Confidence is everything, they say. It’s something you are, feel and can be perceived to be. It’s something you should work on. Why? Because our level of confidence has a big impact on how we enjoy life and reach our full potential as human beings. Nothing is more powerful than confidence and being confident changes everything.
Confidence is all about believing in yourself and feeling comfortable in your true self. Building confidence must be something that you want to do for yourself, not for anyone else in your life. Many people will just settle with their current life and will not experience how incredibly rewarding it is to live a life filled with confidence, passion, purpose and enthusiasm because they lack the confidence and knowledge to do so.
Some people are luckier than other and are born with the natural ability to be confident. However, this doesn’t mean that it is something you cannot work on, develop and build into who you are or who you are becoming. Your confidence is not controlled by anyone else. That means that you have absolute power to be the person you want to be despite past experiences.
Think of confidence as an unused muscle that needs to be developed. And like any muscle, it never stays the same for any period of time. It will either get stronger or weaker depending on how you use it. Building your confidence is like exercising a muscle. It relies on daily small and simple steps.
It’s important to remember that it’s never too late to start working on it. And here are a few easy and quick tips to start developing the confidence journey and celebrating who you are.
Positive thinking
Positive thinking might be one of the most important but underestimated activity. It starts with simple and small steps. Instead of constantly thinking about something you don’t have or could be doing better, you should focus on all the wonderful things you have achieved in your life and start being optimistic about what is yet to come. For example, before an important presentation at work, instead of stressing about how you will deliver it, focus on all the ways it could go right. Replace your negative thoughts by optimistic and positive ones. By changing your focus, internally and externally, you’re changing your state. And by changing your state, you’ll change your life.
Meditation
The popularity of meditation is increasing as more people discover its benefits. In fact, a study from UCLA found that long-term meditators had better-preserved brains than non-meditators as they aged. Meditation is used to increase awareness of yourself and your surroundings. Many people think of it as a way to reduce stress, develop concentration but therefore beat burnout. However, meditation can sometimes be challenging. Many people think meditation is about sitting in a dark room trying to make your mind go empty. But meditation does not have to be physically uncomfortable. And you don’t need to force your mind to go blank. Try simple mindful breathing exercises, which is also a form of meditation. If sitting is uncomfortable, try mindful walking and pair your steps with your breath.
Take time for yourself
Taking time for yourself is important and sometime underestimated. Some people never make it a priority when they should and need to do so. Sometimes it’s as easy as booking a gym class, getting a facial or a haircut. There are many places to consider, especially in a big city like New York, but here are my top to go places in case you haven’t found yours. I hope you will enjoy them as much as I do.
The first one is Hair Philosophy, a very spacious and well-decorated hair salon located in the upscale and trendy neighborhood of Nolita. This salon is beautifully designed to provide a relaxing experience for all customers. The owner is very passionate about the quality of the service, the design as well as the products used. The hairdressers there provide exceptional services. I got a haircut and color by a very talented hairdresser who used only natural upscale products such as Milbon and GOOD MAKER, the world’s first hair products with aesthetic medicine. All stylists have worked on numerous editorial campaigns, fashion shows, photo shoots and events. Fun fact: they offer tea and snacks to all customers.
My other favorite salon is Tomoko Shima Downtown Salon located in Chelsea on West 14th street. The design is very contemporary with white brick walls and white styling chairs with a touch of Japanese design. The salon uses Japan’s top brands in professional hair care products as well as eco-friendly organic products. My haircut and color looked wonderful. It was simple, sophisticated and my hair felt healthier than ever. Keep your energy high and your stress low with a relaxing massage treatment from this salon. With great beauty services and convenient walk-in appointments, you’re in for an amazing trip to the salon.