6 Tips To Fake Self-Confidence When You Have None

So many women suffer from a lack of self-confidence because of what society deems as beauty. I am one of those women. I have an idea of beautiful and in my eyes, I'm not it. I am constantly looking in the mirror wishing my nose was smaller or my hair was different instead of embracing the beauty of my uniqueness. I'm really trying to work on it because I want my daughters to grow up to be confident women. I don't want them to grow up scrutinizing every "flaw" they think they see. They are unique and beautiful and there is no one in the world exactly like them.

"In a world full of social media, we tend to let others decide our self-worth based on the number of likes on our selfies."

No matter how insecure you are, you can come across as confident while you work on your self-confidence. Here are my budget-friendly tips to appear more self-confident, even when you aren't.

6 Tips To Fake Self-Confidence Even When You Have None

Hold Your Head High

First and foremost, NEVER look down at your feet when you walk. Hold your head high and make eye contact when you walk by someone. I still find myself looking down sometimes when a person walks by me and I have to remind myself to "look up". Give them a smile or ask them how they are doing, but don't look down at your feet when you walk by someone.

Put On Your Favorite Outfit

We all have that ONE outfit that makes us feel good. It doesn't have to be a cocktail dress. It could be your favorite pair of jeans that fit just right after many years of wear or it could be a top that is your favorite color and makes your eyes pop. Either way, we feel better about ourselves when we are wearing something we feel good in.

Create A "SEXY" Playlist

Am I the only one who has that certain song that makes me feel sexy?? Create a playlist! I have a playlist titled Sexy and it is FULL of songs that make me feel like a sexy woman! It completely changes my mindset and makes me want to strut my stuff! It is a quick confidence boost when I need it and I can hit repeat as many times as I need to!

Shave Your Legs

There is just something about freshly shaved legs that make me feel good about myself. It makes me feel more womanly when my legs are smooth and freshly shaven. Even in the winter, I try to shave regularly. I know I will be wearing pants in the winter so no one will see, but self-confidence is about what you think of yourself, not what others think.

Put On Lip Gloss

On the way to work, I try to remember to put on some lip gloss. When I wear lip gloss, I just feel more put together, no matter what I am wearing. When I feel more put together, I feel more confident about myself. Just reapply as necessary!

Unmentionables

What you wear underneath your clothes may not be seen by others, but you know it is there. "Granny panties" may be comfortable (and yes I am known to wear them at night), but they probably won't do much for a confidence boost. A nice bra and pair of panties, matching set or not, can really increase your confidence! It is like you have a secret that no one else knows and we all LOVE to be part of a secret!

Everyone is different and has their own ways of boosting or showing self-confidence. When you are comfortable in your own skin it shows in your body language. Of course there are many other tips such as going out and buying a new outfit or getting your hair done, but these tips are things you can do everyday that don't require you to go out and spend money. Fake it until you make it!

"You are not defined by the number of likes on your selfie."

Every woman deserves to feel confident in her own skin! Appear self-confident even when you aren't by following these simple tips! Go to http://www.thetightwadteacher.com for more articles like this!

By Carrie Bowers 

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Carrie_Bowers/2234729

Please Excuse My Self Confidence

If I could describe the notion of self confidence in one sentence, I would say:

Self confidence is the greatest tool you can ever utilize.

I work in a very dog-eat-dog industry; someone will always have a better idea than yours and there will always be someone out to get you and shut you down. The key to surviving this is by having a very high self confidence, which is why most advertisement professionals, filmmakers, writers, artists and creatives are so adamant about their beliefs. Trust me, we don't want to come off as douchebags, but sometimes it is the only way to make it through a cut throat world.

However, I discovered the importance of this characteristic way before I entered the working world. I'm not sure exactly when, but I must have been about 16 or so - past my awkward and not so pretty pubescent phase.

