You know the drill â second-guessing whether you are qualified enough to apply for that job, downplaying your past achievements because you don't think they are worth talking about, lying wide awake at 3am replaying something you said days ago. Sound familiar?
Yeah well, thatâs called being human â and, chances probably are, female. Self-confidence (or lack thereof) is an intangible quality that affects how we interact with the world around us. It appears in our conversations, our decisions, our relationships, our body languageâŠyou name it.
It's a nasty little bad habit that can have a long-lasting impact. In fact, getting stuck in a self-confidence rut can have compounding negative effects: Missing out on a job opportunity might mean you start doubting your worth, or one bad date might mean your body image gets thrown out of whack.
The confidence topic really hits home for me as I have had a lifelong struggle with my self-image. To be fair, it doesnât show up every single day, and itâs definitely worse in some areas of my life than others â but whenever my lack of confidence does rear its ugly head, it hits hard, and can derail any progress Iâve made at working towards a long-term project, personal goal or sharing something Iâve created publicly.
What I've found is that sharing this struggle helps infinitely â knowing that other people, including those who you look up to and admire also struggle with self-confidence is surprisingly reassuring. It's really helpful to realize that confidence is more of a skill that can be developed rather than a preset personality type we are stuck with forever
In fact, there are a number of action steps you can talk to help practice self-confidence every day â doing things that get you out of your comfort zone like public speaking, striking up conversations with strangers, offering compliments to others (which are bound to be returned â an instant easy win right there!)
Journaling is also a great daily habit to get into, as it helps you identify your priorities, let go of unnecessary stress, and creates an opportunities for deep self-discovery.
If you are interested in giving journaling a shot, Tidy Plan's collection of journal prompts and vision board templates are a fantastic way to kick off your new journaling habit, as they are packed full of guided prompts, goal-setting inspiration, and motivational exercises. It's almost a guarantee that you'll walk away with more clarity, perspective, and motivation to keep moving forward.
Confidence really is something that can be practiced and manufactured on our own. Think about it â you know those mornings when you put on a cute new outfit and suddenly youâre projecting great vibes out into the universe? Thatâs not the luck of the draw, thatâs just confidence! Itâs also what happens when you are facing something intimidating, take a deep breath, fake it for ten seconds, and later realize that nobody else noticed you were nervous in the first place.
But how do we create that feeling without having to buy a new outfit or put ourselves on stage in front of 50 people on a daily basis? Try reading these 28 self-confidence quotes first â it just might be the pep talk you needed to go after that next big personal goal.
I hope some of these confidence quotes resonate with you â sometimes a bit of big-picture perspective can go a long way toward reframing our mindset to make big, scary goals or obstacles seem a lot more manageable. And remember: as long as youâre moving in the right direction, even if slowly, small steps still count as progress â this isn't something you have to be perfect at, just something that you should try to embody every day as much as possible.
So going forwards, throw out your "playing it safe" goals, dream bigger, and go after what you want with your head held high â because nobody or nothing can hold you back when you are projecting self-confidence out into the world.
You've got this!
