Self-confidence is something that is learned – no one is born with it. Lacking self-confidence is something that everyone experiences at some point. Even the confident looking person you pass on your way to class or on the street has had moments of self-doubt. But lacking self-confidence can have negative effects on your body and not being confident in yourself can get in the way of living a healthy and happy life.

Building confidence can be a difficult task to accomplish, but it doesn’t have to be as difficult if you have the right tools. Outlined below are some useful tools to increase your confidence levels.

Personal Care

It may seem silly, because usually people are pretty on top of personal care but taking a nice long shower can help you release tension and other built up emotions that may be holding you back. Take the few extra minutes in the morning to style your hair or shave. Looking good can help you feel that much better about yourself.

A Confidence Filled Outfit

Piggy backing off the first tip, wearing an outfit that makes you feel amazing will carry you throughout your day. That shirt that fits perfectly, that perfect pair of jeans that makes you feel like you can take on whatever the day throws at you – picking an outfit that makes you feel like you can accomplish anything that the day throws at you is important.

Positive Thinking

We all know that being positive 24/7 is a difficult task, but trying to focus on the good things during your day can help you retain some positivity in your life and in turn make you feel better about your day. Even trying to replace your negative thoughts and negative thinking with positive thoughts will make a huge difference.

Being Kind

Being kind to others makes you feel better about yourself and helps you improve the image you have of yourself. It goes along with treating others how you want to be treated (the famous golden rule). Being kind to others while making yourself feel better is a win-win situation.

Fix that Posture

Working on your posture and standing tall automatically makes you feel better. Your body has the room to do its job and isn’t compensating for your organs being squished, making you glow as an individual. The taller you stand, the more attractive you feel, boosting your confidence.

Social Media isn’t What it Seems

This has to be the biggest thing to tackle when it comes to anyone’s self-confidence, but we all need a reminder that what we see on social media isn’t the truth. Filters to smooth the normal acne on someone’s face and working the camera with the right angles to appear slimmer – these are all social media tricks. But there are celebrities/influencers out there that are showing the behind the scenes of what they look like without Instagram filters; post-pregnancy photos, makeup-less selfies, and men who are not posting a “post-workout” pic but a “post-meal” photo. Take the time to acknowledge that social media doesn’t necessarily portray the truth of how people look on a day to day basis.

Take a Break from Social Media

This is exactly as it sounds – take a break from social media. Social media can make us all feel worse, but because social media is so widely used, it has become the norm to have it in our routine. Remind yourself there is nothing wrong with taking a break for a day or two each week from social media, especially with all the negativity circulating around about COVID, the election, wildfires, schooling, and everything in between. It’s good to take a step back sometimes and to give yourself some relief from all of the negativity.

To wrap it all up, taking care of yourself and taking a break from social media every once in a while are all ways to boost your confidence. This year has not been the easiest for most people, so it’s more important than ever to check in on yourself and give yourself a break when you need it.

This blog was written by Jaeden, an intern for Immunize Nevada.