“I’ve come to the conclusion that people who wear headphones while they walk, are much happier, more confident, and more beautiful individuals than someone making the solitary drudge to work without acknowledging their own interests and power.” – Jason Mraz
Confidence can be an elusive thing. I know, as far as my own confidence is concerned, an overall feeling that your life is going pretty well doesn’t necessarily mean that you won’t wake up one day and feel like you have zero confidence for no reason at all.
We all have triggers; things that make us question our own value and can sap the confidence right out of our very souls! However, you can trick yourself! Just as there will be triggers to knock the wind out of your sails, there are also many things you can do to remind yourself that you are a confident, worthwhile and skilled individual. These techniques are great when you need to boost your resilience and wellbeing in the workplace and out in the wider world. They offer a quick fix, for those moments when the most confident version of you is what you require.
1. Your Jam
Among other things, I have been an actor for many years. There are many difficulties with this job, and one of those is how to tackle auditions. Imagine that you have job interviews every single month, sometimes week, of your life. Now imagine that that interview will last 5 minutes, and you have to ensure that those 5 minutes are jam packed with high quality interaction. Situations like these require you so get in the zone as quickly as possible, and this is where your favourite bit of music comes in very useful.
Music is magic. It has a way of igniting the soul and making you feel like you can do anything. I take music with me wherever I go, as I never know when I will need to be reminded of the sensation of confidence and worth through music.
2. Exercise
Even if I have to force myself out of the house, I know that a work out will make me feel infinitely better about pretty much everything. As you may well know, exercise is one of the best ways to release those endorphins, those ‘feel good’ stress releasing chemicals. On top of that, I know it also makes me feel productive and like I am looking after myself; a physical reminder that I am striving for growth. It always makes me feel on top of things for the day.
3. Pretend
Sometimes, if I am not feeling especially confident or resilient, I just pretend to be confident. More often than not, if I enter a situation with faux confidence, actual confidence takes over without me really noticing it. This might sound a little odd, but it really works!
4. Get Out
Sometimes getting out and about, being in the world, buying a coffee, talking to the person at the till, standing at exactly the right point on the platform for the train door to stop in front of you, reminds you that you are part of the world. A cog. A person that knows things and can interact with strangers with charm and confidence. All these little bits of knowledge about your world, and the small interaction you have can make you forget you were having a down day remarkably quickly.
5. A Decent Night’s Sleep
Don’t watch that extra episode. Put that phone down. Go to bed early, like you told yourself you would when you woke up knackered this morning. It’s an easy trap to fall into, and I know that I fall into it often. Getting a good night’s sleep might mean that tomorrow seems comes around faster, but tomorrow will feel a lot less daunting on after a really good night’s rest and recuperation.
6. Long Shower, New Outfit, Haircut
You might think this trick superficial, even vain, but I really believe that if you think you look good, you will feel good. Just last week I was meeting with someone. The day before I was feeling a little sluggish; I hasn’t had a thorough shave in a few days, my hair was looking out of control, and, as I had been working from home, I hasn’t worn anything but shorts and t-shirts for weeks. So, I got up the next day, went to the gym, got my haircut, had a beard trim and a long hot shower and put on some new clothes, and felt amazing.
The difference looking after your appearance can make to your inner being is not to be underestimated!
By Chris Thomson
Conscious leadership requires confidence, of course. But the first step towards achieving conscious leadership is knowing exactly what it is! What is Conscious Leadership?
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