Don't get me wrong; I am still as awkward as they come. The only difference now is that I flaunt it. I may continue to say weird things or act in odd ways, but I do it with a if you don't like it then deal with it attitude.

Now, let's not confuse self confidence with having an oversized ego. The two are very different.

Firstly, our egos are the identities we construct; it is a combination of the beliefs we have of our talents, abilities, personality and looks. These notions are always false. It is a very active part of who we are and what we do and plays a big role in creating emotional drama in our everyday lives.

Have you ever caught yourself saying "Nobody likes me", "The mole on my chin is so ugly" or "I am so smart"? The I's and the me's are our egos talking.

Secondly, having a very active or a large ego has negative consequences more often than not; a person may become more self, self centered and self indulged as they seek constant recognition and validation of their notions. I knew nobody liked me because my friend didn't text me back. I knew my mole was hideous because the cute guy completely ignored me.

Self confidence, on the other hand, is an assessment of our self-worth; are we of any value to ourselves and those around us? It does not rely on other peoples judgements or our interactions with them; instead, it comes from a place deep within ourselves.

Deepak Chopra, one of the century's most influential people, beautifully described the idea of self confidence. He said that "... true self esteem is based on direct experiences of your core consciousness, your higher self, which lies beyond your ego... It cannot feel embarrassed, resentful, humiliated, or proud. The esteem of the higher self is simply a recognition of pure awareness."

There is a very fine line between the two, one that can become blurry at times. The trick is to
redirect our focus on ourselves and our own ideas and not what others may think about us. Acknowledge and accept your weaknesses along with your strengths and don't dwell on either, because once you do that your ego comes into play.

I was not always aware of the importance of being confident until I realized what a hurdle being insecure was. I wasn't able to enjoy the simplest things nor did I have the courage to venture out of my comfort zone.

Here I am now, a few tough lessons later, doing things I never imagined doing and being comfortable doing them, too. I've come in terms with who I am, my skills, my talents and my flaws, and I strive to improve my ways on a daily basis.

It's not as scary or difficult as it sounds. In fact, it is totally worth it. The benefits have cultivated into my relationships, my career and my whole life, really. It has also become the greatest accessory I can ever wear. It has kept the spark alive in my life because I am no longer held back by fear or shame.

But it's a never ending journey; we must strive to accept who we are and improve our ways so that we can reach the ultimate level of self awareness, and ultimately, enlightenment.

For more articles about changing our ways and being inspired, visit my blog!
http://elefantroom.blogspot.com

By Maram J

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Maram_J/2201501

10 Powerful Ways To Boost Your Self-Confidence

Confidence gives you the power to conquer the world. It separates the fearful from the successful. Confident people face their fears and tend to be risk-takers. They live life in a positive light and are satisfied with the world around them.

Wouldn't it be amazing to live life this way? Guess what? You can. Try some of the tips listed below. Practice them daily. Over time, your self-confidence will become higher than you ever thought it could be. You will be able to overcome your fears, pursue your dreams, and sing at the next karaoke night.

Here is a list of 10 powerful ways to boost your self-confidence:

1. Think positive. The human brain has a tendency to think more negatively, it takes a conscious effort to be more positive. Either you can rule your mind or you can let it rule you -become aware of your negative self-talk. The thoughts you have about yourself are very powerful. Think about all of the amazing qualities you have instead.

2. Take care of yourself. Confidence not only comes from how you feel on the inside, but how you feel on the outside as well. Shower, spend some extra time curling your hair and wear a great outfit. And if you're a guy, then well, shave. Doing these little things will make you feel more successful and ready to tackle the world.

3. Get prepared. Whether your day is filled with meetings or exams, get prepared for them. Do the research needed for that important meeting and study hard for the exam. It's hard to be confident if you don't think you'll do well

4. Exercise. Truth is, "exercise gives you endorphins and endorphins make you happy", said by the truly confident, Elle Woods. Not only will you feel better, but you will look better. All you have to do is walk a few times a week. Create a habit and get active.

