Did you know research proves people with self-confidence make more money, have better relationships, and are more successful than those with less confidence? Confidence is a skill you can learn and improve upon — whether you’re lacking confidence about your appearance, abilities, or social skills. We offer dozens of articles to help you understand why you lack confidence and the skills to boost your levels of self-confidence.
What do you think about when you look in the mirror?
Do you have pleasant thoughts and believe you are capable and worthy of love and success?
Or do you pick out everything that’s wrong with you and your life?
The things you think and tell yourself repeatedly become true for you and can significantly impact your mental health.
If your negative self-talk brings you down and makes you feel insecure, positive affirmations for confidence could help.
There was a time in my life when I didn't believe in myself. Having grown up in your average dysfunctional family, I found myself in the role of peacekeeper and people pleaser from a young age.
I believed if I was compliant and accommodating, I could keep everyone happy and prevent the wackadoodle behavior going on around me.
On a deeper level, I was afraid of being emotionally abandoned. When my efforts didn't work, I tried harder.
Needless to say, over time I trained myself to stuff down my own feelings for fear I'd rock the boat further.
In certain areas of my life, this pattern continued into young adulthood. During confrontational situations, I either backed down quickly or avoided engaging altogether.
Although I was “rewarded” for being a pleaser, eventually my self-esteem began to waiver.
I had false beliefs that I wasn't good enough if I didn't comply to the wants and needs of others.
This mindset was unsustainable and soul crushing.
One of my earliest memories is one when I was about five years old, having Sunday lunch with my sister and mother.
We were all dressed up for church, and afterward, my mom had taken us to a “white tablecloth” restaurant.
She was teaching us how to cut meat, holding the fork and knife properly, switching hands with the fork after cutting, and placing the knife on the side of the plate — a rather complicated series of movements for a child.
There must have been some other etiquette lessons thrown in at the time, because during the lunch, a woman eating at the restaurant approached my mom and said, “Your children are so well-mannered. You must be proud of them.”
I vividly remember my mom's expression of pleasure and pride.
Our polite behavior made an impression, and the lunch left an indelible impression on me. People like politeness.
Having good manners and social skills feels good and makes others respond positively.
I was fortunate to have parents who placed a high value on social skills and manners.
Of course, I was raised in the South — so good manners were reinforced simply by nature of being Southern. Even as a grown woman, I still find myself saying, “Yes ma'am” or “Yes sir” to people a few years my senior. Old habits die hard.
But it doesn't matter where you grew up or how you were raised in relation to social graces. Having good social skills will give you an advantage in your personal and professional life.
Even if you never had any training or role models, it's never too late to learn new habits and manners.
Positive affirmations foster optimism and confidence.
In fact, research has proven that regularly practicing affirmations has many mental and physical benefits, including decreasing stress and rumination, boosting feelings of optimism, and strengthening resilience.
They can even help improve performance in sports, academics, and career endeavors.
Affirmations are positive statements or mantras that you repeat to yourself, either silently or out loud.
They are intended to help you reach a goal, change a mindset, improve self-esteem, boost your confidence, or improve your health.
If you’ve ever caught yourself thinking (or even saying out loud), “I feel worthless” did you know what was at the root of it?
Did images in your mind remind you of past failures or the shame imposed on you by others?
Or are they on constant replay in your head, making you feel unworthy of love, forgiveness, or even basic kindness?
And would you like to know how to stop thinking,”I'm worthless,” so you can move on and grow into the person you want to be?
Because you can.
Even if, by using the tips in this article, you become more aware of the things that make you feel unworthy, you can learn to accept your whole self and act more like a fully-integrated and powerful human being.
In other words, you can’t make yourself perfect, but you can learn to embrace yourself as you are and make the most of your own unique potential.