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How would you rate yourself if you were to measure your level of self-confidence? Are you as confident as you really wish to be? Do you still stutter and feel inadequate when you are about to meet people or carry out an assignment?

Having low self-confidence means you feel inadequate to take up a task because you doubt your abilities. You shy away from responsibilities, and when a particular situation that you dread arrives (such as speaking before an audience), you just wish the ground to open and swallow you.

It invariably impacts every aspect of your life, and determines to a large extent how people will appreciate you in the society.

If you lack self-confidence and have very low self-esteem, don’t despair! You can overcome it. Acquiring self-confidence is a skill that you can, and should learn as it is the foundation of success.

How?

1. Make sure you are fully prepared for every action you want to take.

Preparation helps you develop poise which is akin to self-confidence.  Failure to know what you will say or do at a given situation will intensify your feelings of nervousness.

For a preparation to increase your levels of confidence, it must be done properly and not in a rush.

At times, though, you may feel well prepared for a certain event only to be found wanting. So, real preparation also involves a good and clear knowledge of what is expected of you. Be willing to go beyond the material or information you have received and do some research on your own.

2. Don’t just sit there, take action immediately

Some tasks can look very daunting till you try your hands on them. And you may never start feeling confident until you start doing something.

As a public speaker for instance, I always feel my heart beat increase just before I am to climb any stage to speak. And as the time draws closer, my palms will start sweating, and then my heart then starts thumping.

But I have trained myself to ignore those feelings. This is because in my experience, those feelings always give way once I climb the stage or start speaking. In other words, I noticed that the feeling of self-confidence comes when I start taking the action in view. It is a cycle.

Are you feeling jittery and like your heart I s about to fall out of your mouth? That’s fear speaking. Ignore it. But don’t just sit there. Put your best foot forward. To your surprise, you may find it interesting once you get the hang of it.

As you step out in faith, your confidence level will rise.

 3. Always adopt a realistic approach

In spite of how well you have prepared, and despite the level of knowledge you must have acquired in a given subject, you must try to be realistic as you build your self-confidence.

For instance, you shouldn’t attempt to speak to a crowd of 10,000 people if you were stuttering while trying to speak in an informal meeting of 10 people.

The secret here is to get better through constant practice. But as you practice, make sure you don’t set standards that are too high. They may boomerang. And if they do, it will do more harm than good to you.

4. Walk Tall

Being tall or standing tall enhances our self-image, and makes us feel more self-confident. According to this study, tall men seem to be more confident and have the world at their feet. The study suggests that the tallest quarter of the population earns 10% more than the shortest quarter.

This asserts that height and self-confidence are enmeshed.

“Being tall is associated with greater career and relationship success. Height is taken to convey authority and we feel taller when we feel more powerful” said Daniel Freeman from the University of Oxford. According to the same source, people who are short may suffer from paranoia.

Being short however, doesn’t mean you are sentenced to a life of low self-confidence. There are countless men and women who don’t have the height advantage but have been able to achieve amazing feats and live very confident lives.

Being short is not a disadvantage. And if it bothers you so much, use high heeled shoes if you are a lady and use an addheight insole as a man. They will make you add a couple of inches to your height.

5. Take Regular Exercise

Regular exercise promotes good mental health and improves intelligence. It stimulates the brain, and of course the mind by giving you a sense of well-being. The quality of your sleep improves, and helps you deal with stress.

Besides, being overweight can be a resultant effect of low self-esteem. Reducing weight through exercises can soar your sense of well-being, and indirectly affect the way you feel about yourself.

6. Learn to use relaxation techniques

They act like palliatives to cushion the effect of stress on you. All the steps mentioned above are helpful, but especially when coupled with a relaxation exercise.

Suppose you face a sudden unexpected event, or you are about to do something that makes you feel nervous, these techniques help. A few of them are autogenic relaxation, visualization, and deep breathing.

In conclusion, do not let your flaws blind you to your value and accomplishments. Applying these cool tips will boost your self-confidence, and lead you to greater success in the long run.

You've read Boost Your Self Confidence With These 6 Tips, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you've enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.