“We gain strength, and courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face… we must do that which we think we cannot.” ~Eleanor Roosevelt

Learning how to build self confidence is about learning to trust yourself. It’s about learning to trust that voice inside you.

Confidence means being comfortable with being yourself. You don’t have to try and be someone else. You are on this planet to be who you are. It’s so obvious that most people miss it.

They go hunting for answers outside of them, when they have always been right here, right now. All you have to do is look inside.

In this article I could give you 10 tips on how to build self confidence, but I’m just going to give you one, and I’m going to give you specific steps on how to use it in your life.

You could read this article and move on, looking for more information, or you could stop right here and use what you’re about to learn.

If you use this information, your life will change, so proceed at your own risk. But first, let’s start with the problem.

The Problem is You

When you were born, you had no concepts of who you were. You didn’t have labels for anything. You just were who you were.

The concept of confidence is learned later in life. And low self confidence comes about when you stop trusting yourself, when you stop listening to your inner GPS, or your inner voice.

You have a guiding mechanism within you. You know what I’m talking about, because deep down you have a feeling of who you truly are, and as you read this, you can begin to feel it a bit more, can’t you?

You can’t manufacture confidence. You have to first be willing to let go of the ideas of what other people want you to be. You have break free of outside expectations.

Related: End your shyness now

Quite a hefty task, isn’t it? That’s why most people look for an easier alternative. They might try visualization, or exercises in self-help books. And it doesn’t work, because it skips the core issue.

The Solution is to End the Search

End the search for more techniques, tips, and advice. And start looking inside. Start embracing the inner confidence that’s always there.

It has always been there, and it will always be there. It’s like the sun. The sun doesn’t go away on a cloudy day, it’s always shining.

The same is true for you.

All you have do is strip away the layers and stop searching. Stop thinking that you have to fix yourself. There is no fix, because you are already confident.

You simply have thoughts that act as clouds. They block your natural sunlight, and your natural confidence.

So, how do you use this information?

You Learn to Let Go of What’s Not Yours

And you do that through meditation.

Meditation has been proven to improve your health, focus, mood, confidence, and literally change your brain.

Meditation doesn’t mean you have to sit in a lotus position for hours upon hours. It doesn’t mean you have to quiet your mind. It doesn’t have to mean struggle, although it is often uncomfortable, because you are letting go of your baggage.

Meditation for me simply means observing my thoughts, and noticing what’s going on in my body. A few examples of how you could meditate are:

- Become aware of your breathing
- Notice how your body feels
- Breathe into your heart
- Observe your thoughts (and your reactions)

At its core, you just have to be mindful of what is going on. Bring attention to what you are experiencing.

All You Have to Do is Observe

You don’t have to try and quiet your mind or do anything special. Just watch and listen, but don’t get involved.

This will gradually start uncovering your natural confidence. It may not seem like it, but study after study has shown that when people meditate for a prolonged period of time, magical things happen.

With time, your old patterns will lose their grip. Your ways of not feeling confident will start falling away. The clouds will part, and the sun will peek through.

Start by meditating for just 60 seconds per day to build the habit. Just a few minutes per day done consistently will show results in your health, and more importantly, in your confidence.

It starts with the realization that it’s okay to not feel confident when you’re first starting out. You’ve become good at trying to be someone you’re not. It may take time to unravel that.

The Biggest Mistake You Can Make

If you have low confidence, you will have thoughts that tell you that you’re not good enough, so you might as well stop meditating.

Whatever you do, do not stop.

Make a decision right now to stick with it for at least 30 days. Or better yet, for 90 days. It takes time for meditation to change your brain, and change your life.

Takeaway

The bottom line is that you are already confident. You’ve learned ways to not feel confident. You’ve learned to suppress who you are.

I warned you that this was going to be an unconventional take on confidence. Now the ball is in your court.

Will you move on and look for something else, or will you decide that you’ve had enough? Will you use this information?

Put it to the test and start meditating right now. Start with 10 seconds of observing your breath. Nothing more is needed. All you have to do is start, so start now.

That’s just one solid tip to help you build self confidence. Tell us how it worked for you in the comments below!

Image by orangeacid.

