How to Build Confidence from Scratch

• Confidence is built, not inherently given.Some people believe confidence is simply installed in us at birth- That's a myth! Confidence is built by mom and dad first. Their "congratulations sweety" or "good job my boy." Are the type of praise that reinforced our confidence in self. Confidence comes from nurtured praise and being pushed to obtain goals from an early age. Mom and dad had the biggest impact on how we feel about ourselves. If they beat you down and called you names- it's no wonder your confidence has been broken. You where never encouraged to have any- and therefore you never knew what it felt like to be self assured. Your parents gave you a poor self image of who you are, and you went through life believing it. This caused you not to try in life, and when you did your self doubt would kick in and ruin it. Our parents don't know the damage they do to our spirits, and self-confidence when they keep telling us negative things and beat us down with hateful words such as- "you'll never be anybody" or your "stupid!" They will never understand that they where the main traumatic event that shook yourself confidence, and you could never get what wasn't nurtured in you to have. Confidence is built, not handed to you. The good news is: Because confidence can be built- you can start now! If you're feeling like confidence is out of reach, don't worry—it's a skill you can develop over time with the right approach. Don't be scared! It's time you step into your authentic self! Take control of your life and be bold about it. Here are some practical steps to help you build your confidence from the ground up:
• Start Small: Begin by setting and achieving small, realistic goals. Each success, no matter how minor, reinforces your belief in yourself. I always say even a baby step is a step right?
• Practice Self-Awareness: Understand your strengths and areas for improvement. Self-awareness is key to knowing where to focus your growth efforts. Focus on those things you feel delayed in or not good at- try them out to even see if they where as fun as they looked, or even something you would had liked. You may find out that it was never your thing to begin with. But the main thing with self- confidence is strengthening what your good at, and never be scared to try things you may be terrible at. That's the adventure of life!
• Embrace Challenges: Step outside your comfort zone regularly. Overcoming challenges strengthens your resilience and self-belief. The secret to confidence is pushing yourself and challenging yourself! Don't quit because it was hard. Push yourself even harder to accomplish the goal. The old saying is true- you can do anything you put your mind to. So inspire yourself! Use the fuel from all that self doubt to step into the greatness that you are.
• Celebrate Progress: Acknowledge your achievements, no matter how small. Recognizing progress builds momentum and motivates you to continue. Your not proving yourself to anybody but you! Don't beat yourself down because everybody else did. You are special and you are worth it!
• Surround Yourself with Support: Spend time with people who encourage and uplift you. Positive influences can make a huge difference in boosting your confidence. If you need further help there are links to help you on this page, and you can also contact me.
• Learn from Setbacks: Mistakes and failures are part of growth. Use them as opportunities to learn and improve instead of letting them erode your confidence. I continuously use my personal mistakes as a learning lesson, so I can sit down and come up with a new strategy to accomplish my goal. If that goal is out of reach at least I tried! You didn't fail if you tried. Failing happens when you never tried at all. Now simply move on to a new goal and a new challenge. Through your mistakes and achievements- you will be proud of yourself for actually doing things you never saw yourself doing.
• Practice Gratitude: Focus on what you have rather than what you lack. Gratitude fosters a positive mindset and helps you feel more capable. Remember your perfectly imperfect like the rest of us. We where created to make mistakes and problem solve. No one gets it right on the first try.
• Remember, building confidence takes time and consistent effort. By taking these steps, you'll gradually transform self-doubt into self-assurance and unlock your potential. It will help to give yourself positive affirmations when negative things pop into your head. If those negative words you heard when you were young take over your mind- immediately start saying in your head or out loud, "I am strong! I am bold! And I can do this!" Repeat it until you believe it. I would also encourage you to right down self affirmations, and say them to yourself first thing in the morning- throughout the day, and at night before you go to bed. Instead of beating yourself down with self doubt- start encouraging yourself to be the best you that you can be. I believe in you, so now it's time to believe in yourself.