Eight techniques to become confident in yourself

We are all human and we all have shortcomings. But in adolescence, these shortcomings are seen under a huge magnifying glass. A teenager tends to downplay (or not see) his strengths, but exaggerate his shortcomings. Hence the global lack of self-confidence. How can a teenager become self-confident? There are several simple but effective techniques.

Tip #1: Find your talent!

Make a list of all the talents you have, even the smallest ones. Maybe. Are you good at negotiating? Maybe you can reconcile the most notorious fighters? Or maybe you are the best at solving physics problems? Psychologists believe that focusing on your strengths helps distract a teenager from those character traits that he considers shortcomings.

Talents are not necessarily specific skills, but rather an approach or attitude that you have maintained throughout your life, an activity that you particularly enjoy. Do you always remain calm, focused, and collected, even in critical situations? Or are you able to see the unexpected side of things? These are talents, too, and they set you apart from other people.

Tip #2: Identify your favorite activities

Jogging, making charts and spreadsheets, modeling airplanes, martial arts – any of these activities can be your favorite. And when you do what you like most, you are sure to be the best at it. This will allow you to develop self-confidence and feel happy. You will no longer have time to worry about your shortcomings – you are busy with work.

Tip #3: Choose a Role Model

It could be someone close to you, like your own father, or someone famous. Think about the qualities that you would like to emulate, be it physical, emotional, moral or spiritual. Make sure you have those qualities too. And work to take the best from your idol and then surpass them. It is a poor soldier who does not dream of becoming a general…

Tip #4: Focus on Others

Try not to focus on what others think of you. Instead, focus more on what they think of themselves and try to help them become happier and more confident.

Tip #5: Accept compliments with confidence

When you get compliments, don't roll your eyes and say, "Oh, no, I'm not like that at all!" Just smile and say thank you. A smile always puts people at ease and will make you feel more confident.

Tip #4: Maintain eye contact when speaking

Insecure people have darting eyes. Confident people look straight into the eyes, this gives the interlocutor a sense of trust and strength emanating from you. Speak clearly, do not mumble - speech is also a very important sign of a confident person. As you communicate, your fear will pass (and fear irritates others). Know that people will always evaluate you, and usually they can be wrong, so why waste time and try to constantly impress them?

Tip #5: Take Care of Yourself

Eat healthy and exercise. Avoid nights out, smoking and drinking, overloading your body and ignoring what it needs. All the moisturizers, creams and conditioners in the world will not get you closer to who you want to be. They are just makeup, an image that can constantly change. Confidence comes from within. Take the time to reflect on your life and draw emotional conclusions. In order to be confident, you must value yourself and understand that your well-being is very important.

Tip #6: Stand up for yourself

If people sometimes try to put you down (and not in a funny way), let them understand right away that their opinion of you cannot shake your opinion of yourself. This will be difficult. But once you stand up for yourself a few times, your self-confidence will grow and you will become more skilled at it.

Tip #7: Appreciate Your Individuality

If you know for sure that you have something special, don’t hide it! People really appreciate originality. You may passionately want to become taller or shorter, slimmer, stronger. But you must understand that by becoming like everyone else, you may stop being who you are. The answer to this question is very simple: “You are a unique person who is able to grow and learn.”

Tip #8: Improve Your Posture

Good posture, shoulders back and a straight spine can really make you feel more confident. Don't slouch or let your shoulders sag. Make sure your back is straight, your shoulders are up and your chest is slightly out (but still loose, otherwise you'll appear aggressive and anxious). Good posture is also achieved by deep breathing, which can help you feel more relaxed and free.

Use these tips to do something. If good words remain on paper, they will be just good words. Gaining self-confidence is a big job for a teenager. But you can definitely do it if you set such a goal.