Work with What You’ve Got
You are totally full of potential! You just need to tap in to the right parts of yourself and work with what you’ve got. Not a morning person but thrive in the afternoon? Use that to your advantage and schedule your most important meetings and tasks for noon onward whenever possible. Hate running but love going for hikes? Stop forcing yourself to get on the treadmill and find hiking trails for exercise. Whatever your situation may be, it just comes down to being realistic and self-aware. You’re perfectly fine the way you are. Really—you are! The trick is to focus on your strengths, not your weaknesses.
Do More of What You’re Not Great At
You can’t be good at everything immediately, and nothing builds confidence like learning a skill and working to improve it! It’s also a great way to practice a little self-discipline, which will come in handy whenever you are faced with a more difficult task in the future. Whether it’s dancing, getting into home renovation, or public speaking, be kind to yourself and allow yourself to be less-than-amazing at something new. Exercise the beginner’s mind! To get the ball rolling, consider making a list of some things you aren’t totally great at. Pick one thing from that list to pursue today.
Be Your Own Best Friend
The person you spend the most time with is you. Every day—every minute—you are with yourself. And you also have the most say over how you feel about yourself. So why not be your own best friend? Take yourself out to dinner; go for a solo walk around town; have fun with yourself like you would a close friend. And speak kindly to yourself every day, just like you would to a friend. You wouldn’t belittle a friend for their haircut, would you? Be nice to yourself! Practicing positive self-talk and spending quality time with just you are great ways to better your relationship with yourself and cultivate a greater appreciation for who you are.
Set Boundaries
Setting boundaries for yourself is absolutely crucial to your well-being. They are the very foundation of self-respect and protect you from emotional and physical burnout. Some examples of healthy boundaries include saying no to invitations when you need to recharge, not allowing others to go through your personal property, and answering emails and phone calls on a schedule that works for you. How do you know what your own boundaries are? Begin by noticing when something bothers you about someone’s behavior. What did they do, and why do you think it affected you? Determine whether this behavior is a quirk that you can overlook or something that will continue to impact your relationship with that person in a negative way. It’s not always comfortable to say no, but when you say no to others based on your needs, you’re saying yes to yourself.
Focus On the Why
When you’re working toward realizing your full potential and becoming more empowered, do your best to remember why you began this journey in the first place. Think of how being more confident will positively impact your life and the lives of those around you. Observe all the ways insecurity and self-doubt may be holding you back. These will both contribute to your why. Whenever you start slipping into negative self-talk or bad habits, remind yourself why you started this journey. It will become that much easier to keep going!
Work Your Body
Show love for your body—and give yourself a little reminder of the wonderful things it can do—by working out. It’s so easy to get caught up in negative body image, especially when you’re inundated with images of “perfect” bodies everywhere you turn. But every body is amazing in its own unique ways. Rediscover what is amazing about yours! Consider what exercises you enjoy and make you feel good. Try to include at least one of these exercises in your weekly schedule, not with the sole aim of changing how you look, but to promote health and feel powerful.
Hold Space for All of Your Emotions
Allow yourself to feel all that you do. Don’t “should” on yourself, as the saying goes—I should feel this way; I shouldn’t be upset about that. Instead, honor what you feel, including the tough emotions like jealousy, anger, and sadness. The reason this will help you feel more empowered is because you are quite literally giving yourself permission to not only feel what you truly do, but to regulate your emotions so they don’t build up inside and eventually boil over (often when you least want them to). What do you think you “shouldn’t” be feeling? What might you say to that self-doubting voice to affirm it’s okay to feel this way?
Rewrite Your Narrative
Perhaps you’ve been feeling down and out because of something that happened in your past—something that sparked self-doubt and left you decidedly disempowered. That experience is shaping your future as you carry those heavy memories and emotions with you from one day to the next. Well, it doesn’t have to! You can rewrite your narrative. This is your story, after all, and no one can tell it better than, well, you! What story are you currently telling yourself? How might it be keeping you from truly accepting and loving who you are? Now rewrite it! Tell it the way it’s meant to be told: empowering, liberating, and true to you.
Get Creative
Creative expression, no matter its form, leads you down a path of self-discovery. It shows you what thoughts and emotions you’re working with, and helps you sort through and communicate them effectively. Also, it’s fun! Pick up some watercolors, some charcoal, or even just a pencil and give it a try. If you don’t have time right now, include a creative activity in your schedule for tomorrow or sometime later this week. Express yourself through a little creativity and feel your self-esteem rise.
Cut the Excess
Making room for the things you love and that make you feel good about yourself and your life sometimes means cutting the things you don’t love so much. Perhaps it’s a side gig that’s draining your energy, a friendship that only takes and never gives, or material things that only take up space in your home. Identifying the excess in your life and letting it go will boost your mood and make room for all the things that serve you more.
Think of Future You
As you move through each day, think of your future self and behave in ways they will thank you for. Self-sabotaging behavior has no place here. (For example, staying up until dawn when you know you have a ton of stuff to do the following day.) Instead, try to do things that help you work toward your goals, promote your health, and secure your mental wellness.
Try brainstorming your current habits and ask whether each one serves you. If the answer is no, consider what you could replace that behavior with to better care for future (and present!) you.
