Regardless of the coaching goal of each Client, boosting self-confidence seems to be a common part in a coaching agenda.
So how can we boost our confidence?
1. Recognize your strengths
Have you ever really wondered how much you have accomplished so far in your life? Have you taken the time to recognize them and praise yourself for them? If not, make a list of your achievements and think about what strengths you used to achieve them and what experiences you gained from them.
2. Don’t compare yourself to others
Everyone is unique, have their own gifts and walk their own path. Compare yourself to a past version of yourself only, never to others.
3. Be kind to yourself
How do you treat yourself when you make a mistake? Do you talk down to yourself and point out that you should have done better? And if so, what do you gain from it? Try to treat yourself with love and compassion and admit that mistakes are lessons and give us knowledge we wouldn’t have otherwise.
4. Surround yourself with positive people
How do people around you treat you? Do they lift you up and praise you when needed, or criticize and disapprove of you? The people we associate with influence our thoughts and behaviors. Think wisely about who you choose to be by your side.
5. Do things you like and are good at
Doing things we love and are good at helps us push our talents and abilities even further, which will help boost our self-belief as well as our mood.
6. Set healthy boundaries
When we set social and emotional boundaries, we stand up for ourselves and exercise self-control. Self-confidence is highly related to the ability to self-control.
7. Set realistic goals
When you set your goals too high, you end up feeling anxious and doubting yourself. Prefer small, realistic sub-goals, which possibly make up a bigger one. This will help you prepare better and you will get stronger every time you (easily) fulfill one of your sub-goals.
8. Face your fears
If you’re afraid to do something, that’s exactly what you should do. In the worst-case scenario, you’ll be in exactly the same position, but you’ll know you dared. In the best-case scenario, you will have succeeded.
9. Take Action
Push yourself outside your comfort zone. Dare, experiment, claim new things. Set daily small goals. If you achieve the small goals, you will be able to achieve the big ones as well. Progress is gradual and big changes don’t happen overnight. Set yourself up for success.
10. Celebrate your successes
Every time you accomplish something, even something small, reward yourself. Subconsciously you will take more steps forward, because you will be waiting for your ‘reward’.
