confidence

Everyone goes through a stage in their life when they don't feel as confidence as they wish they could be. Personally I am a quiet person and really lack in confidence, so I thought I would talk today about how to try and improve your confidence and overall feel better about yourself because that is one of the most important things in life.

1. Surround yourself with people who make you happy and who act positively. I know so many people say this but it really is true, being around people who act negatively or just give off a bad attitude will end up rubbing this off onto you and if you already don't feel confident this isn't going to help. If you have a particular friend who you just feel so happy after seeing then try and make plans to see them outside of school/college/etc. as often as possible. Also spend more time doing things that make you happy and put you in a happy place, whether this is reading through some blog posts, watching youtube videos or tv shows/films, writing down your feelings or listening to your favourite throwback songs. Even if it means you have to cancel some of your plans to have some you time that isn't a problem, you always come first. 
2. Don't compare yourself to others. This is so difficult and I know this but if the first thing you do in the morning is look in the mirror and point out things you wish you could change then don't do this, look in that mirror and point out all the things that make you amazing and unique. Everyone is different for a reason. I have never known anyone who doesn't comment things on themselves badly so know that no one believes they are perfect even if other people know you are.
3. Don't be afraid to be yourself. I am a hypocrite for saying this because I always fear people judging me if I don't act the way they expect me to. However, if you're always acting different to what you actually are then no one is ever going to like you for you because they won't know what you are truly like. This is so important to remember because never forget that if some people don't like you for being you then that's their problem and there's always going to be people who maybe don't share the same interests as you but you end up getting along with so well and they don't care what you act like because they like being around you.
4. However hard this may seem it really does help build your self confidence, slowly wear less and less makeup when you are just popping round the corner to the shop or if you are going to school. Doing this will get you used to seeing your face without makeup more and you won't end up hating the way you look when you forget you have little or no makeup on and you then see yourself and wish you did. Although I have slipped back into the habit of always wearing makeup recently at the end of my year at school last year I was going in with no makeup on and I truly didn't care because I had got so used to it that I didn't mind being natural. 
5. The last tip I have for you today is to get out into the world and do something new. If you really don't know what to do that's new then try and find some summer schools or something that seem to interest you because there are so many things I wish I had signed up for when I was at school that I now regret not doing because I was too shy to do them and then I would always see people that did do them posting photos of how much fun they were having even though I knew some of them were nervous to do it in the first place. If you don't think you can do this alone then get a friend to sign up for something with you and then you will have someone there already and you can then make new friends and try new experiences together. Don't be afraid to get out there, I promise you it will turn out okay.

I hope some of these tips have helped you and I know that a lot of people are stressed out right now due to upcoming exams and other pressures that you may be facing so remember to think about yourself and don't forget that you're amazing!

bethany x