How To Feel Confident In Your Own Skin

Growing up, I thought that being at ease with yourself was something only possible for models who wore size two and weighted barely over one hundred pounds. But the older I get, the more I come to realize that being comfortable and confident in your own skin is possible for all of us—and owning that confidence can help you accomplish more in life.

Of course, there will be times when your insecurities may overwhelm you, and it is hard to feel good about yourself. And you know what? That is quite okay. Because, believe it or not, part of feeling at ease with yourself is taking ownership of your actions and your emotions. I've been working on being much more comfortable and confident in myself, and I really wanted to focus this post on helping and motivating you all to do the same. Because we all deserve it, really.

How to Feel Confident in Your Own Skin:

And remember, your body is a whole lot more than how it looks. 

I love running, so my algorithm is always showing me other runners and athletes. Those people feel good about their bodies because of all that those vessels do for them, rather than simplifying them to just how they look.

When I remembered that my body tells me of a threat, it informs me when I'm hungry or thirsty, it alerts me when I have to go to the bathroom, and so on, I realized something very important. My body does a lot more for me than just looking a certain way. That, alone, is worth celebrating. That, alone, brings confidence.

 Develop a proper skincare routine.

Again, feeling good goes way beyond looking good. That said, there's no denying that looking good may help you feel better. For instance, at 29 years old, I turned to an anti-aging skincare regimen in order to properly take care of my skin. Since I started doing that, my face has been glowing in a way that has me feeling way more confident than I did in recent months. Plus, I'm not gonna lie; doing my skincare routine just makes me feel so at ease and at peace with myself.

Practice gratitude.

As study after study has shown, there are few ailments that a little gratitude can't fix. In reality, practicing gratitude boasts numerous benefits in the realms of emotions, social aspects, personality, career, and health. Among these are increasing our self-esteem, making us more optimistic, and even improving decision-making. With all those new skills, it'd be kind of hard not to feel confident in your skin. A confident queen with high self-esteem and A1 decision-making skills? Who wouldn't want to be her!?

Read motivational books.

Find an activity that you like.

I was always so intimidated by the word "exercise" because I was a chubby girl who couldn't even run a mile. But more recently, I reconceptualized "exercise" to just movement because it is way less daunting. Finding a movement you like can be simple if you already know that you love walking. For me, these movements include dancing, hiking, and running. Plus, movement and exercise are proven to show better mental health outcomes! 

Give yourself compliments.

Whether you say "affirmations" or "mantras," you're pretty much repeating a phrase to yourself that reminds you of all the goodness you have to offer—and, if you ask me, that's a compliment. I like to focus my compliments on things that are specifically personal, which I do, not the way that I look or the work I've accomplished. For example, I will say to myself, "Natalie, you were patient today, and I am very proud of you. "

I'll also remind myself that whatever I've done, said, or believed in the past doesn't define the person I am today. As cheesy as it sounds, every moment is a choice, and it's entirely up to me what I decide.

Get dressed up every once in a while.

My cousin once told me, "Nat, you need to stop dressing like a 14-year-old boy." As rough as it was to hear, she was right. Every time I am feeling bent over a trash can, I do my best to bring the lewks to the cameras (aka my Instagram feed).

I must say, there's quite a lift in my confidence level when I'm rocking a long-sleeve blouse, along with a long satin skirt and white booties. Or bright, sunny yellow on top with distressed jean shorts and my wild, curly hair. Needless to say, I don't get that same confidence boost in my traditional jeans-and-a-T-shirt getup. (Okay, fine—my pajamas…)

Take a good picture of yourself.

Though I'm usually the friend behind the camera, taking pictures rather than being the picture-taker, I absolutely adore taking photos of myself when I'm all dolled up. It pumps me up with confidence because I will look back at those pictures and remember how much fun I was having (and how cute I was looking) in that moment.

Spend less time on social media.

I hate to admit it, but when I endlessly scroll through Instagram, it's basically a given that I'll have negative thoughts about my body. Inevitably, I'll see someone and say something like, "I wish I looked like this." If you're in this camp, take a hint from the words I say to myself: "There is nothing wrong with the way you look. Get off Instagram and you'll believe me.". 

Write down your good deeds.

 I find pleasure in helping people in whatever way I can. This may sound like an altruistic act, but let me be the first to admit that it does have a bit of a selfish reason—I do it because it makes me feel good. And at the end of the day, I can indeed look back at myself and be sure that I am doing my best to be true to who I am. Personal growth for the win! 

Take yourself out on the town.

 It does take a lot of confidence to even go out and eat alone—what will the people say!?—so it's good to take yourself on a date to get over this small fear. You'll find it's not as hard to get through as it seemed, and you get to spend some quality time with yourself. During that time, you can figure out what foods, restaurants, drinks, cities, etc., really tickle your fancy. 

Give other people compliments. 

This one goes hand in hand with writing down your good deeds. The main intention there is to make other people feel good by giving them a compliment. But when you help others feel good, you start to feel good about yourself, too. It creates the most beautiful cycle of joy and confidence that I've ever experienced.