8 Practical Ways to Boost Your Self-Confidence and Unleash Your Personal Power

We are all wellsprings of power. The only limit to what we can accomplish is our belief that there are any limits at all. But sometimes we don’t feel especially powerful. What we need at those times is a confidence boost to charge us up and restore our belief.

“That’s easier said than done,” you might be thinking. But it can be easier than you might think. And to prove it, here are seven simple and practical things you can do that will elevate your self-confidence and unleash the power that lies within you, starting today.

There are many more, but if you get started on these you’ll be well on your way to tapping into and unlocking the potential within you.

1. Perform Random Acts of Kindness

There are two modes of operating: service to self and service to others. We all take part in both, but if we make the conscious decision to do more things that seemingly have no direct benefit to us, we are actually helping ourselves as well. 

If you come across someone that could use your physical, mental, or emotional help when going about your day, take the time to help them out and make a positive impact on their lives. You can also make an intentional plan to go somewhere you know has people in need of some kind of support, like a homeless shelter, food bank, or refugee centre.

Performing acts of selfless kindness empowers you to feel like you are worth something to someone. This will increase your self-confidence just as it boosts your sense of empowerment. 

2. Be Kind to Yourself

Being kind is just as important to yourself as it is to others. When you have self-compassion you are going easy on yourself whenever you make a mistake, have a perceived failure, or experience a setback. Don’t allow that negative voice in your head to berate, belittle and shame you. Sometimes we speak to ourselves we would never dream of speaking to others.

Remind yourself that being perfect is an unattainable goal and that it’s alright that you didn’t achieve something. The person that needs your love, acceptance, and kindness more than anyone is often you. Exercising self-compassion will bring you a sustained feeling of confidence.

3. Be Yourself

Authenticity is the key to unleashing your personal power. You are embodying your true Self when you are being authentic. This is when what you believe, value, think, say and do are in complete alignment. 

If you ever feel like those things are out of line, pause for a moment and centre yourself on your truth. Various life situations, like hanging out with friends from our past who we no longer resonate with, can bring us out of a state of authenticity. The key is to be aware that this can happen and shift back into being true to ourselves whenever we identify that it is occurring.

4. Move Your Body 

Your body is your way of interacting with this reality we find ourselves in and if you neglect or abuse it, you will find it more difficult to enjoy life. 

Regard your body as being more valuable than a trillion dollar space suit. Take exceptional care of it and your body image will significantly improve. One of the best ways to raise your self-confidence in this way is by moving daily. 

When you exercise, you release endorphins which make you feel better. Serotonin is the happy chemical generated by our bodies during things like working out, so besides looking physically better and having greater performance in things that involve muscle and stamina, you will be in a better emotional state more readily. 

5. Avoid Comparing Yourself to Others

When you compare yourself to others you are breaking down your self-confidence. 

Everyone has their own life circumstances that led them to where they are, and those circumstances are affected by countless factors. Comparing ourselves to others shifts us into a lack of consciousness. Desire is dangerous, because it can create a longing feeling within us that makes it difficult to generate the creative energy that would actually help us attain what we are comparing ourselves to. 

If you find yourself sizing up against others and how well they appear to be doing in life, remind yourself that it will drain your energy and lower your self-esteem. When you see someone that seems like they have a life you want to live, focus back on the skills, abilities, and qualities that could help you set goals and create a path to actualizing success for yourself. 

It’s also good to remember that what seems to be working for someone else may not work well for you. Instead of trying to copy someone’s life, create the uniquely-tailored habits that are best for you.

6. Practice Breath of Fire

This one is a physical practice that you can incorporate into your daily routine. The breath of fire is a consecutive sequence of rapid diaphragm breathing through your nose. Doing this solar plexus pumping action for a minute or two each day will make you feel incredibly alive with lots of energy.

Practiced by yogis in the East, it is now one of the central practices in kundalini yoga because of just how effective it is at strengthening the subtle and physical bodies.

7. Write Down Your Achievements

A great practice for boosting your self confidence is writing down all the successes you have in your daily life, no matter how small they may seem. 

Jot them down in a notebook, diary, or in an app on your laptop/smartphone. You could even scribble them down on coloured pieces of paper and storing them in a mason jar. 

Then, whenever you are feeling lacking in power, just open up the jar, notebook, or app and read through all your small and great achievements to give you a boost. 

You can also refer to these on a day when you are feeling pretty good about yourself, since repetition locks things into your memory in a stronger way and for a longer time.

8. The four cornerstones of solid self confidence

For further reading on maximising your self confidence, the team at INLP Center have also created an excellent guide here on the Four Cornerstones of Solid Self Confidence.

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