As you journey through life, you make conscious and subconscious decisions, and sometimes you can be your worst enemy, and as a result, you end up hindering your success. Some of the factors that impede progress are easy to identify while you might find others hard to determine. You must dig deep within yourself to identify the complicated spots within yourself that need changes to boost your confidence. Lack of self-confidence might hold you back in life, and you might feel that life is filled with obstacles that make it hard for you to achieve your goals. Here are the four confidence blockers that might be pulling you back along with strategies that you can apply to build self-assurance.
1. Worrying About People’s Opinions
Some people worry about friends, colleagues, social media, and society opinions, and they might find themselves seeking approval from such parties. If these parties fail to approve your decision, you might lack confidence since you prioritize their opinion. You might spend most of your time on social media and find yourself seeking acceptance from your friends. Well, research studies have revealed that surfing through social media platforms could lead to great dissatisfaction. You might dwell on the number of likes you get on your post or the number of birthday comments that you anticipate, and when your friends fail to comment, you become demoralized.
Studies have shown that role models can help one succeed; thus, you should consider finding a role model. Don’t prioritize people’s opinions on social media platforms and never rely on friends or colleagues’ opinions. Accept that everyone has flaws, including you, and that someone will eventually talk about it. So, learn to ignore other people’s opinions and believe in your true value. Besides, reduce the time that you spend on social media. You need to take a breather once in a while.
2. Chronic Illness
Chronic illnesses come with a slew of emotional, mental, and physical challenges that might affect how someone values themselves. The physical symptoms might cause you mental breakdowns, and you might find yourself worrying about your future and the possibility of the disease progressing. A study conducted by The Straits Times, in 2019, revealed that Singapore spends $3 billion every year when handling stress-related issues resulting from patient illness. Some of the patients worry about how they will handle the medical expenses, which affects their confidence levels. You might have scoliosis, knee pain, or back pain, and you are worried about the medical bill or how your future might be if the medical condition advances. Such illnesses are known to lower self-esteem since you find yourself worrying about an uncertain future.
You need to stop worrying about the uncertain future and learn to accept your medical condition. As earlier stated, Singapore spends $3 billion annually, translating to 18% of the national budget, when handling stressed patients; it’s evident that lack of confidence affects Singapore’s national budget. It would help if you consider seeking medical help from the best physiotherapists in Singapore who will provide comprehensive and highly effective physiotherapy to restore your body’s integrative balance, reduce pain, and improve posture and movement. Your illness should not lower your self-esteem, consider seeking help, and if you lack the finances, apply for insurance coverage or ask for donations from friends and family.
3. Being Stuck in the Past
Most people who lack confidence will often find themselves ruminating on past transgressions, and they replay the adverse events in their minds; thus, they lack self-belief. You will find yourself lying on the bed and brooding about the mistakes that you made in the past. Rumination is unhelpful, and it will only make you feel bad about yourself.
Rumination resembles problem-solving; the only difference is that the former makes your life harder and demoralizes you. Learn to embrace your past mistakes and accept that you can’t change your past. Learn to undo the habit of useless self-criticism and rumination, and realize that it could out of hand and affect your confidence. Everyone makes mistakes; therefore, learn to accept life’s uncertainties and focus on strategies that will help you move forward. Focus on the future and drop the habit of rumination that keeps you a prisoner of your past transgressions.
4. Poor Nutrition
The food that you take can affect your behavior and moods. You are what you eat, and a nutritious meal can boost your spirits, reduce anxiety, and restore your confidence levels. A meal loaded with caffeine and sugar can result in mood swings and energy spikes, which will affect confidence.
Always remain hydrated throughout the day and have meals that boost your confidence. Have meals rich in omega-three fatty acids, whole grains, foods rich in vitamin B, and foods rich in vitamin D such as fortified cereals and eggs.
Low self-confidence will leave you struggling, and you won’t achieve your life ambitions. Consider embracing new strategies that will boost your confidence and work on ways to eliminate the factors that kill your morale.