When you’ve been through some difficult challenges in life, you may feel like your confidence has vanished. Are you unsure how to go about believing in yourself again? If so, then this information will be of great help to you.

Follow these tips to shift your confidence levels into high gear:

1. Know who you are. When you reconnect with the person you are deep down, your confidence will begin to rise once again.
   • Practice self-reflection to figure out what kind of person you really are. Survey your inner self to discover your strengths.
   • Do you step in to help others without being asked? Are you the one who reaches out to the new neighbor who seems uncomfortable?
   • Take time to become clear about the wonderful person you are today!
   • If you are a person of faith, then you know that it is vitally important to know Who you are! Connecting with the One who created you, who knows all about you, and who loves you unconditionally will boost your confidence and esteem to unparalleled levels!
2. Acknowledge the fantastic people you have in your life. Think of your friends. Consider the close relationships you enjoy with your family members. Perhaps you’re even cultivating friendships with co-workers you respect and admire.
   • When you recognize those close to you, your confidence will be lifted up by thoughts of the incredible people you are surrounded by.

3. Stay connected in your love life. When you’re emotionally close and intimately involved with your spouse, you don’t feel alone. You have a sense that “together, we can overcome anything.” And knowing that makes you feel stronger as an individual.
4. Embrace challenges. Tell yourself, “I don’t know for sure if I can succeed but, I do know for sure that I will try my hardest.” Build your confidence by accepting new challenges.
   • Recognize that every challenge teaches you something valuable that you can apply later in life.
5. Avoid comparing yourself to others. Comparing yourself to others sets you up to fail. The answer to, “Why can’t I be pretty and smart like Jen?” is “Because you’re not Jen – you’re you!”
   • When you compare yourself to others, especially when you’re searching for your confidence, it can feel like you always come out with the “short end of the stick.”
6. Discover your own strong points and expand upon them. You don’t have to be the same as anyone else to see the positive attributes you possess. Recognize your own strengths.
7. Establish new goals. What is it you hope to accomplish in your life? Whatever it is that you seek, it’s important. Write new goals to help you get excited about your future and focus on moving forward.
8. Work toward your goals to achieve them. As you accomplish things you’ve worked hard for, you’ll feel like you can do anything. You’ll experience deep feelings of satisfaction and confidence as you put your efforts toward things that matter to you.
   • Working towards and achieving a goal is one of the sweeter things in life. Welcome the process!
9. Use positive self-talk. Speak to yourself using phrases such as, “I know I can do it,” “I did a fantastic job,” and “It’s time to go for it!”
   • Talk to yourself as if you’re the smartest, kindest, most talented person you’ve ever met.
   • Be positive, self-supporting, and honest with yourself. You’ll be stunned at the difference it will make in your life when you speak to yourself in a positive manner.

Working to regain your confidence is an exciting, enlightening, and worthwhile experience. You really will start to believe in yourself again. Try these suggestions and you’ll be on the road to a confident new you. Your confidence will rise again, in no time at all!

Tiffany D Bell