Living a fulfilled and successful life has a lot to do with confidence. When you are not confident in yourself it’s hard for others to take you seriously. When you approach everything with uncertainty and doubt you set yourself up to never reach your full potential. 
Do you ever wonder how others do it? How does that person you know always seem to be so confident in everything they do? He/She makes it look so easy. You can do it to. There are a few changes you must be committed to make in order to improve your level of confidence. Once you can master that you will see a big shift in how you carry yourself and you will notice changes in your life that you never expected. 

1. Good Posture

This may seem silly, but slight changes in your posture can make a big difference in how you feel about yourself. Plus good posture also is healthier and makes your body look much better. 

A person who slouches appears to lack confidence and hinders their ability to be taken seriously.  Contrast that with someone who stands straight and walks like they own the room. People are automatically attracted to that person’s presence and have a high regard when they see someone who carrying themself with confidence.

2. Become More Knowledgeable 

Have you ever been in a conversation where it seemed like everyone knew what the topic was about, but you? How did that make you feel? It kind of doesn’t feel good does it? That’s because you actually start to feel less intelligent or less ‘in the know’ and as a result you don’t feel confident because you don’t think you can contribute anything valuable to the conversation. 

This is why empowering yourself with knowledge is a great way to boost your confidence.  You can do this by reading more and paying closer attention to current events; both locally and globally. Spend time studying information in your field of expertise. Read trade publications, journals and historical documents to learn more. 

The average person in the United States reads 5 books a year (including e-books, audio books and hard copies) according to a 2014 research study. If you read one book a month that puts you way ahead lf the average and makes you more knowledgeable. 
3. Personal Grooming

The old saying goes ‘you can’t judge a book by its cover’. It certainly is true. People are not always what they seem to be by appearance alone. Given that fact, the reality is, people still place judgement based on their first impression of you.  This is why personal grooming and taking better care of yourself is so important. Not only does it make you appear more professional, but you actually do feel better about yourself. It doesn’t mean you are relying on your appearance to make you more confident, but everyone seems to get an increased level of confidence when they are well put together. Notice how after getting a makeover people have an improved level of confidence?

You don’t have to spend a fortune in order to make yourself look good either. It’s just a matter of finding what works for you and is most flattering. Doesn’t matter if you shop at WalMart or Chanel, I believe anyone can look and feel their best.

4. Think Positive

There is real power in having a positive perspective in life. When I speak to young people I often ask them to write down 5 positive things about themselves. Whether it’s physical or character qualities I think it’s an important exercise not only for young people but also grown adults. 

When you wake up every morning focus on those positive qualities about yourself. Give yourself reminders throughout the day when necessary. It’s especially important when any negative thoughts cross your mind. 

Also challenge yourself to look at the positive even when something bad happens. For example if you drop something instead of being hard on yourself and saying something like, “I’m so clumsy”, replace it with “That could happen to anyone. I’ll be more careful next time.”  You would be surprised at how a slight shift in your thinking can change your entire day. 

5. Project Your Voice 

Those who speak clearly and with authority often gain the most respect.  Think about some of the most influential people in the world. Most of them are or were amazing speakers. Some of the things they have said started movements, changed lives and inspired generations. You can do that too with the power of your voice. 

It doesn’t mean you have to be famous and speaking on an international platform. You could be a teacher speaking to students, a supervisor talking to your staff or a mother at a Parent Teacher Association meeting. Whatever you say should be done with confidence and projecting your voice makes a difference. 

When someone addresses an audience, whether it’s a group of 5, 10 or 1000, a commanding voice always captivates and keeps their attention. Projecting your voice doesn’t mean you have to shout. It simply means you are speaking at a level that gets you taken seriously. 

Practice by listening to your own voice. Do this by recording yourself. Every mobile device has an option for audio recordings. Take advantage of that and record yourself reading something. When you play it back listen to how you say certain words. Does your voice fade off into quietly at the end of a sentence? Do you start off strong and close weakly? Is your inflection emphasizing the right words? Understanding your voice can help you achieve a level of confidence you never imagined. 

 6. Become More Assertive 

The Bible says “ask and you will receive”. We also live in a world that says “you can’t  always get what you want”. Because of  the latter, most are afraid to ask for what they really want. You go through life thinking “why bother asking because I won’t get it anyway”. That certainly should not be your approach.

You will discover that the more you ask, the more you receive what you want. Now I’m not encouraging being greedy and selfishness, but I’m saying you have to speak up and say the things you want in order for something to happen. If the answer is no, then at least you know you tried. People will respect you for trying. 

For example, let’s say you’ve been working somewhere for 3 years and have more than proven yourself on the job. You know you deserve a raise, but it’s never been offered. If you think you deserve a raise, ask for it. Tell your boss you want a meeting and bring this concern to his or her attention. If anything you get the conversation started. If you never speak up, you never get the chance to get what you want or feel you deserve.

Now go and start implementing these six tips in your life. This is a great start to boosting your self confidence. If you put these into practice daily, you will soon find that your level of confidence will gradually improve. Eventually it will become second nature.