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Some of us appear to be bursting with swagger, and others find it challenging to even leave home. However, you may not be aware that almost everyone experiences periods of self-doubt and decreased self-esteem. And with everything going on in the world, you may be going through something similar. But you can’t let it ruin your 2022. So, here are some confidence-boosting tricks to hit the new year running.
Try Designer Clothing
Who doesn’t love dressing in the best clothes money can buy. The difference between amazingly-designed and exquisite garments from brands like YSL, Versace, and Donna Karan and mass-produced everyday wear is immeasurable. Far from snobby, designer clothing makes you feel great because it fits well and is made from the best materials available. Therefore, your confidence will skyrocket when you know you are among some of the best-dressed people in the room. And with stores like TK Maxx, it doesn’t break the bank either.
Know Your Body Shape
Even the best designer clothes can look wrong. It doesn’t matter how hard you try to make something fit your body. What suits one person might not fit you. Because of the different body types, you can tell when something doesn’t fit right:
- Rectangle: waist, hips, and bust all the same size.
- Inverted triangle: big shoulders and a slim waist.
- Hourglass: a narrow waist and the hips and bust are equal.
- Pear: greater hip size than bust size.
- Apple: Has a bigger bust than hips.
It is generally genetically determined what kind of body type you have, although certain exercises can tone specific areas. If you do not use devices like a girdle or bustier, your body type tends to stay the same. By knowing which category your body falls into, you can dress to significantly impact your appearance, and therefore, confidence.
Find the Right Diet
The sheer amount of fad diets can make you insane sometimes. Many of these come and go when ultimately determined to be unhealthy. However, there are some with noticeable and proven health benefits. For example, vegan food and avoiding gluten make a real difference. Refined sugars and wheat products cause issues like excess acid, weight gain, bloating, and diarrhea. Switching to a healthier food source is easier than ever with food delivery services like Hello Fresh that can tailor your meals. As a result, you feel better with more energy.
Exercise Properly
Further to eating right, you can supplement your confidence-boosting diet with exercise. The clear benefits of exercise include weight loss and muscle toning. However, the benefits extend far beyond physical appearance. Exhaustive movement releases serotonin that counteracts cortisol. Cortisol contributes to increased feelings of depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem. Therefore, exercise is just as good for your mental health as it is physical. Additionally, you can exercise with friends and family as a group social activity for further benefits.
Fix Your Smile
Over 50% of people are self-conscious about their smiles. Dentures can be expensive, but some are affordable as well. Also, dentists, stores, and online sites sell affordable teeth whitening products. Getting your smile aligned, however, is another thing. For some reason, adult braces come with a weird stigma. Fortunately, you can use clear aligners if you’re self-conscious about braces. They’re not noticeable and work just as well as braces. Invisalign is a best-selling clear aligner that yields excellent results. They’re pricey, though.
Invest in Yourself
Investing in yourself could refer to saving money, but it also means making a conscious effort to get to know the real “you.” Take the time to understand what is good and bad for you in a social and emotionally healthy way. Therefore, you can take steps towards positive change for increased emotional well-being. Self-care and making the most of friends and family are obvious methods. But you can also reap more benefits by actively increasing your health, learning new skills, and studying for something about which you are very passionate. Then, you can chase your dreams.
Plan for the Future
The future is always uncertain. However, you can plan for all eventualities by saving money and investing in your financial and social well-being. But money is only a small part of future planning. Like most, you probably have a dream or achievement you know will help make you happy. You may want children, a dream job, or a certain amount of money before reaching a specific age. Creating achievable goals and plans is a great way to map out your life. You can break down complex goals into smaller steps to help you get there.
Consider a Side Hustle
Further to making money, a side hustle is an excellent way to supplement your current income. Or, as a stay-at-home parent or homemaker, it can give you an amount of financial independence or extra funds for your children’s future, such as paying for college. It is helpful to do something you are good at. For instance, you could sell hand-crafted artworks on Etsy. Or you could take on some freelance writing work if you enjoy putting pen to paper. Your confidence will skyrocket when you receive compliments from satisfied clients.
Maybe Switch Careers
In a shocking survey by Gallup, 85% of people polled stated they were unhappy with their current position. Given the high figure, you could be among them. Switching your career is a daunting prospect that takes a certain amount of courage. But a job that beats you down and makes you unhappy will almost certainly destroy your inner and outer confidence in equal measure. You cannot hope to grow and meet your desired achievements without the proper care for yourself. Additionally, an unsatisfying job is likely to cause problems at home and with your marriage.
Begin Dating
If you are single, dating is a great way to boost your confidence since you can get a little rusty at social skills. Compliments and the fact that someone is willing to spend time getting to know you is a great way to help yourself feel better, even if it goes nowhere. But that shouldn’t get you down either since the average number of dates before finding someone is around seven. And dating is hard, so you can use some of your earlier ones as practice. But who knows? You might end up making some great new friends along the way.
Don’t Try to Copy Others
A growing trend among web users, especially on social media, is comparing yourself to others. This is madness. Other people aren’t where you are in life, and you shouldn’t make the mistake of trying to be where they are. It’s impossible. Additionally, 40% of social users experience mental health issues like depression and anxiety if they constantly scroll through Instagram looking at the life you want rather than working at life. You should also be aware that a large number of accounts are almost entirely faked to give the impression of a desirable life.
Love Yourself
Learning to love yourself doesn’t mean being arrogant or conceited. It simply means knowing your strengths, accepting your weaknesses, and trying to be the best version you can be. All of the above tricks will help you along the way, but you cannot boost confidence if you don’t accept who you are and work towards a better life for yourself. Because, and you may not know this, you deserve it. Every time you offer a helping hand, stay late at work, donate to charity or do a good job, you make yourself a little more deserving. And there’s nothing wrong with pride.