5. Set a small goal and achieve it. People often set a big goal then get discouraged when they fail. Shoot for something more achievable. You'll get a boost of confidence and be more likely to tackle the next small goal. Like a domino effect, you'll eventually reach your big goal with ease.

6. Be grateful. Being grateful is a very positive and rewarding activity. It puts your mind in a positive light and can be extremely humbling. Make a gratitude list and add to it daily. You will begin to realize all of the great opportunities you have in life and awesome qualities you possess.

7. Be kind and generous. Being kind and generous with your time is a great way to improve your self-image. Hold the door for a stranger or buy someone a coffee. It will not only improve your relationships but make you feel better, trust us.

8. Volunteer. Make the lives of others better by volunteering; in return your life will better. Could you find the time to feed the homeless, pitch in at church, or start a nonprofit?

9. Get out of your comfort zone. When you do things that make you feel a little uncomfortable, your comfort zone gets bigger and your confidence rises. You will grow as a person and learn to experience new things.

10. Keep a list of your awesomeness handy. Sit down and create a list of all of your awesome qualities. Are you smart, organized, creative, or modest? Write down your achievements. Revisit the list daily or whenever you're feeling discouraged.

Applying some of these daily can help you overcome limitations and push you to achieve your biggest goals. Feeling more confident is a necessary part of living a happier, more fulfilling life.

If you think you're lacking self-confidence and want some guidance and someone to hold you accountable to the list above, connect with one of our confidence coaches.

Are you ready to live the life you've always imagined? Don't wait another day life coaching is now accessible to everyone. At Up All Night Coaching our life coaches will partner with you and together you will create a plan for an amazing life.

By Cathy Warschaw

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Cathy_Warschaw/2232051

Spiritual Courage at Work - An Inside Job!

To recognize everyday courage, it helps to distinguish the various facets of courage. There is physical courage (the one our culture identifies with the most), political courage, leadership courage, moral courage, and personal courage, to name a few. Some of us manifest certain types of courage well but come up short in other areas. In this article, I will expand on the concept of spiritual courage, and how it works to become an inside job both at work and home. But what is the etymology of courage?

Courage Defined 
What is your definition of courage? Do you know the origin of the word? Courage comes from the Old French "corage," meaning "heart and spirit." In other words, courage is an innate, internal quality that resides within the core of your being.

Unfortunately, most people do not recognize their everyday courageous actions as significant; but if you look around, you will begin to notice the courageous people you encounter. At work, they are the people who seize (or volunteer for) the tough assignments outside their comfort zone and the employees who are willing to speak the truth, share an open heart and then hold themselves completely accountable for their "courageous conversation." It becomes obvious to peers that if their job does not honor the convictions of their heart, they will quickly exit the position rather than have their courage on a short leash. Many times, some form of selfless service becomes a foundation of purpose such as being an advocate. An advocate is a person who encourages the advancement of someone else or takes the time to write an email introduction. These examples support the heart consciousness found in courage. Some people call these examples as "going above and beyond" while other people prefer status quo found in the adage "don't rock the boat." We cannot learn courage by doing something we already know!

Courageous people control their own destinies by standing up for their heart-felt values. This is very different from coming from the mind or emotions. Are you able to define what you stand for? In personal life, courageous people bring warmth and love to situations. Even though "love" is often shunned as a forbidding word in corporate America, their love is demonstrated by acts of thoughtfulness and kindheartedness, the antithesis of forms demonstrated by corporate greed masquerading in outsourcing. American poet and writer Delmore Schwartz expresses love and courage this way: "Love is the most difficult and dangerous form of courage. Courage is the most desperate, admirable, and noble kind of love."

