Face life head on

I am sure if you have read my previous blog post, then you would have gone and searched for my photo to check how my teeth look. Now my face has become chubbier, so teeth are not prominent. Only it doesn't matter to me anymore. I have begun to learn to love myself the way I am.

However, I am writing a blog about the confidence that doesn't mean that I am incredibly confident now and have no fears. The very reason why it took so long for me to come up with the 3rd blog is that I am still apprehensive. I have been afraid of failure. I was appreciated for my previous posts, and my next post has to be better than those. 

My brain was clogged with a myriad of questions.

What if I don't know what I'm talking about?

What if I'm not good enough at blogging? 

What if my next post is boring?

What if people make fun of me?

What if people think I'm an idiot?

I was terrified with the thought of opening the blogger page and start writing. One day, one of my friends, Akila, reminded me of the very reason I started writing the blog post in the first place. She said,

"When I read your blog, I feel proud. Not because you used difficult vocabulary or you added humor. But just because you are doing it. Even with so many flaws, even with so many limitations, you have come a long way. You are not scared of what people will tell. Even when this is not how the readers have known you, because they have always seen your best." 

This little chat I had with her gave me a big push in the direction of being confident. 

As I mentioned in my previous blogpost, the journey of self-love and self-acceptance is exhausting, mortifying, and time-consuming. 

Nonetheless, in the world of everything instant, we want to achieve our skills as well instantly. Let's see what we can do for instant confidence boost,

Build your knowledge

I can't emphasize enough the significance of knowledge in being confident. And how do we gain knowledge? There are many ways we can achieve this. 

1. First and foremost, Read! It could be in any medium or ant format, be it books, newspapers, blogs, or short articles. Just read, read, and read more.
2. In this digital age, a whole world of knowledge is at your fingertips. Make use of YouTube and other online learning platforms like Udemy, Coursera, etc.

Dress to Impress

Not to impress others but for yourself. Let me tell you about my secret. If I have some important presentation at work or when I feel little under the weather, then I wear my favorite outfit, be it a dress, a top or Saree. That lifts my mood manifold. When you look good, you feel good. When you feel good, your confidence automatically goes a level up. 

Fake it till you make it

I know this one's a cliché. But trust me, it works. I never believed that until I implemented it myself. Imagine you are going to give a speech, and as usual, you are shaking. Then, how do you not show the audience that you are nervous?

Force a smile on your face: According to Psychology Today, When you fake a smile, your facial muscles around the lips trick the brain that you are happy, which makes you feel better. 

 

Strike a Powerful Pose: In her famous TED Talk in 2012, Amy Cuddy, a Harvard Business School social psychologist, explains how the Power Pose can affect your body chemistry. A power pose is when you expand yourself and take up more space. For example, you stand with your feet apart, your hands on your hips, and your chin tilted upward. Remember The Wonder woman?

 

Breath: When we are nervous, we tend to take shallow breaths, which reduces the amount of Oxygen intake and causes a deficit of oxygen-flow to the brain. When we consciously take deeper breaths, then you become more positive and confident.

 

I am reiterating that it's not going to be a smooth ride. But it is not impossible as well. We can always learn, change, and develop and be a better version of ourselves. As quoted by J.K.Rowling, "It matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be"

Psst! These are a few things I follow on a day to day basis. Please comment below your secret methods, tips, and tricks, which help you to be confident and face life head-on.