“A goal properly set is halfway reached” ~Zig Ziglar

I must admit that I’m a bit cliché. I sit down every New Year’s Eve to do some annual goal setting, hoping to make positive change in my life. But, after several years of doing this, I started to notice that my resolutions were always the same.

Eat healthier. Save Money. Exercise and Meditate Daily.  My list goes on and on…

I always had such great intentions, but I just wasn’t getting the results I had hoped for.

So, what gives?

Related: Smart Goal Setting - Goals on Track

When I reevaluated my goals, I found that I wasn’t really setting myself up to succeed. I was not only trying to change entirely too much at once, but my goals were not very specific or measurable. I decided to change my goal setting strategy by narrowing my focus to one goal and creating a solid action plan.

Since doing this, I have had remarkable success at achieving my goals, one goal at a time. So, if you find yourself in a similar situation, with a long list of last year’s goals still seemingly unaccomplished, then try these simple and effective goal setting strategies.

1) Narrow Your Focus

Start by making a list of what you want to achieve in your life. Then, spend some time reviewing your goals to determine which specific goal would benefit your life most, right now.

Even if you find several areas of your life that you wish to change, it is really important that you focus only on one goal at a time. This will ensure that you are able to put in the attention, effort, and motivation necessary to achieve your goal.

2) Make Your Goal Performance Based

Outcome based goals are often dependent on external factors which are out of our control. These goals can actually demotivate us by leaving us feeling like failures when external circumstances do not change.

Performance based goals, on the other hand, are based solely on your potential, motivation, and efforts; they are completely in your control.

3) Create a Goal Statement with Positive Language and Measurable Terms

Write down what you hope to accomplish using only positive language. Avoid words like Don’t, Won’t, Can’t, No, Never, Stop, etc. These words will only reinforce limiting beliefs and behavior. Focus on what you are going to do, rather than what you aren’t going to do.

Make your goal statement as specific as possible with clear and measurable terms. For example, if you want to lose weight, make sure your statement includes the precise amount you wish to lose by your specific deadline.

4) Create a Timeline

Your final deadline should be included in your goal statement. You’ll then want to break your goal down into precise increments. Create sub-goals with separate deadlines, so that you can easily track your progress by marking your milestones along your way to the finish line.

5) Create an Action Plan

Determine exactly how you are going to achieve your goal. Write down the necessary steps you must take in order to achieve it. Use your timeline to help you create time-centered to-do lists that will help you stay on task.

6) Visualize Your Success

Spend 2-3 minutes each day visualizing your success. Visualize what your life will be like once you have achieved your goal. Make your visualization as specific and realistic as possible.

Consider creating a vision board with positive statements and images that bring your goal to life. If you are an auditory person, try describing your visualizations using descriptive language and affirmation statements.

7) Journal Your Progress and Reward Yourself

Make sure to write down all the steps you take towards achieving your goals. Reward yourself for each milestone you reach. This will help keep you motivated along the way.

8) Be Forgiving and Leave Room for Error

Remember that you are human, not a machine. It is quite possible that you will make a mistake and that is okay. Leave room for error in your action plan.

Don’t push yourself too hard, nor beat yourself up if you aren’t getting the results you want as quickly as you’d like.

9) Be Patient, But Persistent When Goal Setting

Successful people have remarkable amounts of perseverance. They have the ability to push through their obstacles, no matter how challenging that might be. They do not stop until they have what they desire.

Be patient and forgiving with your deadlines, but never lose sight of your goal.

10) Hold Yourself Accountable

Follow your action plan and hold yourself accountable. One of the best ways to do this is to find external support.

Ask a friend or family member to do periodic check-ins with you to keep you on track. Consider joining a support group where others are working towards similar goals. Hire a life coach to help you create a personal goal setting strategy and ensure that you stick to your action plan.

–

I hope that you find these goal setting strategies effective at manifesting your desires and achieving the success you deserve. Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day, but it most certainly was built. Within you, you hold the power to accomplish all of your dreams, one goal at a time.

What goal setting tricks do you use to achieve results? We’d love to hear in the comments!

If you enjoyed this article, please share this story on Facebook and 
RT on twitter. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe to receive email updates. Thank you for your support!