Unless you have reflected intentionally in silence into your own heart and spirit, you cannot know your true Self. Silence breeds insight. Insights augment learning. What you think you stand for may turn out to be nothing more than spiritual bankruptcy disguised in complacency or conformity (courage killers). Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz showed courage branding when in a speech he said, "No seeds of mediocrity can enter the doors." Living courageously is not so much about what you are doing as who you are being! The actions of self-aware leaders are founded on their courage branding as they articulate an international call for courageous leadership.

There is virtually nothing that encourages us to reflect on ourselves, on our inner lives and motives. We are encouraged in school to give the right answers. We are not encouraged to expand our imaginations, live in wonderment and curiosity or ask probing questions. The word encourage means "to inspire (someone) with the courage or confidence (to do something)." What inspired you to stop and read this article?

What is Spiritual Courage? 
Spiritual courage is defined as a journey that requires you to be in the present. You become a "witness" to your attachments and learn to self-correct. You surrender your ego to a higher level of courage consciousness by setting a "Declaration of Courageous Intention"-that's what spiritual means. To become courage-conscious is a gift to the spirit. As all this happens, humility steps in to replace arrogance and righteousness. Demonstrating humility comes from something beyond the ego and the mantra that transcends the C-Suite and the cube: "I am so busy." Soon you begin to exemplify higher levels of courage-centeredness portrayed by "where courage meets grace." The sacred within awakens, informing us with Spiritual Intelligence (SQ).

The integral levels of courage consciousness lives in Spiritual Intelligence or wisdom-the path of the heart-the missing link at work and home. SQ is used to deal with existential problems such as when you feel stuck in emotional ups and downs or when you fall into a pothole only to find the same old scripts are squeezing the life out of your spirit. The only way out is to cultivate a contemplative lifestyle. It's a simple choice because simplicity (living with love) is in union with contemplation.

If you have a curiosity about SQ, develop your self-awareness so that you can stand against a crowd (or yourself) in your true Self (true Self means the courageous action to fully develop your individualization). This is how you ascend the spiritual ladder. Kent Thiry, CEO of DaVita understands workplace SQ when he said, "An organization must talk about a strong spiritual purpose, not superficial rhetoric." Kent believes "a spiritual practice is what you are doing right now." SQ guided leaders include Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Gandhi, Thich Nhat Hanh, Father Thomas Keating, The Dali Lama, Mother Teresa, and Martin Luther King, Jr. What is the promise you are willing to make to enhance your spiritual courage, and what is the best approach to start the journey?

Next posting will discuss how to cultivate a contemplative life that blends both professional and personal actions with everyday courage and how to recognize the biggest trap to this lifestyle choice.

Sandra Ford Walston is known as The Courage Expert and innovator of StuckThinking™. She is an internationally recognized speaker, learning consultant, author and entrepreneur for almost twenty years who helps organizations, teams and individuals tap into their courage. She found that there is a direct correlation between your success quotient and your courage quotient. She helped organizations from Agrium, Inc., Procter & Gamble, Teletech International and Wide Open West to integrate her "Courageous Leadership Development Model." She also instructs at the University of Denver. Featured on the speaker circuit as witty, provocative, concrete and insightful, she has changed the lives of thousands of leaders each year. Sandra's the internationally published author of three books: COURAGE (2001), STUCK (2010) and FACE IT! 12 Obstacles that Hold You Back on the Job (2011). She has also been published in numerous magazines including Chief Learning Officer, Strategic Finance and HR Matters, Malaysia. All her books are available on http://www.sandrawalston.com and internationally on Kindle.

By Sandra Ford Walston

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Sandra_Ford_Walston/642995

Inspiration Ethics - The Value of Courage

Courage -- Noun; conscious self-sacrifice in pursuit of something greater than one's own self-interest.

People are basically goal-oriented, seeking to satisfy wants and needs. But when pain or fear or any trigger of avoidance intrude, it is difficult to follow desire with action -- even if the goal is very important, the action critical and the rewards great. At these times, we need Courage. Courage is a learned thing, not borne into us but developed over time.

