Five Ways to Be More Confident Today

She had on her best suit, responsible high heels, meticulous hair and makeup, and a beautiful string of classy pearls.  She sat nervously in the hallway waiting to be called.  Her fingers tapped her leather portfolio as she ran through her interview answers in her head.  She was determined to be accepted into pharmacy school.  The door opened, and it was her turn.  She stood up tall and reached her hand out with a firm and confident handshake, a smile that was friendly yet serious.  She sat down and one by one, the questions came.  Out of habit, her fingers glided over the smooth and bumpy pearls that sat nicely around her neck.  And then, in a split second, the string broke!  Pearls scattered across the small room like fish in a pond startled by a heavy rock thrown in.  And in that split second she thought, ‘what now?’
 
Confidence is maintaining control even in what could be a terrible situation.  And sometimes that means faking it.  Confidence is putting your best foot forward, knowing that you can’t control every variable. 
 
Meghan and the recruiter got down on the floor and together picked up every little pearl, filling a dixie cup to the brim.  And they laughed about it.  Meghan stayed calm and left the recruiter with a lighthearted joke, not knowing if she’d ever hear from her again.  But she did.  And now you can call her a PharmD. 
 
There are FIVE simple ways you can increase your confidence today.
 
Talk to yourself-We all have an inner dialogue.  Use it to build yourself up.  I do this before a speaking engagement.  ‘You know this stuff.  You are prepared.  You aren’t nervous.’
 
Face your fear- Don’t hide from it.  March right up to that person and have the difficult conversation. 
 
Stand tall- Research shows that when you stand straight and tall, you actually feel more confident.  That’s easy!
 
Dress for success- Have you ever noticed that professional coaches wear business suits to games?  And doctors wear a white coat?  That’s not by accident.  And we’ve all heard the term “power tie”.  Ladies, that new skirt and pair of shoes makes you feel like a million bucks!  Use it to your advantage.    
 
Exercise- Getting your heart pumping can increase your memory and thinking, improve your self-esteem, give you more energy, and increase your resilience to stress (www.helpguide.org). 
 
Be confident in everything you do.  Be confident in knowing that whatever it is that represents you (a resume, a blog, marketing material) makes you look your very best.