Simple Ways To Build Confidence And Stay Healthy

Building confidence and staying healthy are two of the most important things you can do for yourself, but sometimes working out how to actually do those things can feel a bit overwhelming. With all the information out there about fitness, wellness, and self-improvement (not to mention self-care), where do you even start? 

The good news is that building confidence and staying healthy doesn’t have to be complicated - in fact, it can be surprisingly simple when you’re able to focus on small, manageable changes that you can easily fit into your life. With that in mind, here are some of those small changes so you can make a start; read on to find out more. 

Set Small, Achievable Goals 

We’ve all been there - you set yourself some massive goals like getting in shape, learning a new skill, or even getting on top of a project at work, and it feels exciting at first. Then, as time goes on, it starts to feel overwhelming and eventually you completely lose steam and you’re left with half-finished projects and a feeling of failure. That’s why it’s so important to set smaller goals instead; it really will make all the difference. 

Instead of aiming for something huge right from the start, break your goals into smaller steps and you’ll get further. For example, if your goal is to run a 5K, start by just slowly jogging for 10 minutes a day and build up from there. As you reach each smaller goal, you’ll feel a huge sense of accomplishment that helps you feel so much more confident in yourself, and on top of that, small wins can motivate you to keep going, making it easier to stay on track and build momentum. It’s got to be the right path to take overall. 

Learn A New Skill

If you want a quick way to boost your confidence you should try learning something new. Don’t worry; it doesn’t have to be a massive undertaking; sometimes the smallest skills will give you the biggest sense of achievement, especially if it’s something you thought was really hard or that you’ve wanted to do for a really long time. 

If you’re not sure where to start, think about the things that excite you - could that be a good route to take? It might be learning to cook a new recipe, for example, or trying out a new and creative hobby like painting or photography, or perhaps you want to learn how to do CPR so you can save a life if need be. If that’s the case, search for CPR near me and you should be able to find a local class and join in. And why not? Not only will that boost your confidence massively, but it’s also just a handy skill to have in general - you never know when it could come in useful. 

The point is that learning new things opens you up to possibilities and reminds you that you’re able to do so much more than you thought - plus, it’s fun, so even if nothing else, that’s a reason to give it a shot. 

Move Your Body Every Day

We all know that staying active is good for our health, but did you know that it’s also a great way to boost your confidence? Moving your body in some way, whether it’s through doing a workout, taking a yoga class, or even just walking around the block or through the park, will release endorphins. What are endorphins? If we told you they’re known as ‘feel-good’ chemicals and that literally make you feel happier and improve your mood, you might get a better idea of why you need them, and if moving around and exercising helps, then that’s the right thing to do. 

And your movement doesn’t have to take long and it doesn’t have to be intense (unless that’s what you want, that is). What we mean is that you don’t have to pick the toughest classes or work for hours at a time; something as simple as a 15-minute yoga session or a nice walk in the woods can give you the same endorphin rush, and it’s much easier to do. After all, a hard class or a difficult run might sound like a good idea, but unless you’re prepared for it and you’ve started small as we’ve said above, you won’t be able to get too far (literally in some cases), which means you’ll feel bad and stop trying sooner, and you’ll miss out on the health and confidence boost that exercise offers. Plus, starting small and being consistent means you’ll build up your stamina, and that means you’ll be able to push yourself further, and that means your health will improve even more (and you’ll enjoy it too!). 

Speaking of enjoyment, that really is an important part of being active and being consistent - if you find something you enjoy, you’ll be much more willing to make the time to do it and to put in the effort to make it worthwhile, so why not experiment and try all kinds of different classes, sports, and exercises to find something you like? Remember, it doesn’t have to be something traditionally associated with exercise; something like geocaching (which sends you on a sort of treasure hunt in the great outdoors) or beachcombing can be just as beneficial as jogging or taking a spin class. 

Practice Positive Self-Talk 

If we’re honest, most of us aren’t very kind to ourselves, and we could even be called our own worst critics - we can often be so hard on ourselves and focus on what we haven’t done and how we’re ‘failing’ at things that it can become a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy which makes us feel terrible. What we should actually be doing is celebrating the things we have achieved, no matter how small those things might be, because positive self-talk is going to boost our confidence whereas negative self-talk just destroys it. 

The good thing about this is that once you realize what you’re doing you can turn things around and actually train your brain to think more positively. You’ll need to start by paying attention to the way you talk to yourself, especially when things don’t go as planned. Instead of beating yourself up over a mistake of a missed goal (literally or figuratively), try saying something encouraging, like instead of thinking that you failed at something, say that it didn’t go as well as you hoped, but you know what went wrong and you can fix it for next time. Can you see how this small change could make things much better? 

It might feel a little awkward at first (especially if you’re used to looking at the negative side of things as most of us are), but over time practicing positive self-talk can completely change your attitude and really boost your confidence. You’ll actually start seeing yourself in a more positive light and you’ll be kinder to yourself, which can make all the difference in how you feel about yourself and how confident you are in general. 

Surround Yourself With Positive People 

The people you surround yourself with can have a huge impact on how you feel about yourself and your life, and if you’re currently constantly around negative or critical people all the time, it’s no wonder your confidence is low and you don’t feel all that good about yourself. On the other hand, being around positive people who uplift you and support you will have the opposite effect, and you’ll feel great!

So think about the people in your life - are they encouraging? Do they make you feel like you’re valued? Do they treat you with respect? If the answer is no, it’s time to make some changes, and one thing you can do is to put in some boundaries and focus on building friendships and relationships with people who’ll try you better (and who treat themselves better because it really does show and it really does make a difference). The fact is that spending time with positive people, whether they’re family, friends, or people you work with, can help you in so many ways, and you’ll keep pushing yourself more and more with plenty of confidence if they’re by your side. 

Take Breaks When You Need Them

This might sound like a strange thing to suggest because it does seem rather counterintuitive at first, but one of the best ways to stay healthy and confident is to not push yourself too hard - burnout is a real thing, and trying to do too much without giving yourself a break can lead to stress, exhaustion, and even illness (both physical and mental), so it’s wise to slow down and step back if need be. 

It’s crucial to listen to your body and mind when they’re telling you it’s time to slow down - and they will always tell you because it’s a safety feature that’s built into all humans. So taking regular breaks, which could mean a day off to recharge or even just a few minutes to breathe deeply and move around a bit during the workday can make a big difference and help you feel good and confident. Remember, self-care is never selfish, and if you can give yourself time to rest and reset you’ll definitely feel the benefits. 

Just Smile Some More!

Why? Well, because confidence starts with your smile, of course! So, have you ever noticed how people who smile a lot just seem more confident? Well, there’s a reason for that, smiling not only makes you look more approachable, but it also boosts your own mood and self-esteem. But what’s the problem here? Well, if you’re self-conscious about your teeth, flashing a smile might feel like the last thing you want to do.

So, ideally, you might want to look into a cosmetic dentist to help you get that boost of confidence. Maybe it can be something like whitening, straightening, or fixing little imperfections, but they can help you get a smile you actually love showing off. And once you start smiling more, you’ll feel the difference. No, really, you actually will! It’s not just in how people respond to you, but in how you carry yourself every day.

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