"Whether you be man or woman you will never do anything in this world without courage. It is the greatest quality of the mind next to honor." -- James Allen

We too often think of courage in modern life requiring unique heroism or call to duty on a grand scale, such as in situations of rescue and war. Of course, in war humans sometimes fight because they are embarrassed not to. For courage to be authentic, one must encounter fear and prove superior to the fear through right action.

Fear of what? Most directly, physical courage exists in the face of bodily harm or death. In other words, physical courage is demonstrated by acting regardless of fear for one's life or livelihood. We need a different kind of courage than physical courage on a daily basis. Leadership character requires moral courage: to become a better leader; to stand up for what is right when we stand alone; to do what is right despite disapproval or negative peer pressure; or to take risks in our quest to achieve what is important. These take Courage -- without it we go nowhere, accomplish little, lack meaning and regret much. Courage is the primer for any other virtue.

"Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point." -- C.S. Lewis

Courage to act in our own story

The opportunity to develop Courage occurs in the mundane story of our daily living where even tiny seeds of fear exist, where the danger is loss of integrity. In business and in our everyday life, Courage is rarely impulsive but results from self-conditioning -- a history of calculated bold moves based on firm convictions. The best leaders develop courage consciously, deliberately, over time, and it shows in their actions. A leader's story is a story of courage.

"People who become good leaders have a greater than average willingness to make bold moves, but they strengthen their chances of success -- and avoid career suicide -- through careful deliberation and preparation. Business courage is not so much a visionary leader's inborn characteristic as a skill acquired through decision-making processes that improve with practice." -- Kathleen K. Reardon, Courage as a Skill, Harvard Business Review, January 2007.

Virtue at a cost

Courage is not the only virtue. Courage begins things: it is a precursor for Faith, Love, Change, Persistence, Authenticity, Trust, Service and every other value. C. S. Lewis once said that the virtue of courage is a prerequisite for the practice of all other virtues. In other words, one is virtuous only when virtue has a cost, a price we are fearful to pay.

Without courage we do not get started on what is important; we do not take right action; we live in fear of the consequences of virtue. Every day we face decisions that begin, interrupt or sustain our courage-life pattern. Courage is your cupid's arrow for everything you really want to have, to do, to create, or to become, no matter how mundane or how wonderful the rewards.

Courage can only exist through virtuous action. Another kind of courage is shown in a bad cause because it does not intend a moral effect and demonstrates vice over virtue. [Think of the 9/11 hijackers or any act of terrorism] More than any other human trait, courage seems to be quite capable to serve wrongdoing.

U.S. Senator John McCain said that "without courage we are corruptible." Without courage we may be admirers but not champions of virtue and character. There are times when we recognize something needs to be done, and yet we know that if we step up to right action, we will pay a heavy personal price. Courage is the virtue that makes us willing to pay that price; cowardice makes us say, "The price is too high; I will not pay it. It is too hard. I will seek the easier, less costly choice."

Remorse makes a dreadful companion. Anyone can learn to live with pain. Anyone can learn to live with fear, embarrassment, ridicule and separation. We can learn from failure. Yet nothing will divert your gaze into a mirror more quickly than shame. Remorse for inaction and regret for wrong action is more difficult to overcome; the cure for both is Courage. Courage leads to right action. Right action requires courage. It takes courage to admit a mistake, still more to make amends. No matter what the consequence of noble Courage, it is never worse than the discovery that you are less than you pretend to be.

"Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing." -- Helen Keller

Reflections to inspire personal growth in Courage (with your learning partner)

How would your life be different if you had more courage? What can you do daily to increase your courage? What is your personal code of ethics; what must you change to demonstrate them more fully? Find an accountability partner or hire a coach to help to help you develop your courage and take these actions:

·         What are some examples of Courage that I could demonstrate in my daily life at home and at work?

·         Courage is the form of every other virtue at the testing point. Courage requires a test of conviction. How would my life be different if, beginning today, I took the test daily?