Image by visualpanic.

“Visualization is daydreaming with a purpose.” ~Bo Bennett

I used visualization techniques frequently when I first became interested in the art of hoopdance. I would spend a significant amount of time watching performances of advanced hoopdancers. I would then visualize myself performing the same dance sequences. I did this just as often as I practiced.

Eventually, I would just be playing around with my hoop and my body would spontaneously do the exact same sequences when I was in a “flow” state, without having to consciously think about it. My visualizations became a reality.

Visualization techniques are frequently used by dancers, leaders, artists, entrepreneurs and athletes alike to improve their performance. The subconscious mind cannot tell the difference between fantasy and reality. Such techniques will help train our minds to believe what we want to be true is already true, thus helping us manifest our dreams into reality.

If you’re a first time visualizer, try these visualization strategies to help you achieve success.

1. Use all 5 Senses in Your Visualization

Despite its name, visualization should include more than just your eyesight. Imagine with all of your senses that what you dream is a reality. See the image in your minds eye, hear the sounds, taste it, smell it, and feel it in your body.

2. Get Dramatic and Act Out Your Visualization

Be playful and use your imagination. Role-play is a great technique for kinesthetic learners. Acting out your visualization will help you feel in your body that your dreams are already a reality.

If it helps, have a partner act with you. For example, if you are trying to manifest a raise, have a partner pretend to be your boss. The two of you can act out the discussion and he can tell you that will be getting a raise for all of your hard work.

3. Use Props

Props are a great way to trick the unconscious mind into believing something is reality.

Actor Jim Carrey grew up in a poor family and would often dream of being an actor. He took his visualizations seriously and would imagine directors coming up to him and offering him acting jobs.

Jim is famous for using props in his visualizations. He once wrote himself a check for 10 million dollars, dated it a few years in advance, and wrote, “for acting services rendered” in the memo line. Just a few months before the check date, he received 10 million dollars for his role in Dumb & Dumber.

Be creative when using props. But, make them seem as realistic as possible. For example, if you are trying to manifest getting out of debt, write a letter to yourself from your finance company stating that your debt has been eliminated and put it in your mailbox for you to receive.

4. Meditate Immediately Prior to Visualization

Meditation will put you in a relaxed open state, which allows your visualization to penetrate you on a deeper level. Relaxing the mind will help silence your mind and clear out any negative thoughts, beliefs, fears, and doubts that will hold you back from achieving your goals.

5. Visualize Several Times a Day

The more you visualize, the better. Use moments of down time to practice short 2-3 minute visualizations.

6. Write Your Visualizations Down

Write your visualizations down using descriptive language. The memory system responds well to the written word and this will reinforce the ideas in your mind, particularly if you have an auditory learning style.

7. Create a Vision Board

A vision board will make your visualization tangible. Use photographs, magazine cutouts, and other items to create a vision board of your goal. Look at it frequently to remind you of that which you hope to accomplish.

8. Be Within Your Own Limits

If you think something is beyond your limits, then it will be. If you are used to living on a low income, don’t immediately try to visualize earning one million dollars, because most likely it will appear to you as beyond your limits and you will feel too much doubt.

For best results, start out visualizing that which is believable to you. Once you start seeing results, then you may find that you are able to stretch your limits even further after seeing the true creative power you hold in your life.

9. Be Proactive

Jim Carrey once stated on the Oprah Show, “Visualization works if you work hard. That’s the thing. You can’t just visualize and then go make a sandwich”.

–

Visualization is not magic. You still have to put in effort when trying to achieve a goal. I would not have been able to perform hoop tricks by merely visualizing them. I still had to practice and allow my body to become accustomed to the movement and develop muscle memory.

I hope that you find these visualization strategies effective at manifesting what you want in your life. Each of us possesses a unique and creative source of infinite potential within us. Unlock yours by retraining your brain and releasing your limiting beliefs, fears, and doubts that hold you back.

How do you use visualizations to achieve your goals? Share your tips + thoughts with us below.

If you enjoyed this article, please share this story on Facebook and 
RT on twitter. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe to receive email updates. Thank you for your support!

Image by visualpanic.