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Being confident means being comfortable with who you are, no matter what situation you find yourself in. Confidence means seeing yourself, flaws and all, in a positive and forgiving light. Unfortunately, many of us lack self-confidence, and this can have very negative effects on work, relationships, and feelings of self-worth. Luckily, with a little work, you can boost your confidence levels. The cardinal rule here is: first, love yourself.

What is confidence?

Being confident is closely tied in with feelings of self-esteem. People with good self-esteem can appreciate themselves, and their personal worth. They have a positive attitude, know that they’re capable, and value themselves. With good self-esteem comes confidence: believing in yourself.

Find your gifts

Everybody is good at something. In fact, most of us are good at many things. We may just not realise it. Make a list of everything you’re good at, no matter how big or small. If you’re good at negotiating business deals, put that on your list. If you’re good at being a mum or dad, put that on your list, too. Don’t take anything you do well for granted. You’ll end up being surprised by just how many things you have to put on that list. Keep it in a safe place, and read over it whenever you need a confidence boost.

Be grateful

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Try keeping a gratitude journal. Every morning, before you start your day, write down everything you can be grateful for. Often a lack of confidence comes from a feeling of not having enough not having enough money, enough love, or enough validation. Reminding yourself in this way that you actually have a lot to be grateful for can help stem deep-seated causes of insecurity.

Fake it till you make it

The link between facial expression and emotions is so strong that researchers have found that people who use expression-freezing Botox actually feel less than they should. So, smile. Look at yourself in the mirror every morning when you’re applying make-up and take a moment or two to grin at yourself. Chances are this will boost your mood, which will help you feel more confident.

Tags: make up