·         What does the phrase mean, "Without courage we are corruptible?"

·         Think of a specific issue you face or a goal you want to achieve. What would be your cause and cost? What are the real or perceived risks? What might be keeping you from taking action?

·         Can you think of a time when you risked your own self-interest for something greater? What was it? How did you feel then? How has it shaped you?

·         The next opportunity I have to risk self-interest for something greater, will I recognize it? Will I be ready? How I you know?

·         Who do I "pretend" to be? What specific right actions will put me on the narrow path of integrity?

·         Is my remorse for non-action greater than my fear of consequence for action?

Mark A. Sturgell, CBC, is a Certified Business Coach and president of Performance Development Network. Mark coaches individuals, teams and organizations to achieve the measurable results they really want.

Visit http://www.pdncoach.com to learn more about how Mark can help you.

By Mark Sturgell  

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Mark_Sturgell/97023

Self Confidence - 5 Barriers That Hinder Your Self Confidence

Confidence is one of the most important traits that you must acquire for success. It is the development of confidence that will help you overcome your fear of public speaking or giving presentations. Without confidence, you can not be as effective as you would like.

Here are 5 Barriers to developing your self confidence.

Barrier #1 Fear

The number one barrier to having an unstoppable confidence is fear. It might be a fear of failure, a fear rejection or even a fear of success. That's right, you might be afraid of success and all the responsibilities that come because of success.

But most of these fears are imaginary. The only place these fears exist are in your mind. So stop and think about your fears. Are they real or are you afraid of something that hasn't even happened yet? If it hasn't happened yet don't let it stop you from doing the things you need to do. Face your fear head on and take action.

Barrier #2 Worry

The next big barrier to a powerful confidence is worry. You might be worried about being perfect, or about what others think or that you might make a mistake. All of these are caused by spending too much time thinking about you. So, stop thinking about you and start thinking about others who need your message. Once you begin to focus on helping others you stop worrying about you.

Barrier #3 Procrastination

Procrastination will rob you of your confidence by keeping you from being at your best. Every time you leave something to be done at the last minute, it will never be as good as it could have been. If you are going to be at your best you need to determine your priorities and plan your tasks according to your priorities.

Barrier #4 Indecision

The ability to make decisions is a must for building confidence. Indecision in many situations can paralyze you and render you ineffective. You can change this by giving yourself deadlines to make a decision and sticking to it.

Remember you can always change your decision if new information warrants a change, but waiting to make a decision until everything is perfect will immobilize you. The perfect time will never come.

Barrier #5 Doubt

Doubt is probably the under lying problem with the other four barriers. Your fear, worry and indecisiveness comes from your doubt in your own abilities. Why should someone believe in you if you don't?

Acquiring confidence will not be an easy task. It will require patience, work and effort to obtain the confidence needed for your success. But, if you have a strong desire and are willing to make sacrifices you can have unstoppable confidence.

And now I invite you to learn more by clicking through to http://GreatPublicSpeaking.net

By Darrell Causey

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Darrell_Causey/83283

Peter Jones's ten rules for entrepreneurial success

Short and sweet - how does it help you?

Courageous or Heroic?

While many claim that courage and heroic are synonymous, commingling them as such does a disservice to the concept of courage. Firefighter Captain Mary agrees, "People notice heroes dealing with disaster and emergency responses. When a civilian dials 911 for help, it's a day from hell for his/her life. But, it's no big deal to me. I don't appreciate it when my career is integrated or associated with disasters much less heroism. I am a skilled professional doing my job."

Most of the time, courage is misapplied to focus on fictional drama or soap opera sagas, unrelenting sorrow, sensationalism, famous people or the historically deceased. For the rest of us, notions of courage as only extreme heroism examples diminish the opportunities to claim and display the heartfelt value of courage in us all.

The word "courage" comes from the French word "corage," meaning "heart and spirit," which tells us that acting with courage is really about acting from your heart and spirit - from the center of your being. "Being" reveals your true Self.

