Self-belief is a topic that I often had been subjugated to and had my personal battles with growing up. But, these experiences, also made me realize the prime reason why belief in yourself is important- it inspires you to take the steps needed in order to live an abundant life. Who will believe in you if you don’t believe in yourself?  And, if nobody does, you’re not going to receive as much help as you might need along the way to achieve your dreams. 

This is a recent event when one of my patients who had come to me for a smile enhancement surgery. Sadly, she had gaps between her teeth and the shape of her teeth was not in sync with her facial structure. She was aware of this fact herself, which certainly impeded her confidence and made her conscious, thereby affecting her day-to-day normal activities, including talking, meeting people, and simply expressing herself through smiling. But it was high time now. She decided she wanted to be more confident in facing the world and here she was at the clinic, taking her first step towards a positive change.

Self-belief and confidence do go hand in hand. Over time my list has been defined but here are a few tips I personally refer to:

A 10- Step Process to imbibe Self-Belief: 

  • Focus on what you can control:

No person can control each and every aspect of life. Recognizing this early on will help you to channel your energy and mind onto things that you have control over. 

What you can’t control are the mistakes you’ve already made. You also can’t control the circumstances of how your life began. Also very importantly, you can’t control how others think or behave. Hence, you need to make peace with your past because either you can cry over spilt milk or learn from your past and focus on your future. Learning to focus on what you can control will enable you to be more adaptable and would allow you to have more belief in yourself.

  • Practice what you love :

A constant need to please other people might dampen your belief in yourself since you are living for other people at the expense of your happiness and passion. Forego the compulsive need to please others and concentrate on things that make you happy. Look for causes and projects that appeal to you and that you actually believe in. The passion that you feel for these causes and projects will motivate you to work harder and witness for yourself how much you can achieve.

  • Take measured action towards the target  :

Setting realistic goals boosts your self-efficiency and helps you to believe in yourself and your ability to accomplish things. Make sure that you develop goals that are in line with your skills and that are attainable. For example, if you have decided that you want to work towards a long-term goal of becoming a resin artist because of your creative skills, start by setting a small attainable goal of applying to resin making course. Once you accomplish that goal, you can move on to another small, attainable goal that helps you get closer to your long-term goal. 

Step out of your comfort zone and embrace challenges when your goals demand you to do so. After you set a goal, work hard until you achieve it. Don’t abandon a goal because it becomes too difficult. If the overall goal seems difficult to achieve, segregate it into smaller objectives to be achieved one by one. But, keep persevering.

  • Persistence and Consistency:

Once in a while, we want to surrender since disappointment is plausible, however, it’s totally normal to battle with something on the first occasion when you do it. Rather than faulting yourself for accomplishing something incorrectly, allow yourself to try without agonizing over the results. The absolute best trendsetters have discovered that spontaneous creation requires a “fun-loving” mentality rather than one that is focused on a solitary objective. 

  • Reflect at the end of each day.

Self-reflection is a significant part of personal development. It helps you understand where you are progressing admirably and where are you lagging. Take a couple of seconds toward the end of the day to ponder your encounters. On the off chance that you have a day where you don’t achieve your targets, attempt to learn what you can from the circumstances to try not to rehash any errors you may have made. 

For instance, on the off chance that you can’t get yourself up toward the beginning of the day to go on a hike as arranged, you may learn that you experience issues waking up early in the morning. Try setting multiple alarms, and maybe even place one of them a few feet away from your bed, so you have to get up and turn it off. Or on the other hand, you could attempt to figure out an alternative time to hike, rather than constraining yourself to do it toward the beginning of the day.

