Confidence building exercises are easy and effective, yet many people aren’t using them as often as they should. Is getting promoted at work one of your goals? Yes? Then you need to feel confident in your ability to take on the role! If you don’t believe you deserve it, your boss probably won’t either.
It’s normal for our confidence levels to dip and fluctuate. Fortunately, there are confidence building exercises you can do at work today that will enhance your self-assurance and will have your coworkers asking, “Who dat girl?”
Power Pose
If you have low self-esteem, are hesitant about speaking up, or feel uncomfortable in a meeting or interview, there are actions you can take that will give you a confidence boost. Have you heard people say, “Fake it until you make it?” Well, that’s what you need to do. Fake confidence until confidence becomes your default state.
Need some help getting that ol’ confidence ball rolling? Strike a pose. A power pose!
High power posing is a form of nonverbal communication that shows others you are a confident authority figure, and it also makes you feel that way. You can read more about the science behind it here, but power posing puts you in a positive state of mind that encourages self-esteem to rock that presentation, voice your opinion, or take a stand.
Power posing helps you lean into feeling good about yourself. And when you feel good about yourself, you do good. Initially, it may feel fake, but you will genuinely feel more confident after a couple minutes of power posing. Use body language to your advantage.
Smile
To get that promotion, you need to manage stress well. If you lose it under pressure, your employer may not feel confident in your ability to take on more responsibility. It’s easy to feel stressed and overwhelmed in a demanding work environment if you let challenging situations get the best of you.
There are some great techniques that will help reduce stress as pressure builds.
- Take deep breaths. When you become anxious, your breathing becomes shallow and your chest feels tight. Taking five deep breaths will help your body and mind relax.
- Put on a happy face. Seriously. Research shows that people who smile in stressful situations have lower heart rates during a stressful task than those who don’t smile. Not only will a smile give the impression that you’re in control and collected, you will feel that way too.
Listen to Powerful Music
Music is a powerful thing. The right song can boost your inner confidence, making you feel strong, persuasive, forceful, effective and empowered.
We all have our go-to songs. Are you having a rough day? Cue “Hold On” by Wilson Phillips. Presenting in front of the leadership team at work? Hit play on “Lose Yourself” by Eminem. Need some help believing in yourself? Turn up “Daisy” by Katy Perry. We know you’re picking up what we’re putting down.
Music does wonders for your confidence, and science backs that up. Studies show that all music can help make you feel powerful, but music with more bass will give you even more power.
Don’t worry—we’re not telling you to pump the bass at your desk before your next speaking engagement. If you feel you need to level up your self confidence, you can put your earbuds in or crank up the volume in the car on your way to work.
Practice Positivity
Your mindset is everything. Positivity is one of the most effective confidence building exercises you can do. We get it. Staying positive can be challenging sometimes, especially when you feel like everything is going wrong. But this is when you need confidence the most!
The next time negative thoughts creep in–when you start hearing that inner voice say “I can’t do this” or “I’m not good enough”–STOP! Negative self talk never did anyone any good, so flip the script and say “I can do this” and “I am enough.” Doing this on a regular basis will make positivity habitual, and you will see positive effects in your interactions and how you are perceived.
Get Physical
Building self confidence isn’t just a mental practice. It’s physical too! Physical activity can release endorphins and improve your mood and confidence overall, which will help you tackle projects and communications with positivity and a strong sense of self esteem and self confidence.
Find what confidence building exercises work best for you and roll with it. Incorporate these into your daily routine, and those around you will soon see the difference in your confidence level. Venture forth and get that promotion you deserve.