Below are a few chewable distinctions to discern everyday courage-centeredness or being a hero:

• The word courage is interpreted more frequently in the media as the word heroic. Abraham Lincoln, Eleanor Roosevelt and Princess Diana are known as heroic images. Washington D. C. is a virtual shrine to heroes. During the annual review of September 11, 2002, CNN featured "Courage Under Fire" about the loss of naval personnel at the Pentagon.

• Two contemporary examples of heroic actions were the United Airlines Flight 93 that crashed into a farmer's field outside a small town in Pennsylvania, and the heroic responses we watched on television during the World Trade Center terrorist attack.

• A PGA golf tournament commentator referred to a challenging golf shot by Tiger Woods this way: "Tiger's going for another courageous shot!" This statement implies risk-taking or "going for it."

• May 3, 2003 at the Kentucky Derby identified the race as a "Courageous race."

• Tori Murden McClure (who rowed the Atlantic Ocean solo) was known as a hero.

• A quote from the movie about the winning horse Seabiscuit: "It's never their feet; its right here" (points to his heart-this is where true courage lives).

• Christopher Reeves was a contemporary story of amazing physical courage. A spokesperson for the advancement of paraplegics walking, he was determined to walk again. To ensure we kept informed about his progress and intent, his son produced a documentary called "Courageous Steps" for ABC television (9-18-02).

Examples of these various events challenge people to reexamine their entire lives and values. Soon you learn to differentiate between being courageous in everyday life and being a hero. With increased courage consciousness you also begin to recognize the facets of courage such as physical courage, spiritual courage, leadership courage, individual courage, emotional courage, moral/ethical courage.

Learning a new skill, balancing work and family, or transitioning to a new industry is rarely celebrated as stories of amazing courage. Everyday courage has been relegated to the mundane. Isn't that a shame? We should be in awe of the heroes of amazing stories... and of our neighbor's everyday courage as well!

Sandra Ford Walston is known as The Courage Expert and innovator of StuckThinking™. She is an internationally recognized speaker, human potential consultant, author and entrepreneur for twenty years who helps organizations, teams and individuals tap into their courage. She found that there is a direct correlation between your success quotient and your courage quotient. She also instructs at the University of Denver. Featured on the speaker circuit as witty, provocative, concrete and insightful, she has changed the lives of thousands of leaders each year. Sandra's the internationally published author of three books. All her books are available on http://www.sandrawalston.com and internationally on Kindle.

By Sandra Ford Walston Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Sandra_Ford_Walston/642995

I Can't Get No (Job) Satisfaction: Stephen Kellogg at TEDxConcordiaUPort...

Do you enjoy your job? Great tips from a master.....

How to Build Self Confidence

A refreshing look at self-confidence from a young woman I hadn't heard of before.....

4 Fundamental Ways to Boost Your Self-Confidence Through the Roof

At a certain moment in my life I understood that I can no longer take myself the way that I am. I smoked cigarettes, I drank alcohol, and I led quite a low-quality lifestyle in general. No, no, don't get me wrong, I wasn't a hopeless human being or anything like that. I had a place to study, a family and a place to live. I just saw no progress in life and I had no final destination. My life had little meaning, which caused me to experience day after day that vicious circle from which I could not see any light. Self-confidence was almost invisible, and depression was slowly crawling onto me.

Despite having that prolonged dark moment in my life, from time to time I would experience a strong desire to change. I knew that there was something in life that I would love to do, I knew that I could do it, but I just felt like it was too far away from me to even bother trying.

Nevertheless, one day I woke up with a feeling that this was the end. I knew that my life was about to change. I had a thousand ideas rushing through my mind of how to become happy, successful, determined, inspired, etc. There was just one problem - lack of self-confidence. In fact, that was the reason that I was too scared to begin my transformation in first place. This time, however, fear and anger outgrew me, and I knew that I needed to raise my self-confidence, for real.

