HOW TO BUILD CONFIDENCE TO LEAD LIFE IN THIS COMPLEX WORLD?

                                     BUILD CONFIDENCE TO LEAD LIFE 

HOW TO BUILD CONFIDENCE TO LEAD LIFE IN THIS COMPLEX WORLD?

The complexity of the world can definitely be daunting, but confidence can help you navigate it. Confidence isn't about being fearless, it's about feeling capable of handling what comes your way. By developing these skills and a strong sense of self, you can approach the world's complexities with confidence and a willingness to learn and grow.

THE IMPORTANCE OF CONFIDENCE

v  Confident people are more likely to live longer. confident people are more successful.

v  Confident people are happier.

v  Confidence is linked to success. Confidence is linked to mental wellbeing and happiness.

What does a lack of confidence look like?

Someone lacking confidence isn’t necessarily easy to spot. You may be surprised to learn that some of the people you find to be self-assured are actually just good at pretending.

However, there are sometimes more obvious signs that someone is unconfident. Below, we’ve picked out some of the classic signs of a lack of confidence:

Anxiety: Low self-esteem and generalized anxiety disorder are often closely linked. Someone lacking confidence may seem anxious in unfamiliar situations. Anxiety can make us doubt our faith in our abilities, and we know that confidence is often a matter of belief.

Avoiding challenges: Those without confidence are often unwilling to try new things as they don’t trust in their abilities to succeed at them.

Avoiding social situations: Meeting new people (and even familiar ones) can be tough when lacking confidence. A lack of belief in social skills will often mean avoiding social settings.

Lacking self-care: If someone is feeling negative about themselves and their abilities, they may also neglect to take care of themselves. This could mean a poor diet, lack of exercise, or mentally chastising themselves.

Worrying what others think: Those who have low self-esteem will often worry about how others judge them. Often, they’ll project their own feelings about themselves onto how they think others will feel about them.

There are many things you can do to feel more assured and capable. Here are some ways to build confidence specifically for handling a complex world.

Focus on what you can control: The world throws a lot at us, but we can't control everything.  Focus your energy on the things you can influence, like your actions, reactions, and how you approach situations. This builds a sense of agency and empowers you to deal with complexities.

Develop strong critical thinking skills:  The world is full of information, some good, some not so good.  Learn to evaluate information critically. This means questioning sources, identifying biases, and forming your own informed opinions. This skillset equips you to navigate complexity without feeling overwhelmed.

Embrace lifelong learning:  The world is constantly changing, so continuous learning is key. Stay curious, explore new ideas, and keep yourself updated on current events. This adaptability allows you to face complexities with a growth mindset.

Find your purpose: Having a sense of purpose gives your life direction and meaning.  This purpose can be anything that motivates you, from a passion project to helping others.  A strong purpose fuels your confidence as you navigate the complexities of achieving your goals.

Build resilience:  Setbacks are inevitable, but resilience helps you bounce back. Learn from mistakes, develop coping mechanisms for tough times, and don't be afraid to ask for help. Resilience strengthens your confidence as you face life's complexities.

Connect with your community: Feeling like you belong is important. Find communities that share your interests or values. Having a support system helps you feel less alone when dealing with complex issues.

Challenge negative thoughts:  Our inner critic can be loud, but it's important to challenge negative self-talk. When you hear yourself putting yourself down, reframe those thoughts into something more positive and realistic.

Celebrate your wins: Don't downplay your accomplishments! Take time to acknowledge your successes, big or small. This reinforces your abilities and builds a sense of accomplishment.

Step outside your comfort zone:  Trying new things can be scary, but it's a great way to boost confidence. Start small, perhaps by taking a class or joining a club. As you master new challenges, your confidence grows.

Practice self-care: Taking care of yourself physically and mentally is essential for feeling good about yourself. Make sure you're getting enough sleep, eating healthy foods, and exercising regularly. Prioritize activities that bring you joy and relaxation.

Focus on progress, not perfection:  Don't get discouraged by setbacks. Focus on the effort you're putting in and the progress you're making. Remember, everyone makes mistakes, and that's part of the learning process.

Develop a growth mindset:  View challenges as opportunities to learn and grow. Believe that your abilities can improve with effort and practice. This mindset fosters resilience and confidence.

Build positive relationships: Surround yourself with supportive and encouraging people. Having a strong network of friends and family who believe in you can make a big difference in your confidence.

Practice self-affirmations:

Various studies have shown the power of affirmations. Essentially, by telling yourself about your strengths and how confident you are, you can reinforce these positive thoughts. One particular study demonstrates that self-affirmation can help to maintain our self-efficacy, which is a key component of confidence.

Other studies have shown that neural pathways in the brain respond when people practice self-affirmations. Some examples of positive affirmations for confidence include:

v  I choose to believe I am confident.

v  I am confident and value myself.

v  I am confident in my abilities.

v  I let go of limiting beliefs and choose to trust myself.

By incorporating the following strategies into your life, you can gradually build your confidence and approach challenges with a more positive and assured outlook.

 Learn to maintain eye contact without looking creepy. Practice on your family members and friends so that they can just let you know if your look is not comfortable for them. Take the feedback positively.

Try to accomplish something daily: Something that you avoid doing daily. Our brain rewards us with self-confidence when we accomplish something that we thought we couldn't.

Take criticism and sarcasm positively and use them in a constructive way instead. Don’t take anything personally.

Just think of the worst: What worse could happen? The worse thing in this world that can happen is our death, and you're not going to die while talking to someone for sure so just be prepared for the worse, and everything will look like a piece of cake.

Surround yourself with people who appreciate you: I'm not talking about the fake ones here. Get some people who point out your shortcomings while appreciating the goodness in you.

Take a stand whenever possible, but not just for the sake of it. Taking a stand can be difficult sometimes. Maybe you're one against hundreds but taking a stand will automatically trigger the missing confidence-building hormone in your brain.

Do whatever makes you feel empowered: If a particular hairstyle makes you feel confident, then go for it. If a cologne does this job, then wear it when going out.

Learn to feel comfortable in your skin. You can't change your height, color, race, caste, gender, etc.

Some traits are permanent: So, when you start appreciating who you are, you'll automatically feel more confident.

Be responsible: Be someone people can rely on. Be the person people think of first when they need any suggestion. That will boost your confidence a lot.

Explore yourself: Be who you are. I've seen people who get influenced by even movies and try to alter their personality. Don't do that. Stay passive. Let your brain know that you believe in yourself, and your reward will be confidence.

Try to lose your tension whenever possible: If you are giving a speech in front of a lot of people, then say “I’m very nervous so don’t mind if my tongue slips” or if you are in an interview then say “I apologize, I’m extremely nervous. This is my first interview,”.

Learn to live with failure. You are going to make mistakes. You are human. Learn from these mistakes and move on.

Find happiness and contentment in your work. Life is short. Do your best. Follow your heart. When you win, celebrate. When you lose, just start over the next day.

Tips for implementing confidence-building strategies.

As you work toward developing your work confidence, consider the following tips as a guideline to continue on your path of success.

Take your time: Take your time and be patient with your progress and professional development plans. Set your schedule with realistic time frames for meeting your objectives, and you may also consider using a spreadsheet or checklist to track your progress.

Be persistent: Change can take time to make, and you may find you need to adjust your goals to reflect any changes in circumstances. However, remaining consistent in your actions and improvement plans can assure that you keep progressing toward building your confidence.

Keep developing your mindset: Having a growth mindset can be effective in self-reflection and assessment, as it sets a foundation for how you perceive yourself. Accepting challenges, overcoming obstacles and praising your successes can positively influence your confidence in the workplace.