In today’s world, it’s common to experience self-doubt and lack confidence. It’s as if our world has been conditioned to embrace self-criticism rather than self-appreciation. But what if you could shatter that mirror of self-doubt and start recognizing your successes? What if you could cultivate unshakeable confidence that rules your every action?

In the latest episode of my podcast, we embark on a path of self-discovery, charting the often-overlooked waters of self-confidence. Confidence, just like a faucet running with water, is often overlooked until it’s off. But with seven practical steps, we explore how to cultivate an unshakeable confidence that will transform your life.

One of the first steps is learning to take up space.

This may sound simple, but it’s incredibly profound. When we’re confident, we’re comfortable taking up space in the world. We’re comfortable standing tall, owning our accomplishments, and demanding respect. Taking up space is about more than physical presence; it’s about mental and emotional presence as well. It’s about knowing your worth and asserting your place in the world.

The second step is the importance of caring for your body.

The way we treat our bodies directly impacts our self-esteem and confidence. A healthy body fosters a healthy mind, and when we feel good physically, it translates into feeling good about ourselves overall. This includes nourishing your body with the right foods, exercising regularly, and getting enough rest.

The third step is mastering the art of dressing for success.  It is another key step toward cultivating confidence.

The way we present ourselves to the world has a profound impact on how we feel about ourselves. Dressing well isn’t about vanity; it’s about self-respect and self-expression. When we dress well, we tell the world and ourselves that we are of value.

The fourth step is overcoming imposter syndrome;  it is another crucial step on the journey toward unshakeable confidence.

Imposter syndrome is that nagging feeling that you’re a fraud, that you’re not as competent or talented as others perceive you to be. It’s a major confidence killer, but it can be overcome. Recognizing your accomplishments and successes is one way to combat imposter syndrome.

The fifth step is negative self-talk.

When something bad happens, we’ve learned to say negative phrases. I have two phrases in the vocabulary of most people that I want to recommend that you erase, and the first one is ‘that’s the story of my life’ and the second one is ‘this always happens to me’.

The next time you’ve lost a key, locked yourself out of the house, forgot to pay a bill, you’re late for an appointment or a flight, and you catch yourself saying this always happens to me. This is a time to pause and remind yourself that these types of things happen to everyone sometimes. If you don’t want a story in your present or future, then don’t tell yourself. That’s the story of my life. You can remind yourself that it’s an old story. You’re learning and sometimes you’d flub up and you fail. And failure is a lesson. And when this happens, you give yourself grace and compassion rather than beat yourself up. So eliminating negative self-talk, especially with these two phrases.

Negative self-talk can be detrimental to our self-esteem and confidence. By reframing our self-talk and focusing on our strengths rather than our weaknesses, we can boost our confidence and overall sense of self-worth.

The sixth step is to stop labeling yourself.

When you label yourself as awkward or shy, you subconsciously tell your brain to act accordingly and are more inclined to live up to those expectations. Be your self cheerleader. Recite positive phrases or affirmations to affirm who you are. You’re confident and strong and you can visualize yourself winning or achieving something before you’ve done it. When you do this, you’re preparing your brain for success.

And the seventh confident booster is to try things that make you uncomfortable.

Stretch your comfort zone every day so you’ll have a larger comfort zone. So when you’re outside of it, you’ll be able to be more comfortable, because you’ve had the practice of experiencing discomfort. Keep trying new things and do not assume you can’t do something if you’ve never tried it. As we get older, we do less trying of new things. We gravitate towards the things we know we’re good at.

The episode ends with an invitation to join More, a community of uplifting women. It’s a place where you can continue to cultivate your confidence and embrace your extraordinary self. The journey towards unshakeable confidence isn’t always easy, but it’s always worth it. It’s a journey that leads to a better, more extraordinary you.