‘Trust yourself. You know more than you think you do.’ - Benjamin Spock
The term ‘Confidence’ can be described as believing in oneself, i.e. the belief that one can face challenges, their willingness to act accordingly and succeed. Being confident in yourself requires you to trust your abilities, judgments and qualities.
It is generally observed that people tend to have a higher level of confidence in areas of expertise compared to other fields. A healthy level of ‘self-confidence’ is required for becoming successful and striving in your life. It is extremely important in your professional and personal life. It could vary from how you put forth yourself in front of others to how you believe yourself to be. Self-confidence also keeps you motivated and pushes you to be successful in various areas of your life.
Characteristics of being a confident individual
We shall look into some of the characteristics a confident individual would possess:
Celebrating the success of their peers: Confident Individuals tend to be happy for theirs as well as the achievements of their peers.
Open-mindedness: Confident People tend to be open to new ideas and second opinions. They do not stick to a single idea and are eager to explore more options.
Thinking positively: Those high on self-confidence tend to be very optimistic. They expect a positive outcome for their efforts.
Evolving and Constant Growth: Individuals who are confident in themselves learn from their mistakes and are evolving through time. They do not make excuses or refuse to outgrow old ways.
Admitting mistakes: An individual who is confident about their actions does not shy away from admitting their faults and taking responsibility. They do not blame others for their actions.
Why is it essential to have Self-Confidence?
Having the required amount of self-confidence can create wonders and benefit you in various areas of life which includes work, relationships, peers, and so on. Some of the benefits of having self-confidence include:
Productivity: Self-Confidence helps you invest in your work and keeps you motivated. It helps eliminate wastage of time and energy and helps you devote yourself to your work strategy.
Healthier Relationships: Self-Confidence helps you cultivate healthier relationships at home and the workplace. It helps you feel better about yourself and helps you understand and provide love towards others.
Being open to newer things: Self-Confidence helps you believe in your capabilities. This in turn makes you confident about going through the unbeaten track and taking any risks.
Building Confidence
Confidence is not an innate characteristic. It is something that should be built and improved over time. Luckily, there are ways by which one can bring a significant change in their level of confidence. We shall uncover some of them below:
The first step to building confidence is to know that you can handle the emotional outcome that you are to face. Acknowledging every emotion that you go through helps you build emotional strength.
Speaking up for yourself is a sign of self-confidence. One must learn to speak up for themselves rather than expecting someone else to do that for you.
Limiting Self-Criticism is also an essential step toward building self-confidence. One must be aware of their cons and rectify them and not stick to a negative cycle of criticising themselves and believing that they aren’t up to the mark.
Developing Self-Efficacy, ie; a person's belief that they can be successful when carrying out a particular task helps as a catalyst to develop confidence in yourself.
By not comparing yourself to others, you conclude that every individual has unique traits and individuality. Thus, you believe that everybody has their journey and successes, and so do you.
Positive Self-Talk is also essential as re-assurance is something all of us require. It can help you overcome self-doubt, help you encompass compassion, and most importantly, help you build confidence.
Conclusion
One must realise how self-confidence plays an essential part in their life. It can affect every aspect of one’s life if we look through a broader lens. We all are aware of the hardships and struggles we go through internally. Fortunately, we can make ourselves better. Even pretending to be confident can help you gain confidence in various instances. With the right amount of confidence in one’s life, one can strive and achieve better compared to others.
References
Confidence: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/confidence
How to be more Confident: https://www.verywellmind.com/how-to-boost-your-self-confidence-4163098
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