How to give yourself an espresso shot of confidence as soon as you wake up
Exceptionally confident people weren't born that way--they got there by making it a habit and flexing their confidence muscles daily.
The ultra-confident know that just like when you skip your breakfast, you won't get very far without your daily dose of confidence in the morning. Thankfully, there are some ways to give yourself an espresso shot of self-belief as soon as you wake up.
Start incorporating these rituals, and your whole day will eventually snowball into true, long-lasting belief in your fantastic abilities:
1. Zap away all of your ANTs before walking out the door
Don't get out the bug spray -Dr. Daniel Amen, author of Change Your Brain Change Your Life, found that ANTs (automatic negative thoughts) are one of the most harmful things for your brain and your self-esteem.
Negative thoughts happen to everyone, but the worst thing you can do is let them rattle around in your brain and drag your day down. That's why you need to take a few minutes to question these thoughts in the morning. When you realize most of these thoughts are completely irrational, you'll be amazed at how quickly they disappear.
2. Practice positive pep-talk
After you've zapped away all those negative thoughts, replace them with a self-pep talk. This might sound a little hokey, but according to Stanford studies, "timely affirmations have been shown to improve education, health, and relationship outcomes, with benefits that sometimes persist for months and years."
Even if it looks at little crazy, pay attention to those great traits you have and become your own best cheerleader, because nobody can advocate for you the way you do.
3. Spend your commute learning something new
Learning new skills outside work is the perfect shortcut to self-confidence. Studies say learning skills like a foreign language or math boosts your mental satisfaction the same way a pay raise does. If you've been stuck in the same routine or field for a while, it gives you assurance that you're a smart, capable person who can learn anything.
So instead of scrolling through Instagram or catching Pokemon on the subway, consider listening to a language guide or a podcast on computer programming to see your confidence soar.
4. Wake up refreshed
Granted, this might start the night before, but studies by the US National Institute of Health have found that sleep is heavily correlated with your self-esteem and optimism. And the turning point for confident sleep is only an hour--less than 6 hours of sleep results in lowered self-esteem, while 7-8 hours creates a surge in confidence.
5. Schedule a morning date with yourself
"Constantly being 'on' doesn't give your brain a chance to rest and replenish itself. Being by yourself with no distractions gives you the chance to clear your mind, focus, and think more clearly," according to psychology expert and best-selling author Sherrie Bourg Carter.
Your life is hectic and the only way you will make yourself a top priority, is to schedule alone time first thing in the morning. Getting back to the sleep study, they found that more than 9 hours of sleep also resulted in less confidence--so this is a perfect excuse to wake up early.
Your confidence rests in your ability to put yourself first, and it all starts with having a clear mind to take on your day.
6. Dress better than usual
Studies have found that dressing well results in a surge of confidence boosting chemicals. And as a CEO I can tell you that the adage "dress for the job you want, not the one you have" is a truism.
You don't have to break the bank or become a fashionista, but looking like a true professional (even when nobody else does) before you walk out the door will give you self-esteem and take you far in life.
7. Push it to the limit
If you don't already exercise, start now--besides the obvious health benefits, it's been well-documented that exercising results in long-lasting surges in self-esteem. If you already work out, there's a way to boost your confidence even further - a study led by Jaclyn Maher at Penn State University found that pushing your workout for just a few more minutes than usual resulted in even higher self-esteem, and is perfect for righting a wrong day.
If you ever needed an excuse to get into better shape, this is it.
8. Evaporate others from your mind
"You wouldn't worry so much about what others think of you if you realized how seldom they do." said Eleanor Roosevelt.
The truth is that you're barely a blip on most peoples' radars. That might sound a little depressing at first, but once I started to realize that, I stopped worrying about what others thought of me, and starting being exceptionally confident.
Much of our self-belief (or lack thereof) comes from how we think others perceive us. Even if you can't ignore the opinions of your boss or a big client, start your day off like this, and you'll be amazed at how far it takes you.
Do you have any confidence-building tips? Share them with me!
The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.
PUBLISHED ON: AUG 12, 2016
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