I won't bore you with everything that didn't work out for me in the process of raising my self-confidence, but I will tell you about the things that did. The things that I will describe have changed me to the core. Today I no longer feel that I lack something, or that I am not strong enough. I feel that I can succeed in many of the things that I choose to, and the things that I fail at (if I do), I just use them as a valuable lesson to push even harder next time. As the saying goes, everything that doesn't kill us, makes us stronger.

Self-confidence approach 1 - watch and imitate

One cause for the lack of self-confidence in us comes from the fact that we don't have enough of confident people around us. If you are reading this post, then you are probably like me - you didn't grow up self-confident.

One of the most important habits that you can pick up on the way to becoming self-confident, is the habit of imitating very confident people. In this case I mean imitating people in real life, the ones that you know, but also random people on the street, people you hear or read about on the news, or whoever else that may be. And I don't meant the imitation of only one trait of their character, such as the way they publicly speak, or the way they talk about money, but all traits! You must learn to see the best in people, and to soak up all of the best qualities. Look at this as a process of rebuilding your mind, but from the best parts that you can find.

When I began to imitate self-confident people, I looked at the way they talked to others, the way they handled issues, acted at work, drove their cars, and even the way they walked. Trust me, minor things, such as a confident walk and a straight posture can drastically change your way of thinking.

Remember, imitation is the first step to becoming self-confident. The fact that we lack it in first place, means that we lack that type of mentality. Copying it off of someone else is key.

Self-confidence approach 2 - physical exercise

The ones out there thinking that physical exercise can be avoided, don't be mislead! To become self-confident, you absolutely must have physical exercise, and the more, the better.

Not only physical exercise reduces the amount of stress in us, it increases the amount of testosterone and therefore self-confidence. So guys, you especially, don't take this for granted. The bottom line is that doing sports is healthy and sexy.

Self-confidence approach 3 - educate yourself

Stop wasting time on things that take you further away from your dreams. If you want to become self-confident, you should be doing things that make you more aware and knowledgeable. The more useful content that you consume, the more chances there are that you will make use of it.

Let me tell you this, when I began my search for self-confidence, I watched so many motivational videos, listened to so many audiobooks, and read so many posts on the internet (such as the one you are reading now, haha) about the subject, that I began to feel that being self-confident is the only path to success. That idea had its roots grow into me.

Therefore, reduce to the bare minimum useless input, such as from social media, and maximise input that makes you stronger and wiser.

Self-confidence approach 4 - have no fear

The last thing that I want to tell you is - have no fear. Don't be afraid to change life. Don't be like I was, don't think that it is "too late". I was extremely blinded with limiting beliefs. How can a 23-year old guy think that it's too late? I now think that it was silly, to say the least.

Life is like a pendulum that will never stop swinging you around. You will always have your ups and down, and as long as you are alive, there is nothing you can do about it. The only thing that you can do, is to become fearless, and to learn from your mistakes. No successful person is without fears, and no successful person doesn't make mistakes. They all do. The only difference between them and the people lacking self-confidence, is that they never give up. Adversity is just a part of life, and the quicker we understand that and accept that, the quicker we can begin improving ourselves.

As an end to this text, I would like to share a quote that really motivates me and raises my self-confidence. I hope it will do the same for you. "In any given moment of decision, the best thing that you can do is the right thing. The worst thing you can do is nothing" - Theodore Roosevelt.Now go on, make yourself better!

My name is Victor, and I am the author of the self-development blog Growth Evolution Development. I am an ordinary human being that has devoted himself to inspire and help others to grow, evolve & develop in all possible ways while doing the same myself. I strongly believe that each one of us has the potential for growth, but not all of us know where to begin. I also believe that together as a team we will make our dreams a reality... Come and join me on this journey at http://www.gedground.com, and I will do all my best to serve you!

By Victor S, Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Victor_S/2299833