BY: Sean Morris
The most impactful way to live is with confidence. When you feel good about yourself, it carries into every aspect of your life from your work to your home life to your personal relationships. Consider these five powerful ways to help you meet the demands of the day with confidence.
1. Take Care of Your Body
There are several components to taking care of your body. Eating a healthy, balanced diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables is a great place to start. The food you eat is fuel, and you need plenty of fuel if you want to start a new fitness routine. An improper diet damages your metabolic process and harms your overall health.
Exercise is the fastest way to boost your physical and mental health. If you are not the type of person that loves spending hours at the gym, work with a fitness coach who will help you create a plan that implements the kind of activities you like. Try not to worry about sticking to a strict routine and make the workout something that you just like to do when you have time in the day.
2. Make Time for Mental Health
Get creative when it comes to taking care of your mental health. You can try hobbies that make you happy. Think about things that you love to do while you’re on vacation and try to inject some of them into your everyday life.
Find ways to relax. You can take five minutes every morning to meditate. Set aside time for an after-work activity that centers you. It can be a walk through your favorite park or shopping at your favorite store.
3. Create a Positive Home Environment
The best place to create a relaxing environment is at home. If you live alone, turn your living room into your quiet, zen area. You can start by decorating with purpose. Choose big, cozy furniture and fuzzy pillows and blankets. Light candles and keep the lighting low.
Clutter can create an anxious environment. If you live with your family, it’s easy to start collecting too much stuff. Declutter, clean, and let in fresh air to flush out the negativity that sometimes comes with family life.
4. Try Things That Make You Uncomfortable
Do something that is out of your comfort zone as often as possible. Every time you do something that you didn’t think you could do, you gain confidence. If social situations make you anxious, force yourself to go to a networking event. If you’re afraid of heights, try rock climbing. Reach out for help when you struggle, and if you fail, be kind to yourself and try again.
5. Give Back
Research indicates that one of the reasons that people struggle to grow their self-esteem is that they spend too much time thinking about themselves and focusing on the negatives. When you give your time to the betterment of your community, you focus on someone other than yourself, and selfishly, it feels good to give back. It makes you feel better about yourself when you are making good choices.
Confidence is about so much more than physical appearance. If you can find ways to appreciate who you are, you become a positive part of society. Taking care of yourself starts with listening to your own needs and trying to meet them every day.