- Self-confidence is all about trust. It means having trust in yourself, your skills, your values, and your opinions. When you're self-confident, you feel calm and collected because you believe in yourself. 

But when you have low self-confidence, it can be debilitating and even destructive. You may tend to shy away from speaking up in meetings or resist taking on new opportunities. Or you try and cover up mistakes rather than asking for help because you're embarrassed. And when it comes to receiving praise, you pass it off as nothing, instead of accepting and recognizing your own hard work. 

But there are some things you can do to boost your self-confidence. 

First, pay attention to your body language, as well as your tone of voice and your energy. When we feel anxious, we tend to shrink in on ourselves and slouch. Be aware of your posture. Sit up straight and avoid crossing arms or putting hands in pockets. 

People are more confident when they know what they're talking about. So build your knowledge and check your facts and figures. That way, you'll be confident that what you're saying is accurate and correct. 

Finally, review your past achievements. Write down 10 things that you're most proud of in an achievement log. Then turn them into affirmations, like, "I know I'm good at my job because I received great customer feedback and hit my target last month." This is also a great way to block out any negative self-talk which can often take a heavy toll on our self-confidence. 

For more tips on how to build your confidence, check out our website at mindtools.com. © 2022 Mind Tools by Emerald Works Limited.