Harvard Health Publishing reported that self-confidence rises and falls in a bell curve: As you get older, self-confidence increases, peaks at age 60, and then begins to decline. The publication reported on self-confidence based on a full lifetime, but self-confidence fluctuates. You might lose confidence after failing on a project at school or work, for example, or after losing a friend or loved one, so what can you do when you are in a particularly tough rut? Here’s a routine that can help you start to rebuild that loss of confidence.
Make a morning routine
Having a regular morning routine devoted to self-care is full of health benefits, such as increasing productivity and energy levels, and lowering stress; higher productivity and lower stress, in turn, can help boost self-confidence. Plus, taking care of your body and mind can help motivate positive thought and raise self-esteem.
A morning routine can consist of whatever you choose, as long as it’s consistent. Try starting small by making your bed, finding a regular skincare routine, or meditation. Whatever your routine, make sure to carve out enough time so you don’t feel rushed while you’re trying to prep for your day.
Choose your affirmations
You can build on your healthy habits before taking on the day’s responsibilities by using habitual mental exercises, which can boost self-esteem and increase brain function. They only need to be small tasks executed daily to create a pattern and reap their benefits, so consider daily affirmations as a great launch point. Healthline published a list of The Best Motivation Apps of 2020 that can help you do just that–some apps include daily affirmations, while others offer activities catered to your personality and lifestyle. Try to build consistency around these exercises to bounce back and build a longer lasting change in your mood.
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Learn positive speech
When I’m feeling particularly inadequate, it’s hard to switch negative talk into positive. But finding ways to replace those negative thoughts is integral to rising above a drop in confidence. VeryWell Mind suggests a few alternative statements to use when you’re feeling pessimistic:
- Instead of telling yourself “I can’t handle this,” or “This is impossible,” try reminding yourself that “You can handle it,” or “All I have to do is try.”
- Instead of telling yourself “I can do nothing right,” when you make a mistake, remind yourself “I can do better next time,” or “at least I learned something.”
- Instead of saying you “hate” public speaking, use a milder work like “don’t like,” and remind yourself that “everyone has strengths and weaknesses.”
Keep a gratitude journal
A gratitude journal is where you can write down a list of things you are thankful for, generally on a daily or weekly basis. As you get in the habit of writing out your gratitude, your brain will naturally build the skill of finding those areas of your day to be grateful about. Like Robert A. Emmons, PhD, shared with Greater Good Magazine, “Go for depth over breadth. Elaborating in detail about a particular thing for which you’re grateful carries more benefits than a superficial list of many things.” The more grateful you are, the more likely you’ll rebuild the confidence that you have good things in your life—and that you deserve them.