  • Positive Affirmations:

Work on being optimistic. Learn to think positively about yourself and your conduct. Battle the desire to be negative by distinguishing two of your strengths consistently. Ensure that you challenge any ineffective idea that enters your head. If you discover yourself thinking negative musings like “I’m a washout,” “nobody likes me,” and “I can’t do anything right,” stop yourself and challenge the idea. Counter it with useful contemplations such as recognizing two positive things about yourself. The more that you practice this positive reasoning, the simpler it will become. For instance, in the event that you discover yourself having a negative idea like, “I’m awful at exercises,” reevaluate the idea in a more useful way by saying something like, “I discover exercising to be challenging, yet I am trying sincerely and improving.” 

  • Find ways to keep moving forward. 

Now and then you may feel trapped in an endless cycle, with no idea as to how to continue onward. In these cases, take a deep breath and attempt to place the current moment in context. Individuals, again and again, center around the negative, which can lead us to disregard good things. At times, all that is required is a difference in landscape, or maybe an interruption in your ordinary daily practice. On the off chance that sensations of fear or misery keep going for an all-inclusive period, you should think about conversing with a specialist or emotional wellness advocate. Figure out how to disrupt your standard everyday practice or conduct. For instance, in the event that you feel that you are encircled by adverse individuals, you could join a games club or other neighborhood gathering to meet some new individuals. 

  • Tap into your inner strength

Your difficulties can bring you expanded strength, expanded comprehension of life, and all the more new abilities.  Everybody can feel that they do not have what it takes to achieve their dreams. Regardless of that, you ought to never surrender. Impediments & Obstacles frequently appear to be challenged, and on the other side, you find opportunities. How you react to them decides whether you will be successful. 

  •  Calm your psyche 

Overthinking frequently triggers self-doubt and insecurity. Concurred that you can’t prevent these negative contemplations from springing up in your mind, however, you can decide to try not to zero in on them so much. Acknowledge the negative contemplations that surface to you. Encourage and foster the genuine feelings of serenity that assist you with riding the rushes of cynicism you may feel inside now and again. Mindfulness will assist you with expanding your concentration and feel more harmonious.

  • Help others 

In helping other people, we can frequently improve our perspective on what we’re prepared to do and rest easy thinking about ourselves all the while. Helping other people through volunteerism or ordinary thoughtful gestures gives a feeling of satisfaction. Through my foundation, I am often engaged in philanthropic work almost daily and I must say it is usually one of the best parts of my day. By helping other people, you will end up feeling more certain than at any time in recent memory. 

One of the most surefire ways to have more belief in yourself is to embrace new opportunities and challenges. Your confidence is the end result of your self-belief. Chasing your dreams and living your life the way you envision it to be will make you feel confident in the person you are. The time to believe is today, tomorrow, and the rest of your life. Never let the doubters, the haters, and the naysayers get you down.

Always have the belief that it’s possible for you to achieve what you set your mind to and start making the life you want to happen. What are you waiting for?

Author(s)

  • Dr Karishma Vijan

    Dental Surgeon, Author, Philanthropist

    Dr Karishma Vijan is a Mumbai-based practising dentist focusing on cosmetic and restorative dentistry. She has written articles for several national and international scientific journals. After losing a close family acquaintance to cancer, and witnessed the prolonged suffering that came with the disease, Dr Vijan was devastated. She did not want to wait till she was 'old enough' to make a difference to the world through her professional  skills or her intention of philanthropy. She decided to turn her loss into purpose, and thus was born The Unicorn Xpress Foundation & Trust (Tux). The nonprofit's motto is ‘Empowerment through Healthcare’ and it works with underprivileged women across several cities in India. Dr Vijan has received the WEF 2019 prestigious ‘Iconic Women Creating a Better World for All’ award, and has been invited as speaker at Plenary Sessions at the annual international gathering gala edition for the Women Economic Forum, 2019. She has also been named one of the 'Most Inspiring Women in Healthcare across India' as a part of the Bumble Bizz campaign for women. Dr Vijan was also featured in the list of ‘100 Most Impactful Global Healthcare Leaders' at the World Health & Wellness Congress 2019 by ET Now.