Confident By Choice.

You must have read a zillion articles by now on how you should feel confident about yourself. Dalai Lama once said, “With realisation of one’s own potential and self confidence in one’s ability, one can build a better world.” We have a lot to learn from that quote. The lack of self confidence can hold you back from pursuing your dreams, as much as it can stop you from becoming successful in your endeavours. Confidence is an important life skill that needs to be developed. Confidence is neither arrogance nor being cocky. It is when a person has accepted himself/herself as he/she is, without trying to change anyone’s perception about them and without feeling any superior or inferior to anyone around them. It is very tricky to develop this skill because it demands one to be comfortable in their skin, which in today’s phoney times is rather difficult to attain. Many of us, who struggle with it and so feel the need to overcome it, are motivated to make it that which defines them and their life. Let’s see how with these simple steps you can not only become more confident but start thinking confidently too. Be Attentive: Pay attention to yourself, in everything that you do: talk, listen, walk, work, behave et al with confidence. Becoming aware of the self is one of the most important steps to building confidence in you. When Words Act as Windows: When one uses words like “maybe”, “I don’t know”, “let us see”, “I’m unsure”, “I’m guessing”, and others similar words and phrases, you are giving away a lot on your unsure and hence less-confident self. While you can mutter these words under your breath when awaiting significant news, don’t utter such words in front of anyone around you. Your Voice: A Powerful Tool: Have you listened to your own voice, ever? Do you know how powerful and impactful it is? Do you feel confident of speaking to somebody, using your voice as a tool to change the tonality of the conversation? Use your inner power to make an impact with your voice. Believe me, it is one of the most powerful tools you have to instil confidence in self. Decide On The Feet: Don’t be indecisive if asked to express your opinion. Don’t get caught up. Express your inner feelings clearly and swiftly. Be decisive! Don’t say things like, “I really liked the book, but. . .” Either you like it or you don’t. It is as simple as that. Love Thyself: Absolutely and most importantly: Love yourself! Do you think you are a good person? Can you stand the nature of your own body double? Love yourself because it is one of the greatest acts of confidence. There are many other steps like maintaining a good posture, letting go, living in the present moment, starting to say “No”, wearing clothes that make you feel good and confident, taking and giving away compliments generously, being yourself, etc. Contribute to the post by telling us in the comments’ sections steps you take to feel and think more confidently.

Take it Easy.

Stressed-out much? Relax. Nobody can live their life without stress. Stress comes naturally as a mental response to problems we face on a daily basis. With the problems there comes the stress and without them, well, there’s no life. But it is not to imply that you cannot avoid or minimise stress in your life. How else would you make your life happier, healthier and more productive? Modern-day pundits suggest that living in the moment, being present in every moment can help reduce stress, while the realists, boasting of the science behind it all blame its occurrence to the lack of sleep. The reasons of its existence in our lives, therefore, range from being scientific to being spiritual.

In this day and age, with so much information download, even planning to go on a holiday can be a daunting affair. Let us see how we can maintain a balance and unwind on the days when stress seems to be playing its part.

Sleep: Try to sleep for eight hours in a day. Weekend of not, make sure you are getting up at the same time every day. It is important to maintain a consistent sleep-cycle and failing to do so may result in unnecessary touchiness.

Breathe: Breathing right is one thing and focusing on your breaths is quite another. It is one of the most powerful tools there is, to help get yourself in the present moment. You can count your breaths or practice the holding-your-breath exercise that you were taught in school to drive yourself in the present moment. Meditation helps, too, but we will have a separate post on its positives soon.

Give Up: Sometimes, in work and life in general, there comes a moment when nothing goes in your favour. You will be overworked, overstressed and solutions wouldn’t come by that easily. When you encounter such situations, just stop and relax. Let go! Get busy with something unrelated before inspiration finds you and anchors you rightfully.

Accept: Accept yourself the way you are. Don’t curse yourself too much if you cannot handle a situation. If you cannot let go, see if you can change what’s bothering you. For example, if you have a habit of completing your tasks at the last moment and feel stressed-out about it, try to be more determined and finish it in time. If you can cannot, then that’s who you are. And you really cannot change it.

Try these tips to make a difference and lead a stress-free lifestyle. Do you have tips to eliminate stress from your life? Share with us in the comments.