Sometimes you may feel pressured into accepting yourself the way you are. However, not everyone feels confident and secure the way they are. And when they are unable to accept themselves as they are reminded to, it not only creates confusion but a sense of failure.
So in this article, we’ll discuss what it means to be comfortable in your own skin and ways that you increase the confidence you have in yourself.
What does it mean to be comfortable in your own skin?
Being comfortable in your skin means you understand that others’ perceptions of you do not define you, nor do your insecurities. You know who you are — the good and the bad — and what others feel or say about you has little to no impact on you. You are secure in the person you are, and the person you are becoming.
So how do you feel more confident in your own skin? Here are a few holistic approaches that can help.
How to feel more confident in your own skin?
1) Get to know yourself
The first step to building confidence is by becoming self-aware. You need to know yourself. Determine your strengths and weaknesses, what makes you happy, and what ticks you off. More importantly, try to find out the “why.” Once you do that, you become the master of your emotions, rather than the other way round.
The next step is developing self-worth. Your confidence should be derived from your inner sense of worth rather than external validation. This is because external validation rarely sustains, and where there are positive words, there is bound to be negativity as well. If your confidence is derived from your self-worth, it will not crumble at the words of others.
Wondering how you can improve your self-esteem and self-worth? Read this guide to get started.
2) Make sure you like yourself
It is hard to become confident in a skin you don’t like, so make sure you like it.
Learn to accept yourself, all the good and bad parts, while simultaneously trying to become better.
And it’s fine if you want to change parts of yourself if you don’t like them. It will only help you become a secure individual who likes themselves.
For example, if your skin looks dull, invest in a good skincare routine. You can find out the best ingredients for your skin. If you have sagging skin, get dermal fillers to proportion the face better.
The point is, it is crucial for you to like yourself if you want to become confident.
3) Change for the better
A frequent suggestion we see is to not change when it comes to feeling more confident in your skin. However, this advice could not be more wrong. Change is good — nothing in life stays the same, and you shouldn’t either. There is no progress without changing; if you want to move ahead in life, change is necessary.
So after you have analysed your strengths and weaknesses, it’s time to work on your weaknesses and enhance your strengths, which is how you will change for the better. A good habit to develop is regular reflection.
Sit and think back about the person you were and the person you are becoming. Do you like the change? Is your current self better than your past self?
When you notice growth in yourself — even if it’s slow — you will not only begin to love yourself but also become more confident in who you are.
4) Prioritise yourself
Prioritising yourself entails fulfilling your emotional and physical needs. Eating on time, eating healthy, and exercising regularly are some ways you can fulfil your physical needs.
Taking care of your emotional needs means taking breaks to recharge; not overburdening yourself with commitments (work or otherwise); saying no when you need to and surrounding yourself with the company that uplifts you and is good for your emotional and mental health.
You can read more about emotional needs here.
5) Learn from others
The easiest way to learn something new is to surround yourself with people who have already mastered it. Learning to feel self-confident is no different, which is why it’s a good idea to surround yourself with confident people. Observe how they carry themselves, how they speak about themselves and others, and what their habits are.
And then, fake it till you make it. Emulate their actions, and try to be more like confident people. This in no way means you become someone you are not. It just means forcing yourself to act confidently may eventually lead to you feeling naturally confident.
6) Don’t compare yourself to others
While learning from others is good, comparing yourself to them is not. Social media has given us easy access to other people’s lives. It is only natural to give in and think of how everyone seems to be doing so good, whereas you aren’t.
However, it is important to know that social media is a display where people only put on their best. No one is posting stories of their worst moments or how they felt insecure today. It’s a fabricated version of the lives people are living, so remember to not compare yourself to that.
Even outside of social media, it is never healthy to compare your progress with someone else’s. Each person has their own path to travel, and everyone’s pace and destinations will differ. The only comparison you should be doing is with your past self.
Now you can feel more confident in your skin
Remember, loving and accepting yourself is an ongoing journey. Despite having made progress, there may still be setbacks and days when you do not feel so confident.
On those days, tell yourself it is okay, and that you are trying your best. You came this far all by yourself, and you will make it even farther. You are trying, and that is all that matters.
