10 Surefire Confidence Boosters

Everyone has fat days, bad hair days, and gloomy days. Would you rather suffer through them, or make the most of them? Here’s what I do when I feel like I got hit by a steamroller; they work every time.

1. Make a list of things you like about yourself and review it several times. If you feel like a train wreck, forcing yourself to find something you like about your personality or appearance is a step toward a better mood. Find at least a few things; even if it’s your wrists, your ability to create an amazing soup from whatever’s left in the fridge, or the way your nose so gracefully holds your face together. Keep this list in your pocket and whenever you need a boost, pull it out.
2. Shower. Feeling clean takes the edge off any stormy mood. Really scrub your scalp, exfoliate your skin, enjoy the warm water. Singing in the shower, even if you can’t carry a tune on a stretcher, will perk you up because you take in more oxygen when you breathe in for a long note, and you may end up laughing at yourself, and laughter is the best cheer-up of all.
3. Shave. Whether you wear a dress or tuxedo, feeling and looking well-groomed is a shortcut to looking and feeling a million times better. Ladies, shave your legs and underarms, tweeze those eyebrows and do something about any upper-lip hair that may have escaped your notice. Gentlemen, take care of your facial hair, whether that means a smooth shave or a well-trimmed beard. Clean up your eyebrows if you need to, I promise it’s not girly to tweeze them. For either gender, feeling smooth on the surface equals feeling smooth on the inside.
4. Brush those teeth. A good shower and shave is never complete without that clean, minty taste in the mouth. I’m a fanatic about brushing my teeth. Keep a travel toothbrush and toothpaste with you at all times and reach for it whenever you need to wake up or feel better. When the minty taste is gone, brush again. You’ll feel cleaner and sharper in seconds, and you can kiss cavities goodbye.
5. Wear comfy, flattering clothes. I learned the power of this yesterday when I went to school in a hooded sweatshirt and pair of old jeans that didn’t do my thighs any favors. When I got home, I changed into a pair of nice trouser jeans and sleek red shirt and I looked and felt like I’d lost twenty pounds. Learn what makes you look and feel good and use them as the backbone of your wardrobe. Vain and shallow? Nope. Everyone feels more confident when they know they look good, and confidence breeds happiness and productivity. So don’t waste time chasing trends or pursuing the latest designer release, just stick to a few basics that suit you.
6. Exercise, whether you feel like it or not. I know how miserable it is to roll out of bed in the wee hours of the morning and push through a morning workout while fighting off yawns, but I promise a decent workout will make you feel lighter, more alert and happier. All you need is ten or fifteen minutes of moderate aerobic activity to get a decent burst of endorphins. Also, a long walk is a great way to take a break from it all; it gives you time to think and enjoy some peace and quiet (or semi-quiet, if you live in the city). Either way, get off the couch and move a little bit, you’ll thank yourself.
7. Eat small, healthy meals every few hours. Eating every few hours keeps you energy up and fights off hunger, while helping you feel lighter because you’re never scarfing down a huge meals. Be sure to include lots of fruits and vegetables and lay off the processed food. If you’re tired, try foods with high water content, like soups and moist fruits. You’ll stay hydrated and keep your body running smoothly.
8. Stand up straight. Posture is the trick to looking two inches taller and ten pounds lighter in two seconds. Don’t try to look like a toy soldier, but keep back fairly straight, slightly push the shoulders back and the stomach in, and try to keep your head directly about your spine instead of slouching forward. Your head should feel almost weightless. This will take strain off your back and create a long, super-slimming streamlined look.
9. Be grateful. When I have a cruddy day, I get out my journal and write down at least five good things about that day, even if they’re as little as “My toast came out perfect this morning instead of burnt” or “the sky looked really pretty when I walked out to my car.” Sometimes, we only pay attention to the bad things and we forget to acknowledge the good things. This exercise puts things into perspective and will pull you out of the dumps faster than you can say “thank you.”
10. Smile anyway. If all else fails, paint on a smile and pretend you’re having the best day of your life. The act of smiling actually changes the way we think just because it’s associated with feeling happy. Also, people tend to treat a happy person differently than a grump, so fool yourself and everyone else with a dazzling smile and suddenly, that jammed printer and funny noise under the hood of your car won’t seem quite as bad.