Business
Confidence in nearly every endeavor comes with a sense of knowing or familiarity. In sports, strengthening the fundamentals is key to making critical decisions in a split second. The same thing is true when it comes to gaining confidence in yourself. Confidence in yourself increases in direct portion to self-awareness. The more experience you have with self-talk, the more confidence you’ll have. Self-awareness leads to self-confidence. By becoming aware of the results you’re creating every day, you have the power to change them. Here are 10 daily habits to strengthening your self-confidence: Review. At the end of every day, carve out 10-20 minutes to review the day. Write about what worked well and what didn’t work so well. At the end of the month, review what you wrote and watch as patterns begin emerging. Challenge. Set a specific, tangible, measurable and meaningful goal. The more challenging it is, the greater the wisdom you gain. The lessons learned in pursuit of any goal effects our confidence in every other area of life. Athletics, learning new skills, academics, adventure, career, etc.—each one impacts the others. Meditate. Begin by sitting comfortably for five undisrupted minutes every day. Close your eyes and notice the thoughts running through your mind, the pace of your heart, the sounds around you, the areas of your body that feel tense and relaxed. The key: simply notice—no positive or negative judgments. Feedback. Ask people to help you understand how you come across, what works well and what simple adjustments can be made to get even better results. Learn. Read a chapter or two of an instructional book, watch a TED Talk, attend a lecture or simply observe a colleague, boss, employee, or even a child. Take note of what others do/don’t do that works, or works against them. Write about this during your daily review time. Share. Teach, mentor or coach others on the lessons you’ve learned and/or the skills you’ve gained. Doing so is a great way to deepen your understanding, while strengthening relationships and encouraging collaboration. Laugh. Watch a funny video on YouTube, look up your favorite comedian (or find one—Ellen Degeneres is one of my favs!), or call a buddy who always seems to have a joke or funny experience to share. Get Inspired. Expose yourself to people and experiences that inspire you. TED Talks, podcasts, spiritual teachers, courageous memoirs, listening to another persons’ story, and noticing kindness in action are all excellent ways get inspired. Give. Foster a meaningful introduction, acknowledge/appreciate others, smile, hug, send a notecard in the mail, contribute to someone’s fundraising goal, listen generously, or even give your favorite shirt to the person admiring it. The gift is for the giver. Exercise. Get your heart rate up for 30 minutes every day. A brisk walk, running, weight lifting, push-ups, air squats, lunges, tennis, yoga, kick boxing, swimming, biking, and even Wii Fit are all excellent ways to get your heart rate up. Here’s to your greatness, Misti Burmeister