How to build confidence – 5 ways to elevate your vibes

With only a few sleeps to go until a fresh new year begins, now is the perfect opportunity to overhaul your confidence. Whether your dreams for the new year involve starting or returning to a fitness program, achieving specific goals at work, launching a new business, or simply meeting new people, you can’t create change if you keep trudging the same old, worn path, so it’s time to shake things up!

There’s so much talk of self-love, self-belief and maintaining motivation these days, that sometimes it’s easy to forget all of these things require action in order to manifest.

For example, if you’re feeling unfit after a big social season and your body confidence is depleted, you’re going to have to do some work to turn things around because just hoping and wishing for an outcome doesn’t create it – you have to move your butt, literally!

If you had a few things go wrong at work throughout the year and feel your confidence is wavering, it all starts with applying a growth mindset and asking, “What did I learn from those experiences that will help me achieve incredible things in the year to come?”, and “What am I really grateful that I know now and wasn’t aware of back then?”. Now take those learnings and use them to plan a new approach – and immediately dive into a big project and get on with it.

Everyone struggles with confidence from time to time, but here are 5 flips we use to build confidence and get back in the game, again and again… 

1. Remember that the great thing about the past is that it ended last night

Every minute of every day is a chance to start over, and the mistakes and detours you’ve made in the past don’t define who you are now or what you can achieve next.The more you brood on the past, the less you’re able to take action in the present. Sometimes reminding ourselves of this fact is all it takes to jolt you into action. 

2. Struggling with self-love? Guess what, we all do! Try self-worth instead

We struggle a bit with the term ‘self-love’ because the phrase often makes people feel like they should be walking around in a happy daze, completely content with every part of themselves, at all times. But really, life is not like that!We are human beings with a full specter of thoughts, emotions and feelings, and it’s actually great if you’re a little hard on yourself from time to time, as that can drive change. Next time you’re feeling down, unconfident, or frustrated, try doing things that build your self-worth instead.

Do some journaling, take a walk with a good friend or a pet, help a colleague with something they’re struggling with, do some charity work, try a new gym class, do something creative you haven’t tried before and see it through to the end, enter a fun run and train up for it, or tackle a big project you’ve been meaning to get on to.

All of these things (and others too!) are actions that generate self-worth – moving your body, achieving new things, tackling big projects. Whereas sitting on the couch all day, not giving your all at work, not trying anything new, these are things that erode confidence over time.Love others, but respect yourself. 

3. Move your body every day

If there’s one thing we know for sure, it’s that movement just makes people happier. Actually, it makes them a LOT happier. In fact, it’s one of the number one cures for depression.Exercise is playtime, nature time, connection time, and importantly time away from your computer.

Moving your body floods you with feel-good endorphins, boosts blood circulation for better focus, increases creativity and motivation, and keeps your moods balanced.It doesn’t have to be intense – a long walk, a big stretch, some skipping, a jog or cycle, some strength or circuit training, yoga or pilates, even just a mini a home workout will all put a big smile on your face and help build your confidence. 

4. Get gratitude journaling right

It’s a fact. Practising gratitude is a fast-tracked way to elevating your vibes! But we recently learned that we’d been doing it all wrong!Apparently, rather than simply naming, or writing down 3-5 things you feel grateful for each day, the trick is to simply name one thing, but then expand with five reasons you feel this way.

For example, instead of, “Today I’m grateful for my job, my partner, my warm bed and a phone call from my best friend, OOHHH and that awesome coffee this morning!”Try this, “Today I’m feeling super grateful that my best friend called. I love that she always seems to call at just the right time when I need her most, that she knows me so well I can be completely honest with her, that she called with a funny story and we had a good belly laugh that shook off a lot of stress, that we talked out some issues we’d each been having and brainstormed solutions that will allow us to each move forward tomorrow.”

It feels good right?! Wait ‘til you write down all the epic reasons you’re grateful for your workouts – you’ll never want to miss a session again! 

5. Eat well

A lot of people forget that food is not just fuel, it’s information for your body to use to build new muscle, fire up your brain, create hormones, and so many other things.If you’re eating crappy food all the time, like fried chicken, chips, packaged biscuits, sweets and processed meats, then the information you’re feeding your body is really not the helpful kind, in fact it’s pretty useless – the only thing your body will be able to do with it is fill your fat cells and make you feel tired.

But feed your body a variety of plant foods (especially greens!), good quality fats (hellooo avocado, olive oil, nuts/seeds and fish), a little protein and some antioxidant rich fruits like berries and citrus?Your body will have everything it needs to create a strong, healthy immune system, maintain muscle and bone health, fire up your metabolism, boost energy and spark up creativity.

As an added bonus, good nutrition creates happy, confident minds, whereas trashy foods lead to trashy moods.