Confidence: Fake It Until You Make It
New year, new confident you!
A lack of confidence in the workplace can negatively affect your progress in the company.
If this has been the story of your life in 2016, now’s the time to work on your low self-esteem to ensure you impress the socks off your managers in 2017.
Confidence does not come easy if you do not have it naturally, but there are a few things you can do to help you fake it until you get there.
Dress better, feel better
Dressing up can be a major boost for your confidence. Looking good can positively affect your mood and change people’s impressions of you. Dressing up is also a form of self-expression, so it can tell people a lot about your personality.
Stand tall
According to a study published in Health Psychology, bad posture can impact your confidence. Its research found that: “Adopting an upright seated posture in the face of stress can maintain self-esteem, reduce negative mood, and increase positive mood compared to a slumped posture”. People can also read your body language just by looking at your posture. They can tell when you are nervous, shy or afraid. So, stand tall and let the world know you are ready to take on anything!
Focus on your strengths
You may not be where you want to be when it comes to confidence, but focusing on your strengths can help improve your self-esteem. Continue to let your talents shine while you work on your confidence. This will keep you on people’s radar and when the time is right your newfound confidence will help give you an extra edge.
Keep learning
Sometimes lacking certain skills will result in you not being confident about what you are doing or need to do. Write down the areas you feel you need to improve and what you need to do to get better.
Don’t let fear win
Fear can play a major role in how confident you feel. Don’t let fear stop you from taking on new challenges or a new role. Facing your fears will help you grow and you might even find there was nothing to be afraid of in the first place.