Building your self confidence

Self confidence plays a vital role in any young women’s development and as a result can affect the decisions you make and the path you follow.  When we graduate from school and enter the working world we are forced to put ourselves in a position that sets us up for challenges, questions our abilities, analyzes our strengths and weaknesses and creates a competitive and overwhelming experience.  Finding that perfect job, determining your career path and figuring out how to gain experience is all part of the journey.  However, as we set into this journey we are unaware about what to expect and can often be met with much disappointment when things don’t go as planned.  These let downs can have a negative affect on our confidence levels and as result we become more and more negative with ourselves and the world.   Whether it be job searching, fitting in your organization as a young player on the team, figuring how to move up in the company or perhaps starting a new business, our self confidence plays an important part.

Here are 10 tips to help you improve your confidence and further develop your professional and personal successes:

1. Treat yourself as you would treat your friends, encourage yourself to reach your own goals just like you would help your friends reach theirs.
2. Keep trying, don't be afraid of failing.
3. Follow your gut, your intuition is usually right!
4. Take action- if you keep doing what you are doing, you are going to keep getting what you are getting.  Make the change.
5. Present yourself to others as confident and self assured, this includes dressing professionally, having good posture, making eye contact when speaking to others, contributing to the conversation and listening to what other people have to say. 
6. Take responsibility for your own actions and don't participate in the "blame game".
7. Make an effort to smile and say hello to one stranger you pass each day.
8. Be honest with yourself, recognize areas you are strong in and don't be afraid to ask for help with your weaknesses.  
9. Learn new things and expand your knowledge about topics you are interested in.
10. If you try something and it doesn't work, try again and again and again.  Don't accept defeat. Believe in yourself. 

Follow these tips and commit to building your confidence and self image today.  If you look the part, sound the part and act the part you will be successful in all aspects of your life! 

“No one can make you feel inferior without your permission.”  Eleanor Roosevelt 

Posted via email from karenjones's posterous