the body can support the mind. Therefore, one has to respect and take care of the needs of body as well. The techniques discussed in the book are guidelines for one to develop healthy habits and attitudes in life. With adequate motivation and knowledge one has sufficient armoury to face the changes life would throw at them.
The most important and effective yet the difficult part of building up self-confidence is the act of repetition or practice. With adequate tools, knowledge and practice no aim is out of reach.
I want to thank you for taking the time to read my article about how to overcome self doubt. I sincerely hope its contents have been a good help to you.
