6 quick and easy self-confidence exercises for busy people

1

3 minute breathing exercise

If you’ve only got 3 minutes to spare, this exercise is perfect for you. I practiced this exercise last night while I had a couple of minutes free. I had dark chocolate buttons in the pot for my yolos, waiting for them to melt (it’s heavenly balls made of dates and peanut butter).

To practice the exercise bring out a watch or a timer on your phone and set it to 3 minutes. For the first 2 minutes  breath normally. That means not changing the way you breath naturally.  Count how many breaths you take in the two minutes. For the last minute you consciously change your breath and breath as deep as you can. Count how many breaths you take now.

This is a quick and easy way to re-center yourself again. It’ll help you become aware of your thoughts and feelings. This way you can make sure that they are uplifting and loving. 

2.

5 minute meditation

Meditation doesn’t have to be long and boring. 5 minutes can be enough at the end of a long work day when you’re stressed out and in the need of a quick break. I often put on a meditation when I walk from the metro to my home.

Type in 5 minute meditation on youtube or download a mediation app. Apptive and Headspace are apps that both provide great quality meditation that doesn’t take more than 5 minutes. 

Choose meditations that are focused on building self-confidence, self love and appreciation. Now watch yourself gain more confidence every day with little to no effort.

3.

5 minute stretch while connecting with your body

How much time do you spend daily thanking and giving love to your body for the wonderful things it does for you? My guess is, very little.

Having a strong mind and body connection can help you love yourself. It can also help you become more aware of your feelings because your body carries them all.

Think back to a time when you were walking home from a fun night out with your girls. Suddenly you’re in the middle of a scary movie. You pick up for phone  and text your friend because you swear you heard footsteps behind you. Your heart starts pumping, palms get sweaty, your tummy tightens and your breath gets shorter. 

Your body is a direct reflection of how you’re feeling. That’s why it’s important to check in with yourself and pay attention to any signs of discomfort.  Becoming aware of these signs can help you calm yourself and gain better self awareness.

So roll out your yoga mat or a soft blankie and stretch your body. Connect with it. How is it feeling? Are you feeling any tension, or a nervous feeling? This way you can get to the root of a thoughts and feelings and sooth yourself the way you need to.

4.

3 minute appreciation journaling

Raise your hand if you’ve ever scrolled mindlessly on instagram, admiring someone else hair, body or life. I’m raising mine. If I have a bad day and wanna make it worse, then comparing myself to someone else is a win.

Do you spend more time admiring other people instead of appreciating what you have in your life? If so, you’ve got the recipe for an unhappy and miserable life.

So I encourage you to spend 3 minutes every night, to appreciate everything you’ve done that day. Did you make a delicious salad fo lunch? Did you finish that red scarf for you mom? Did you go for a walk? Whatever it might be, appreciate yourself for doing these things.

You can also appreciate simple things in life. Like having a roof over your head, food on the table or your grandmas home knitted socks on your feet. How about appreciating being born?! The fact that you’re born is a miracle, because the chance of you being born is about one in 400 trillion. That’s nothing short from a mirical!  

5.

 Write down any negative thoughts that make you feel bad

Do you ever feel like there is a constant chatter in your head? It’s because there is. How many of those do you think are negative? 80%! No wander you might be having a bad day. 

It’s  important to know that it doesn’t have to be that way. That’s why you need to change your thoughts to positive ones. Spend 3 minutes a day bringing out your journal and write down your fears and negative thoughts from the day. What’s been nagging you? Question it, is your thought  realistic? If not then replace the fear with comfort. 

Do you know what happens if you replace your negative thoughts with positive ones? And make it a habit? With time your negative thoughts will dissolve and you’ll become a happier person!

6.

Be mindfulness while doing the dishes

This one is for the busy peeps, who believes that multitasking is the only way.

What if I told you that you can gain self-confidence while washing food off a plate? You heard me, you don’t have to take time out of your day to sit still. You can change your life while you go through your to-do list! 

How you ask? By being mindful! 

While you do the dishes, I want you to pay attetion to your body. How does your feet feel against the floor? The sponge against your fingers? Or how the soap smells like citrus. Mindfulness isn’t more complicated than that. 

Being mindful during your day will help you stay connected and centered. And you can get your dishes done at the same time!

7.

A friendly advice

‘What? There is a 7th? But I thought the title said 6? You’re right! But I love you so much I wanna overdeliver and give you an important advice on top of what you just learned. 

The Nr. 1 most important rule to keep in mind when you want to gain self confidence, is to stay consistent! Nothing will work if you practice it for a few days and then quit. Consistency is the only way to nail any progress in your life.

I believe that you can stay consistent with anything you wish.   

Now, I’d love to hear from you. Which part of this post resonated with you most and why?

What can you do today to turn that insight into action right now? 

Leave a comment below and let me know. 

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts with me. 

With great love, 

XOXO 

Anna