In 2008, direct selling expert Karen Phelps shared this article about achieving self-confidence. Nearly two years later, it is a great reminder to all of us on the importance of developing our own self-confidence levels. If you want to live life to the fullest, and be the person you are destined to be, there is no time like the present to work on your self confidence. I hope my tips and suggestions help you to do just that.

Have you ever met someone and thought to yourself, “Wow, what incredible self-confidence this person has?” How’s your self-confidence? Do you often find yourself second-guessing your decisions? Some people just seem to have a very self-confident personality, while others struggle with low self-esteem. Chances are you have accomplished a lot more than you have given yourself credit for. You probably have had to muster up some “courage” every now and then and
didn’t think much about it. It’s not hard to gain self-confidence. Developing self-esteem is something you will need to work at every day! Here are five simple techniques to improve your level of self-esteem.

1. Take inventory. Go back as far as you can and make a list of everything you have accomplished in your life. As you are listing your past achievements you’ll notice your mood will lift and you’ll begin to have a feeling of pride. Keep the list visible and add to it as often as you can!

Tip: Create a scrapbook or a photo board to show your accomplishments: your Scentsational Start award, your high school or college diploma, transcripts from your last semester at school, “before and after” pictures when you lost those last 10 pounds. When you are feeling down on yourself, look at it and remember how far you have come.

2. Give yourself a “check-up from the neck-up.” If you have low self-esteem, chances are your mental attitude isn’t great either. Keep track of your thoughts about yourself each day. If you find yourself thinking negatively about something, stop and immediately change it to a positive. For instance, when you find yourself wondering how you’ll get the project done on time; stop and immediately change your thoughts to, “I’m fully capable of turning this project in on time!” Stress is a great inhibitor and often the more worried we are, the less we accomplish.

Tip: Keep a clear jar in reach. Every time you have a negative thought about yourself, put a penny (or a bean) in the jar. If you are like me, I bet you will be shocked to see how many pennies you collect in a day or a week. Then, take it a step further and say something positive about yourself and remove a penny from the jar!

3. Don’t let others dump garbage in your head. Is there someone at your office who never has anything good to say about anyone or anything? Try to limit the amount of time you spend with certain individuals. For me it’s hard to be around negative, pessimistic people that only feel good when they are bringing others down. We acquire our mannerisms and attitudes by observing those around us. Surround yourself with optimistic, confident individuals and watch the change in you!

Tip: Seek out positive people and messages. True, you don’t have control over the people you may work with (or even the negative ones in your family or social circle), but you can make sure you seek out positive reinforcement! Read uplifting books, subscribe to motivating online newsletters and seek out friendships with people who laugh and enjoy life. Which brings us to the next point.

4. Be a kid again. Children laugh an average of 400 times a day. As an adult, we laugh approximately 15 times a day. It’s sad to think that as we grow older we lose 385 laughs a day. Lighten up! Look for humor in every situation and you’ll be surprised how great you’ll feel.

Tip: Tell silly jokes. Spend time playing games with your children, grandchildren or the neighborhood kids. Watch your favorite comedy. Take a bike ride, or go to the playground and swing on the swings. (For more thoughts on being childlike, see my September 2009 Spotlight newsletter article on recapturing a childlike spirit.

Follow these simple steps and within a few months not only will you notice the change in yourself, so will the others around you. They’ll be whispering about you and envying the remarkable “self-esteem” you display!