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Speak positively -

One of the side effects of confidence is positivity. One way that this can be achieved is simply faking positivity. Try your hardest to be positive in your speech.

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Groom yourself -

There’s a good reason people shave, get haircuts, and stay clean other than not making people revolt with the smell of BO. It’s to make ourselves feel better about ourselves.

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Dress nicely -

Sure, there is a lot to be said about looks and appearance not being the be-all and end-all, but dressing nicely, whatever that means for you, is a practical and straightforward way to feel better about yourself immediately. 

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Be kind and generous -

Feeling good about yourself and confidence go hand-in-hand. Being kind and generous makes people feel better about themselves, and why wouldn’t it? They’ve done something good in the world!

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Volunteer -

Volunteering is a great way to help other people while building your confidence. Sure, it may not be the most noble reason to volunteer, but there's nothing wrong with helping yourself while helping others.

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Speak slowly -

Speaking slowly means that you are more deliberate in your speech. A person who speaks quickly and haphazardly relays to listeners that what they’re saying may not be of worth.

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Stand up straight with your shoulders back -

Our dopamine system, which rewards us by releasing dopamine when we achieve, affects our posture hugely. Someone who is insecure will stand hunched over. You can fake this. Stand up straight with your shoulders back, and see the results.

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Try to get even slightly better at something -

Competent people feel confident. Competence is usually achieved over a long period, not in a quick burst. Whether you are looking to be a better writer or sculptor, start small and work on it a bit every day. When you’re improving incrementally at something, you will feel more confident.

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Write down every task you complete -

As said before, confidence mainly comes from a sense that we have achieved our goal. You can improve your confidence by completing even the most minor tasks. For instance, actor Matthew McConaughey writes down every small job he does in a day (even using the bathroom) because it makes him feel like he’s achieved more.

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Smile (because you want to) -

Louis Armstrong had a point when he sang, “when you're smilin'... the whole world smiles with you.” This works by chain reaction. If you are mean to someone, they will probably behave similarly to you. When you walk around smiling, and people smile back, it can help you realize your worth.

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Exercise -

Exercise is one surefire way of feeling more confident. There’s a reason why all those beefy gym buffs move around like they own the place.

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A tidy desk (or room) is a tidy mind -

Tidy your desk or your room. Feeling overwhelmed and anxious will stop you from feeling confident. One quick and practical way of helping you feel more relaxed and like you’ve got it together is having a tidy room.

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Make your bed when you wake up -

One thing you must do in the military every morning when you wake up is make your bed. It’s not that the military generals are concerned with people having a nice, tidy bed. It’s what it represents. You’ve begun your day with a small achievement, which helps you feel more confident.

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Compliment yourself -

Paying yourself a compliment when you look in the mirror every day will help you feel more confident because, eventually, you will begin to believe the compliments.

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Get nice photos taken -

Getting some great photos of yourself  taken can give you a nice boost in confidence regarding your appearance because you’ll realize how attractive you are.

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Make eye contact when you speak to people -

Making eye contact with people when speaking to them, even if it’s forced, will trick your brain into thinking that you’re more comfortable in social interactions than you may otherwise feel.

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Try speaking to a stranger -

Without creeping anyone out, try to force yourself to speak to somebody randomly. This will inevitably go better than you think. Good social interactions make us feel more confident.

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Don't put others down -

Putting other people down doesn’t help you in any way. In a disguised form, all it does is remind us and others of something about ourselves that we’re unhappy about.

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Don't expose yourself to or create a toxic environment to be in -

Speaking badly about other people also exposes you to more situations where people are talking badly about each other, which may make you think that they do the same about you when you’re not around.

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Arm yourself by becoming articulate -

Reading helps you to realize how imaginative you are and also improves your vocabulary. Any friction with others that you come up against will be fought out with words. Reading improves your speech so that you can stand up for yourself.

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Martial arts are great for confidence -

In the same way, martial arts have been known to help people feel more confident. When you improve your physical ability to protect yourself, you'll also feel more mentally ready to take on adversity.

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Nutrition -

Eating the right foods has been known to battle anxiety. The next time you feel anxious, try eating some high-protein food. A lot of people will feel less anxious in 30 minutes after eating.

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Keep your head held high -

Keeping your chin up physically will psychologically trigger you to feel more confident because everything you see is “below you,” including the challenges.

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Try some breathing exercises -

Practicing breathing exercises is a great way of battling anxiety, which keeps you from feeling confident. Try breathing deeply into your stomach for five minutes.

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Visualization for confidence -

Allow yourself to dream and ask, “what if?” Some of the most confident people in the world do this all the time. Take professional fighters, for instance. They spend entire training camps visualizing the win. If you spend time imagining all the things that can go right, you will feel more confident that they will.

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Music for confidence -

Music has a huge impact on how we feel, including making us feel more driven and confident. Music is subjective, so you will have to find what works for you.

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Accept that failure is part of life -

From the offset, accept that you are going to fail at much of what you do a bunch of times before you get it right. This happens to everyone, even the most successful people in the world. In knowing that failure is inevitable, you can feel more confident in meeting things head-on, knowing that when you do fail that it's par for the course.

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Sleep is vital -

A lack of sleep is linked with negative emotions like sadness and anxiety. As well as this, if you don’t get enough sleep your brain won’t function efficiently. If you’re looking to feel confident in your life, getting enough good-quality sleep is absolutely essential.

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You've gotten this far -

Don’t forget how far you've come. Recalling all of the obstacles and adversity that you've already overcome will give you a sense of confidence as you stride into the future. 

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Never compare yourself to other people -

Stop comparing yourself to other people. It’s not a fair judgment. You have your own set of skills and circumstances. It’s best to compare yourself to your past self instead. Even the most high-achieving individuals in the world can be made to look unimpressive if we take things out of context.

Sources: (Zen Habits) (Verywell Mind)

See also: Top tips on confidence from some of the world's most influential women

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