Increasing Your Confidence

 Believe it or not self confidence does not come naturally.  You have to work at it.  There are people that seem to make it easy but believe me they weren't born that way.  The biggest obstacle to self confidence is yourself.  Negative thinking will drag you down every time.  Having no self confidence can stop you dead in your tracks making it impossible to move forward.  There are a few things you can do to help improve your self confidence.

The first is to ask yourself "What is the worst that can happen?"  When trying to make a decision you need to keep it in perspective.  If you truly think about it the worst thing that can happen if you make the wrong decision truly isn't all that bad.

Focus on all the good things about yourself.  Think about all of your accomplishments. Think of what your friends see in you that makes them want to be your friend.

Try to stay away from negative thinking.  Don't put yourself down.  Don't put others down.  As a matter of fact, it usually better if you stay away from negative people.  It is very easy to "catch" negativism.

Smile.  It's as simple as that.  If you smile at others they will automatically think that you are loaded with self confidence.

Set small goals for yourself and work towards obtaining them.  Every time you obtain a goal you will feel good about yourself and that will definately lead to self confidence.

Act as though you feel confident.  This will reward you with a feeling of confidence.

Help others.  It makes them feel good and you feel good about yourself.

Stay away from self pity.  Also avoid pity from others and sympathy.  Once we start wallowing in it it's hard to pull yourself out.

Accept compliments graciously.  There is nothing wrong about recieving a compliment.  It makes you feel good and it makes the person giving the compliment feel good.

Building your self confidence is not always easy.  It is something you have to work at.  However, the hard work is well worth the rewards.

Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent. - Eleanor Roosevelt

It took me a long time not to judge myself through someone else's eyes. - Sally Fields

It's not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not. - unknown

Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Don't live down to expectations. Go out there and do something remarkable. - Wendy Wasserstein

I am not a has-been. I am a will be. - Lauren Bacall

Confidence comes not from always being right but from not fearing to be wrong. - Peter T. Mcintyre

You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them. - Michael Jordan

You have brains in your head You have feet in your shoes You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You're on your own And you know what you know You are the guy who'll decide where to go.

Dr. Seuss

You're never as good as everyone tells you when you win, and you're never as bad as they say when you lose. - Lou Holtz and John Heisler

Plant your own garden and decorate your own soul, instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers. - Veronica A Shoffstall

The bests way to gain self-confidence is to do what you are afraid to do. - unknown