As the weather turns dark and cold, and life tosses us stressors, we’re likely not feeling confident about the brightness of life. Don’t despair. There’s hope, thanks to self-care. In fact, indulging in self-care and putting yourself first is the hottest new trend. Here are some tips to get you feeling more confident.
Offer Your Hair Some Love
Hair care doesn’t have to mean expensive keratin treatments. You don’t need to be a pro or have a multiple-step routine to have a healthy head of hair. Sometimes, a few simple ingredients can be the nourishment your hair needs.
Two top ingredients for happier, healthier hair is castor oil and argan oil. These natural ingredients stimulate hair growth and are generally safe for everyone to use (although a patch test is still a good idea).
Doing these treatments two to three times a week will help to rejuvenate your hair, giving it a more glowing and healthy appearance. Simply apply it before using shampoo and let it sit for a few minutes. All you need to do is apply it at the roots of your hair, leave it on for a short while and voila. Both argan oil and castor oil are rich in fatty acids and nutrients. They will nourish your scalp and give you that sought-after shine. Indulging in hair care will help you to have that effortless glow even when you’re rocking the no-makeup look.
Invest In Your Smile
Nothing will make you more confident than having the perfect smile. Smiling more is proven to increase happiness by releasing endorphins. With a great set of pearly whites, you won’t be able to help but smile more. We all know the importance of dental care, but sometimes you want to take it that step further. Using a Dental Implant Specialist, you can improve your smile in a way that looks both beautiful and natural. These types of implants not only substitute missing teeth but improve the overall appearance of your face by giving your jawbone more support. Other simple ways to enhance your smile are to use home whitening kits or consult with your dentist about a series of whitening treatments. Investing in your teeth will undoubtedly let the world see more of that smile, as your confidence will shine through.
Journal Your Way to A Brighter Day
This one is a trickier habit to get into but will change your life once you manage it. A helpful form of self-care is to write down at least one thing per day you love about yourself. Whether this is a physical attribute or an aspect of your personality, just one thing that you are content with. Writing this down each morning will help you to appreciate what’s unique about you and to feel more positive about who you are. As you progress with this, you may be able to describe things about yourself in a positive way that you previously wouldn’t have. Journaling for self-care is a long process, but one that will be extremely rewarding.
Indulge in Yoga
Exercise is a crucial step in the road towards higher levels of confidence. It will help to increase your energy levels and get endorphins pumping. It’s a great way to improve your physical and mental well-being. For some, the idea of exercise incites a feeling of dread. Hardcore gym workouts and long-distance running aren’t for all. Experimenting with yoga and Pilates is a relaxing but effective workout routine with proven links to increasing mental wellness.
Another great thing is – you can do it from the comfort of your own home. There are so many online tutorials to help you do yoga at your own pace and start at a suitable level for you. Yoga is a great de-stressor, reducing the production of cortisol – the dreaded stress hormone. Doing yoga on a regular basis will help you to feel calmer and at more at ease with yourself, offering a form of exercise that’s truly enjoyable. Another way that yoga increases confidence is by improving your concentration. An essential aspect of the practice is being present and focusing on breathing. This focus on mindfulness can help within all realms of your life, increasing productivity all round.
Set Clear Goals
Setting goals for yourself will help you to focus on what you can achieve. You know what you are truly capable of, so turning these into tangible goals will consistently remind you of your potential. Having a growth mindset will help you to imagine these goals with clarity. Once you have envisioned it, you are one step closer to achieving it. Believing in yourself will boost your confidence and help you to be continually moving forward and becoming your best self. A great way to set these goals might be to look at things you have achieved previously and think about how you did this. Then you might ask yourself, how can I build on this? If I did that, what other great things am I capable of?
Re-Assess Your Body Language
Just like smiling makes you happier, looking confident helps you to be more confident. Focusing on your physical stance will actually trick your brain into thinking it feels more empowered. Some attributes to focus on may include standing taller and more straight, holding your shoulders back, and making direct eye contact with people. This sense of boldness will make you appear more confident both to others and yourself.
It’s the journey that counts.
Practicing self-care and being more confident isn’t something that happens overnight. One of the most important forms of self-care is being realistic and kind to yourself. Having bad days is normal, and help us to put everything into perspective and appreciate the positive. This applies to our self-perception; we may sometimes focus on what we dislike but then can learn to balance this with our positive attributes. Nobody’s perfect, and learning to accept ourselves is a balancing act of focusing on what we admire in ourselves and continually working to improve those aspects we wish to change.
