Written by Pamela Esbaugh
There’s nothing as attractive as confidence. Not being at your goal weight, not the perfect haircut. not wearing THAT swimsuit.
It doesn’t matter what your gender is. It doesn’t matter what your age is. It is simply a universal truth that when you believe in yourself, you exude all the right feels, and everyone can see it.
So, as summer arrives and layers of clothing come off, don’t obsess too critically about how your body looks poolside. Instead, take these steps to raise your confidence to a whole new level. Research shows these tactics work.
- Acknowledge to yourself everything you’ve been doing to live a healthy life – eating right, exercising, etc. Pat yourself on the back and keep it up the great work!
- Be nice to yourself. Talk kindly to yourself! You’re doing GREAT.
- Join a team or group of some kind – something social, outdoors, and consistent for the season.
- Keep it real. Nothing is more self-defeating than jumping on a new diet or fad (detox tea!) and finding it does nothing for you at all.
- Practice visualizing yourself looking and feeling great and develop little habits each day that make you feel good about yourself. Go for a walk. Check in on a neighbor. Read a book for 30 minutes. It all adds up.
- Then nourish that confidence. It actually elevates your mood and increases self-esteem, and all that confidence will boost the odds of meeting your goals.
- Try a daily mantra, a simple, positive statement about yourself that you say out loud. Or find a source of daily inspirational messages. They really do help us feel better.
- Cut back on social media and comparing yourself to “influencers.” Say it with me: Instagram IS NOT REAL.
- Carry yourself confidently. That means you’re wearing what you want to wear for each occasion. Your posture is good. You smile and make eye contact because you want everyone to know how awesome you are.