3 quick confidence boosters for challenging situations

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You’re put on the spot.

Your heart is thumping in your chest and you’re pretty sure everyone can tell you’re freaking out inside. Your throat is drying up and your hands are shaking and the basal instinct to flee the situation is kicking in.

Have I just taken you back to one of the most challenging situations of your life?

We’ve all been there and experienced moments (unexpected or expected) that make us feel woefully inadequate or unprepared to handle what’s directly in front of us.

Whilst we usually manage to cope, challenging situations can really hit your confidence and have a knock-on effect to your self esteem. So, whilst I can’t guarantee you won’t find yourself in a challenging situation again, I can prepare you for the worst with these three quick confidence boosters that’ll get you through with the least damage to your ego and esteem.

Smile

“Smile though your heart is breaking. Smile even though it’s breaking…. Light up your face with gladness. Hide every trace of sadness. Although a tear may be ever so near, that’s the time you must keep on trying” – Charlie Chaplin

There’s science in a smile. In fact, it’s been proven that even if you’re faking it you send signals to your brain that make you feel happy, confident and empowered.

Not just that, these scientists believe “that smiling can be as stimulating as receiving up to 16,000 Pounds Sterling in cash”.  So take heed of the phrase ‘grin and bear it’ because it’s one of the quickest and easiest ways to give your confidence a boost and get through any challenge.

Top up your perfume or aftershave

Psychologists believe there’s power in smell and spritzing on your favourite scent, or a smell that you associate with confidence, security and safety will trigger that chemical response in your brain almost instantly.

Hum happy birthday

EFT of Emotional Freedom Technique is a psychological tool to help you overcome your fears, doubts and anxieties and is sometimes called ‘tapping’.

This is an EFT trick that will break your mental patterns and fears, and is great if you can find a quiet spot alone during your challenging situation . It involved some movements of your hands and eyes, and some happy birthday humming.

Whilst tapping gently on your collarbones with both hands, follow these steps:

  1. Look straight ahead and close and open you eyes
  2. Look down to the left, then down to the right
  3. Move your eyes (only) in a clockwise circle
  4. Move your eyes in an anti-clockwise circle

Stop tapping on your collar bone and then:

  1. Cross your arms and put your hands upon the tops of your shoulders
  2. Close your eyes
  3. Stroke your hands down the sides of your arms at the same time, from the shoulder to elbow and back again
  4. As you continue to do this, imagine walking downstairs. As you imagine this, count up from one to 20 with each step, out loud (you can do this quietly)
  5. When you reach 20, quietly hum the first few lines of happy birthday to yourself
  6. Open your eyes, let your arms drop
  7. Move your eyes slowly left to right three times

Take a deep breath and repeat the arm stroke movement if you need to. You should feel much calmer and more confident.

Have you got a story about how you faced a challenging situation that you think we can learn from? Or, is there something else that you do to get you through moments like this? If so, share them with us in the comments and help your fellow reader for future moments like this.

Jen Smith coaches entrepreneurs in social media.

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