Confidence 101: How To Channel Your Best You
“What’s wrong with being confident?” sang the ever-wise Demi Lovato. In a world where there’s a lot of pressure from both school and social media, presenting your most confident self is a struggle I know all too well. But if there’s anything I learned from high school, it’s that there are ways in which you can fake confidence to the point where you actually do become confident. It may sound cheesy but by thinking and behaving positively, I’ve had a much brighter outlook towards the future and attracted the same energy from people I interact with. Here’s my advice on how to build your self-esteem:
Stop comparing yourself to other people
I know, I know—this one is easier said than done. But the way I truly overcame this hurdle? I realized that I can’t compare my journey to others’ because we each live with our own stories, circumstances, and opportunities. You might think that life is a race in which you may be falling behind. When you see accomplished people, you may tend to compare yourself to them. But the truth is, you’re only seeing what they want you to see (which most definitely isn’t the full picture).
Strive for authenticity
Given what I said above, don’t try and act like someone else. As much as people may claim that imitation is flattery, never change who you are just because you want more people to like you. Being authentic means owning up to your sense of self and not minding those who criticize you for it. Start with how you present yourself online. Aside from posting glamour shots, you can share some natural and goofy pics!
Have a pump-up playlist
My pump-up playlist consists of songs that I play whenever I want to project POWER. These are songs that I whip out when I’m not feeling great, need a boost before a big presentation, or simply want to jam out with friends. Some songs on the said playlist include “Truth Hurts” by Lizzo, “Peach Jam” by 88rising, “Just a Boy” by Olivia O’Brien, and more. While my pump up songs are mostly pop, feel free to fill your playlist with rap, rock, or honestly whatever floats your boat. As much as I feel the ‘hugot’ every now and then, try to steer clear from sad songs that may kill your confident vibes.
Dress to impress (yourself)
My mom always tells me that you can protect your most confident self when you’re in a killer outfit. Channel your personality (within dress code, of course) and stick to clothes that resonate with YOU. Not your parents, not your friends, but you. Because at the end of the day, who’s the one who will be in the outfit and living in it? Give positive vibes by dressing to impress yourself; the one whose opinion matters the most.
While I just gave a bunch of tips that I’ve used to live a more confident life, know that it’s normal to not always feel that way. While I’ve had days wherein I was on top of the world and generally maintain a positive mindset, I do have down moments and a playlist entitled “everything will be okay” (which I whip out during late night sad hours). What’s important is that we all try to be our best and just try to be confident whenever we can.
Need advice on how you can present your best self in school? We gotchu! Check out articles like this on the Generation Zen blog section at Edukasyon.ph today!
Like this post
Related Stuff
Take care of your mental health
Explore new paths
What do you want to be when you grow up?
Let us help you achieve your dream job by matching you with the right schools.