5 Strategies I Use When I Need An Instant Confidence Boost

We’ve all been there. Sweaty palms. A blushing face. With a heart beating so fast it feels like it’s going to jump out of its socket and you would give anything to get beamed out of the situation. 

If you just had a bit more confidence. 

Confidence is a skill we all want to master but it is also one of the hardest to meet. Why?

Because self-doubt plagues most of us whether it is our looks, behavior, intelligence, or our likability in general. It is easy to say “be confident” but a lot harder to do.

It is like with any skill, it’s not a matter of saying “I’m going to be more confident” and expecting to wake up tomorrow morning as a new confident you.

But don’t despair, my sweaty, blushing friend. Here are a few things that I do when I need a jolt of confidence.

Try it out and see if it makes you feel better too.

Self-confidence carries conviction; it makes other people believe in us. – Orison Swett Marden

1. Breathe and Relax

When you feel nervous or anxious, your breathing tends to become shallow and unregulated. It is also common that your body also tenses up. 

So, what I do is to take a deep breath…then another…then another. Notice how your body starts to relax and your muscles become less tense. As you do this, you will naturally feel more confident.

2. Tell Yourself That You’re Awesome

Have you seen “Fools Gold” with Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey? If you haven’t, I can recommend it, especially if you are in need of a feel-good moment.

At the beginning of the film, Kate’s character is in need of a confidence boost so she goes into the bathroom, looks in the mirror, and tells herself how awesome she is.

Affirmation works wonders for boosting your confidence. So, seek out the mirror and start firing away those compliments to the person you see in that mirror.

3. Strike a Pose

Improving your posture will instantly make you appear more trustworthy, charismatic, and comfortable. It’ll also help you breathe a lot easier. Here’s what you can do:

Throw those shoulders back and focus on not slouching.
Stand tall. Tip: I always imagine that I have a piece of string attached to the top of my head pulling me upwards.
Get those hands out of the pockets and raise your arms in a “V” shape. Tip: the “V” shape should be the resting position for the arms but you should not keep them fixated there like you are C3PO. Make sure to use your arms when you speak to show emotions.
Keep your feet firmly planted on the ground. Tip: I always try to keep the feet shoulder-width apart.

Make it a habit of practicing better posture. A great time for this practice is when you brush your teeth, wait for the bus or wait for your coffee. The trick is to make it a conscious habit to straighten up and very soon you’ll be doing it without thinking. 

4. One, two, three…Smile

If there is one thing that will instantly boost your confidence, it’s smiling. So flash those pearly white of yours and watch what happens.

5. Speak slowly and lower your pitch

It is a simple thing but it can have a huge difference in how others perceive you.

Have you ever noticed how a person who speaks slowly and with a lower pitch always appears confident? And equally, have you ever noticed how difficult it is to listen to someone that is speaking with a speed of a hundred miles an hour and with a pitch tone that can shatter glass.

So take a deep breath and slow down. And lower that pitch.

Your turn…

What strategies have you found useful as an instant confidence booster? Drop us a comment below.