1. Stop Beating Yourself Up
Would you say the things you think about yourself to another person? If not, you owe yourself an apology. How could you love a person who believes such nasty things about you? Even if you did mess up, get over it. Big goof that’s mostly irrelevant? Laugh at it. Serious mistake that had repercussions? Learn from it. The important thing is to drop your baggage and move on.
2. Think Positive
Focus on your strengths (instead of your weaknesses). Leap out of bed (don’t crawl out of it). Look at every day as a new opportunity (not the same old story).
3. Be Thankful
Be aware of all the things you should be thankful for. Make note of the people, places, things and activities that bring you the most joy. If you slow down, you’ll realize you have an awful lot to be thankful for.
4. Learn and Grow
Developing your knowledge and skills will help you develop a healthy swagger and confidence that you can do anything.
5. Accept Your Flaws/Quirks/Weirdness
My penmanship sucks, I can’t ride a bike, I am only good at cooking three things (spaghetti/omelets/sandwiches) and I have an irrational fear of bees (which is so bad that I once drove my car into a stop sign after one flew into an open window on a summer day). And you know what? I wouldn’t change any of that. Be confident in yourself, no matter how “weird” (interesting and unique) you may be.
6. Use Your Strengths
Think about the top three accomplishments in your life. I don’t care how big or little they are. It could be graduating college, landing a sweet job, getting your first business client, winning an award, losing weight, or whatever. Now write down the strengths you used to accomplish those three things. See any common threads that led to achievement? If so, the path to more success is right in front of you. Use the strengths that have been proven to work if you want to boost belief in yourself make your weaknesses irrelevant.
7. No More Comparisons
Forget about the celebrities you compare your body to, the relationships you contrast yours with, and the people you are so obsessed with pleasing. Life is not a competition. Your only goal is to become a better version of yourself.
8. Be Comfortable in Your Skin
Yes, build a body that makes you feel strong and confident, but forget about any preconceived notions about what you “should look like.” The only person who gets to decide what “hot” and “sexy” means is you.
9. Chill Out
Why are you always in such a hurry? It is okay (and in fact necessary) to relax. Our brains can only handle so much. Quiet your inner-chatter, shut off all distractions, prepare a bubble bath, and get in with a good book. You earned it.
10. Pat Yourself on the Back
We are quick to judge ourselves for our mistakes yet we never seem to celebrate ourselves for our successes. Success doesn’t come in the form of a life-altering Big Victory; instead, the path to success typically includes a whole lot of small victories. Be happy with every victory, no matter how small you might think it is, because this will help you feel confident and keep moving forward.
11. Take Care of Your Body
Everything you eat has an influence on your mood and energy levels. If you’re feeling depressed and exhausted, take an honest look at what you are eating. Everyone reacts differently to different foods, but with experimentation you can discover the fuel that results in the best performance.
12. Dance
Dance parties are always good ideas. Who says you need a partner? Crank up some 80’s jams or show-tunes and get moving. You might feel silly—you might even laugh at yourself—but it will be fun (and you know it).
13. Have Fun
Life is not meant to be a never-ending to-do list. What makes you feel happy and excited? Do more of that. And before you claim you “don’t have the time,” please realize that there is no such thing as “enough time in the day.” There is, however, a thing called priorities and making the time for fun is a priority if you want to be happy.
14. Pay Attention
When is the last time you really looked at the full moon and shining stars in the pitch black sky? What about the trees in your backyard that are the size of prehistoric dinosaurs? Have you picked a flower at the park lately (for the purpose of nasal delight or hair decoration)? You are surrounded by beautiful things.
15. Smile
Smile because you are worthy of love and happiness and free to have as much as your heart desires (and also you’re going to have a hard time staying sad with that cute grin plastered on your face).
