When we imagine someone who is confident it’s easy to think of Superman or Wonder Woman standing proudly with feet firmly planted, fists on hips, spine straight and head held high, possibly with a flag waving, to their personal anthem.
The physiology of this stance is pretty amazing. Adopting it for just 2 minutes dramatically increases the level of confidence we display. We feel stronger, and it shows.
There’s more to confidence than Superhero Publicity Poses, though. If you think about it, real confidence just feels… normal.
We all have talents and abilities in which we have high confidence. For example, I am pretty darned good at tying my shoe laces. When I get in my car, I’m confident that my driving and navigation skills will get me safely and efficiently to my destination - with my shoe laces still firmly double knotted.
This has not always been the case.
There was a time I could not tie my shoes, navigate or drive a car. I didn’t know what these things even were.
The learning processes for each skill were complicated, repetitive and often frustrating. Now they’re just things I do, usually with little thought as to how I do them.
And that is what true confidence really is - being able to do something outside our comfort zone as if it were completely ordinary - without colorful tights and boots. Although a personal anthem would be kinda cool.
What does feeling more confident mean to you?
Is it having the courage to do something that scares you? Or is it to feel strong, clear-minded, purposeful or creative? To be comfortable enough in your own skin to present yourself to the world as the best of who you are, becoming the person that only you can be?
You can do this. There are many ways hypnosis can help you increase your confidence:
1. Rewrite your self-talk.
Replace your inner critic with your inner coach and even your inner cheerleader. Your coach knows your abilities and how to positively guide you to success. Your inner cheerleader can drown out the critic’s voice. The critic will learn he has no audience and go find another game.
2. Focus on what you want.
See, hear and feel yourself being confident in action. Make it rich, full and empowering.
If you can’t imagine what confidence feels like, think of someone you know who does. Step into their image and you can feel their confidence. Then, bringing that feeling with you, step into yourself again and feel it in your body and mind.
3. Take care of your essential needs.
Healthy eating, exercise and restful sleep will go a long way toward you feeling better. Taking a shower and dressing up can make a world of difference. Make time for yourself, the people and things you love. You are worth it.
4. Lather, Rinse, Repeat.
You may have heard the expression “neurons that fire together wire together.” With hypnosis, you can reinforce confident behavior again and again literally at the speed of thought. Each time you “practice” your mind registers the positive outcome and rewires your neurology for success in the real world.
Confidence, like any other skill, can be learned. Even better, it can be faked. Even if you’re totally pretending to be more confident, you will in fact become more confident. And hypnosis is a great way to help you become a confident person.
In her Ted talk, Your body language shapes who you are, Amy Cuddy leaves us with her experience: “Don’t fake it till you make it. Fake it until you become it.”
Are you using any hacks to boost your confidence? Does it come naturally to you? OR are you struggling with confidence and diminishing your own self worth? Why?