Character - Confidence
‘The feeling or belief that one can have faith in or rely on someone or something’.
Character - Confidence
‘The feeling or belief that one can have faith in or rely on someone or something’.
Character - Confidence
‘The feeling or belief that one can have faith in or rely on someone or something’.
The next character trait that we will be focusing on is Confidence. If students are confident, they are likely to be motivated, perform well, form good relationships and they will believe in themselves. A confident student is more likely to succeed than one who lacks confidence. Key information on ‘being confident’ is included below.
Confidence
What does it mean?
The feeling or belief that one can have faith in or rely on someone or something eg “we had every confidence in the staff”.
What makes a person confident?
A confident person is someone who acknowledges their own achievements and effort. They are their own cheerleaders, without needing validation from someone else. Being confident not only helps you seek new opportunities but also trust yourself a lot more. However confidence should not be confused with arrogance..this is seen as a negative trait, and a person who is over-confident may come across to others as arrogant.
How can we describe a confident person?
Self-confidence means being self-assured. This can apply to everything from who you are as a person, i.e., your character, and to your accomplishments. Self-confident people don’t seek approval from others because they receive that approval internally, they know exactly who they are and when they’ve done a good job.
What is an example of confidence?
An example of confidence is a student feeling positive and prepared for a test they are about to take. Belief in the effectiveness of one’s own abilities or in one’s favourable acceptance by others; self-confidence.
Why is confidence so important?
Confidence helps us feel ready for life’s experiences. When we’re confident, we’re more likely to move forward with people and opportunities — not back away from them. And if things don’t work out at first, confidence helps us try again.
How do I become more confident?
Stop Comparing Yourself to Others
Do you compare how you look to people you follow on Instagram? Or maybe you compare your salary to what your friend earns. Social compassion theory explains that making comparisons is natural. But it isn’t likely to help boost your self-confidence. It may even have the opposite effect.
A 2018 study published in Personality and Individual Differences found a direct link between envy and the way we feel about ourselves. Specifically, researchers noted that when people compare themselves to others, they experience envy. And the more envy they have, the worse they feel about themselves.
Surround Yourself With Positive People
Take a moment and think about how your friends make you feel. Do they lift you up, or do they bring you down? Are they constantly judging you, or do they accept you for who you are?
The people you spend time with can influence your thoughts and attitudes about yourself, perhaps more than you realize. So, pay attention to how others make you feel. If you feel bad about yourself after hanging out with a particular person, it may be time to find other friends.
Instead, surround yourself with people who love you and want the best for you. Seek out others who are positive and can help build your confidence. Self-confidence and a positive attitude go hand-in-hand.
Take Care of Your Body
This tip for how to be more confident is based on the idea that it’s hard to feel good about yourself if you’re abusing your body. When you practice self-care, you know you’re doing something positive for your mind, body, and spirit—and you’ll naturally feel more confident as a result.
Here are a few self-care practices linked to higher levels of self-confidence:
- Diet: Healthy eating comes with many benefits, including higher levels of confidence and self-esteem. When you fuel your body with nutrient-dense foods, you feel healthier, stronger, and more energised, which can result in feeling better about yourself.
- Exercise: Studies consistently show that exercise boosts self-confidence. For instance, a 2016 study found that regular physical activity improved participants’ body image. And when their body image improved, they felt more confident.
- Meditation: More than just a relaxation practice, mediation can help boost self-confidence in several ways. For one, it helps you to recognise and accept yourself. Meditation also teaches you to stop negative self-talk and disconnect from unhelpful mental chatter interfering with your confidence.
- Sleep: Skimping on sleep can take a toll on your emotions. Conversely, good quality sleep has been linked with positive personality traits, including optimism and self-esteem.
Caring for yourself is important to self-confidence. Make sure you are getting what you need to feel good about yourself and your abilities.
Be Kind to Yourself
Self-compassion involves treating yourself with kindness when you make a mistake, fail, or experience a setback. It allows you to become more emotionally flexible and helps you better navigate challenging emotions, enhancing your connection to yourself and others.
A 2015 study connects self-compassion with self-confidence. So the next time you’re in a challenging situation, recognise that being imperfect or falling short at times is a part of being human. Do your best to navigate these experiences with compassion toward yourself.
Practice Positive Self-Talk
Negative self-talk can limit your abilities and lessen your self-confidence by convincing your subconscious that you “can’t handle” something or that it is “too hard” and you “shouldn’t even try.” Self-talk that is optimistic, on the other hand, can foster self-compassion and help you overcome self-doubt and take on new challenges.
The next time you begin to think that you have no business speaking up in a meeting or that you are too out of shape to work out, remind yourself that your thoughts aren’t always accurate. Then find a way to turn those thoughts around into more positive self-talk.
Here are a few examples of ways to challenge pessimistic self-talk and reframe your thoughts into a more positive way of thinking, increasing your self-confidence along the way:
- “I can’t handle this” or “This is impossible” becomes “I can do this” or “All I have to do is try.”
- “I can’t do anything right” becomes “I can do better next time” or “At least I learned something.”
- “I hate public speaking” becomes “I don’t like public speaking” and “Everyone has strengths and weaknesses.”
Face Your Fears
Stop putting things off until you feel more self-confident—like asking someone on a date or applying for a promotion. One of the best ways to build your confidence in these situations is by facing your fears head on.
Practice facing some of your fears that stem from a lack of self-confidence. If you’re afraid you’ll embarrass yourself or think that you’re going to mess up, try anyway. A little self-doubt can even help improve performance. Tell yourself it’s just an experiment and see what happens.
You might learn that being a little anxious or making a few mistakes isn’t as bad as you thought. And each time you move forward, you gain more confidence in yourself. In the end, this can help prevent you from taking risks that will result in major negative consequences.
Do Things You're Good At
What happens when you do things that you are good at? Your self-confidence starts to soar. Your strengths become even stronger, which helps improve your belief in yourself. Taking this approach also has another benefit; it can increase how satisfied you are with your life.
One study found that believing in your ability to build on your personal strengths is moderately related to life satisfaction levels. This starts with identifying what those strengths are. Then, work to make them stronger by engaging with them regularly.
If you’re good at a certain sport, for instance, make it a point to train or play at least once a week. If you’re good at a particular task at work, try to do that task more often. Building on your strengths can also help you build your self-confidence.
Set Realistic Goals
Pursuing your goals often involves failing several times until you figure out what works. This can make you wonder if you have what it takes to succeed. It can also leave you questioning how to be more confident while still achieving your dreams. The answer lies in setting realistic goals.
Setting high-reaching goals and failing to achieve them has been found to damage confidence levels. Conversely, realistic goals are achievable. And the more you achieve your goals, the greater your confidence in yourself and your abilities.
To set realistic goals write down what you want to achieve. Next, ask yourself what chance you have of attaining it. (Be honest!) If the answer is slim to none, the goal may be a bit too lofty. Dial it back so it is more realistic and more achievable.