Below, are five of my key learnings on boosting confidence from a confidence building workshop arranged at Xes Helsinki in February 2020:

1. Have clarity
   We can also build confidence by having more clarity on our goals. Do I want to make more money? Great! How would I like to achieve that goal? Would I like to make more money by a promotion, by working more hours or by entering new markets with my company?
   Once we have clarity on the how, we can create small action steps and set deadlines towards reaching our goals. It speeds up the process and every step we achieve also boosts confidence.
   
2. Stop relying on other people
   Surrounding ourselves with encouraging people can help boosting confidence. However, we should not rely on other people’s opinion and encouragement only, but lift ourselves up, as well. People who brim with confidence derive their sense of pleasure and satisfaction from their own actions and own accomplishments, as opposed to what other people think of their accomplishments.
   
3. Fake it
   Amy Cuddy launched controversial Power Poses; the argument being that adopting an expansive posture really makes people feel more powerful. How can we really know without trying? Adopting a few minutes of high-power body language practices into our morning routine or lunch break can help the body raise its testosterone level and increase overall confidence as well as decrease cortisol levels to help handle stress.
   
4. Do the thing that scares you
   The best way to overcome fear is to face it head-on. By doing what scares us and grabbing every opportunity to practice it, we gain confidence from the experience and make our self-confidence soar.

Life is full of challenges and there are times when it is difficult to keep our self-confidence up. I like to remind myself that confidence is not something we are born with. It is a process of developing self-esteem, good habits, changing our mindset and learning from our mistakes.

Sources:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/travisbradberry/2015/04/01/12-things-truly-confident-people-do-differently/#6a9f54a64766

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/281874

---

Evelin Bakó, Chairperson, Xes Helsinki 

Evelin leads the operations and the Board of Xes Helsinki, an international entrepreneurship society based in Pasila, Helsinki. Xes Helsinki’s core values are diversity, impact, inclusiveness and personal growth. Xes’s purpose is to inspire people about entrepreneurship, provide a platform for its members to grow and expand their professional network.