Self Hypnosis for Improving Self Confidence

[Image and article are from here.]

Self confidence is the difference between feeling unstoppable and feeling scared out of your wits. Your perception of yourself has an enormous impact on how others perceive you. Perception is reality - the more self confidence you have, the more likely it is you'll succeed.

Although many of the factors affecting self confidence are beyond your control, there are a number of things you can consciously do to build self confidence. By using these 10 strategies you can get the mental edge you need to reach your potential.

1. Dress Sharp

Although clothes don't make the man, they certainly affect the way he feels about himself. No one is more conscious of your physical appearance than you are. When you don't look good, it changes the way you carry yourself and interact with other people. Use this to your advantage by taking care of your personal appearance. In most cases, significant improvements can be made by bathing and shaving frequently, wearing clean clothes, and being cognizant of the latest styles.

This doesn't mean you need to spend a lot on clothes. One great rule to follow is "spend twice as much, buy half as much". Rather than buying a bunch of cheap clothes, buy half as many select, high quality items. In long run this decreases spending because expensive clothes wear out less easily and stay in style longer than cheap clothes. Buying less also helps reduce the clutter in your closet.

2. Walk Faster

One of the easiest ways to tell how a person feels about herself is to examine her walk. Is it slow? tired? painful? Or is it energetic and purposeful? People with confidence walk quickly. They have places to go, people to see, and important work to do. Even if you aren't in a hurry, you can increase your self confidence by putting some pep in your step. Walking 25% faster will make to you look and feel more important.

3. Good Posture

Similarly, the way a person carries herself tells a story. People with slumped shoulders and lethargic movements display a lack of self confidence. They aren't enthusiastic about what they're doing and they don't consider themselves important. By practicing good posture, you'll automatically feel more confident. Stand up straight, keep your head up, and make eye contact. You'll make a positive impression on others and instantly feel more alert and empowered.

4. Personal Commercial

One of the best ways to build confidence is listening to a motivational speech. Unfortunately, opportunities to listen to a great speaker are few and far between. You can fill this need by creating a personal commercial. Write a 30-60 second speech that highlights your strengths and goals. Then recite it in front of the mirror aloud (or inside your head if you prefer) whenever you need a confidence boost.

5. Gratitude6. Compliment other people

When we think negatively about ourselves, we often project that feeling on to others in the form of insults and gossip. To break this cycle of negativity, get in the habit of praising other people. Refuse to engage in backstabbing gossip and make an effort to compliment those around you. In the process, you'll become well liked and build self confidence. By looking for the best in others, you indirectly bring out the best in yourself.

7. Sit in the front row

In schools, offices, and public assemblies around the world, people constantly strive to sit at the back of the room. Most people prefer the back because they're afraid of being noticed. This reflects a lack of self confidence. By deciding to sit in the front row, you can get over this irrational fear and build your self confidence. You'll also be more visible to the important people talking from the front of the room.

8. Speak up

During group discussions many people never speak up because they're afraid that people will judge them for saying something stupid. This fear isn't really justified. Generally, people are much more accepting than we imagine. In fact most people are dealing with the exact same fears. By making an effort to speak up at least once in every group discussion, you'll become a better public speaker, more confident in your own thoughts, and recognized as a leader by your peers.

9. Work out

Along the same lines as personal appearance, physical fitness has a huge effect on self confidence. If you're out of shape, you'll feel insecure, unattractive, and less energetic. By working out, you improve your physcial appearance, energize yourself, and accomplish something positive. Having the discipline to work out not only makes you feel better, it creates positive momentum that you can build on the rest of the day.

10. Focus on contribution

Too often we get caught up in our own desires. We focus too much on ourselves and not enough on the needs of other people. If you stop thinking about yourself and concentrate on the contribution you're making to the rest of the world, you won't worry as much about you own flaws. This will increase self confidence and allow you to contribute with maximum efficiency. The more you contribute to the world the more you'll be rewarded with personal success and recognition.

Stand up and visualize an imaginary circle in front of you. Imagine that you can fill this circle with anything you want. Imagine a large oval shapped ball of energy, such as a white light filling the entire circle upto a foot higher than your head.

Next imagine this circleis filling with confidence. To do this...

1. Imagine a time you felt very confident and visualize or imagine as if you can feel that confidence right now and fill the circle's ball of energy with this confidence.
2. Imagine some activity you fell comfortable doing and fill the circle with that feeling of comfort.
3. Imagine another time you felt peaceful and sure of yourself. Very relaxed, confident and peaceful. Fill the circle with that feeling.
4. Finally, step into the circle with all the feelings and energy you have put into it and breathe it in. Fill your entire body with this energy and imagine all the confidence, peace and comfort become a part of you.
5. Now step out of the circle bringing these feelings with you as a part of you.

You can use this technique anytime to boost your confidence.

A simple 3 step programming technique

This technique can be used to program your subconscious for just about anything.

You can use it to build confidence, create a new habit (and remove an old one), prepare yourself to deal with an upcoming performance (such as acting, a job interview or even to prepare for a presentation).

You can use it just as a visualization technique or you can go into a deep meditative state (i.e. relaxed but focused trance for self-hypnosis) and then do the visualization for whatever new behaviors you wish to create and it will boost this techniques effectiveness by several fold.

The technique is really simple;

Imagine a screen on which you can watch yourself in the situation that you want to visualize for reprogramming.

1. First visualize in great deal the situation as it is.
If you are insecure in some situation imagine it in great detail from beginning to end. Imagine how it starts, how the situation plays out, how you act and how the whole thing ends. Do this in vivid detail.

2. Next imagine yourself (or someone else) go through the exact same situation from beginning to end without insecurity, acting confidently and appropriately for the situation. If you can't imagine yourself do this the way you want then imagine someone you know could easily handle the situation the way you wish to handle it.

3. Finally, step into the scene. If you imagined someone else or a more confident version of yourself dealing with the situation perfectly - then step into this person.

Go through the whole situation from beginning to end with the behaviour and feelings that you want to have in this situation.

Do this technique 3 times, 3 times a day for a week to lock in your new habit, new behavior or more confidence etc. Whatever it is you want to learn or become can be made easier with this technique.