Losing your confidence can happen to anyone from time to time. But it doesn’t need to last for long. Here are some tips for regaining your self-assurance.
1. Produce a result. Accomplish something–anything. Especially if your lack of confidence is associated with feeling ineffective. In a work environment, producing a result could be something as simple as catching up on a long day of emails or having a difficult conversation with an associate that you’ve been putting off. Cleaning or organizing your physical environment, at home or work, may also improve your confidence.
2. Spend time with friends or colleagues who think highly of you–in whose presence you experience yourself as competent, effective, appreciated, loved! Conversely, this is NOT a time to be hanging out with people who are overly critical, who may cause you to further question yourself.
3. Acquire a new learning or skill. This might include getting the hang of a new exercise or workout program, being trained in a software application, or studying meditation. The experience of competence is closely related to the experience of confidence.
4. Take a timeout and give yourself a good pep talk. Ask yourself: “What are the qualities that people most appreciate about me, inside or outside of work?” “What unique gifts do I possess?” “What personal attributes do I take the most pride in?”
Following these tips should put you back on solid ground.
