For some people, confidence seems to ooze out of them. Others seem to struggle to feel confident even when they are incredible people who can do amazing things. Confidence is something everyone wants, but few people understand. If we’re feeling confident and self-assured, we can walk into a room full of strangers and feel like we belong there. But if we’re feeling shy or nervous, that same room can make us feel small and insignificant.

Confidence is also an essential quality as you build a career, a business, or interact with people in the community. Confidence helps you succeed. But getting there looks different for everyone and contrary to popular belief, confidence isn’t something you’re born with. It takes years of practice to develop true confidence, but there are plenty of practical ways to work on your confidence levels starting today.

Confidence Comes From Competence

Think about what you feel confident about. Odds are it’s something you’re good at. Whether it’s making the best loaf of homemade bread or coming up with powerful marketing plans in the boardroom, there must be something you are competent in. Many times, confidence comes from competence. When you can do something with excellence, you can rest assured and be confident in your abilities. If you’re feeling self-conscious about something, start by focusing on the things you are already confident in.

Learn From Others

You can learn a great deal of confidence from others. You can take the example of successful people, who have made their way in the world despite facing many obstacles. We all make mistakes, but it’s important to learn from them and not repeat them. You can also learn about confidence by observing how others act in different situations.

Maybe you have an acquaintance who always seems confident, even when he makes a mistake or fails at something. You could ask him what his secret is for feeling so confident, and he might tell you that he knows himself well enough not to allow his mistakes or failures to define him as a person. Instead, he sees each one as an opportunity for improvement and future success.

Some people seem confident, but don’t feel confident at all. This is a powerful tip about being bold. You can learn what it looks like to do something, and follow the steps, even when you feel afraid or lack confidence in what you are doing.

Improve Your Health

Health is not about weight or appearance. Health is about how you feel. But in pursuing a healthier lifestyle, it can also improve how you look and feel. While eating a healthy diet is best, there is no shame in taking a great supplement like MINDBODYSKIN to improve your health and hormones and help give you better-looking skin. The nutrients found in supplements can help you feel more energized and more focused and can also help alleviate the acne that’s been plaguing your skin.

When you exercise regularly, you’ll gain strength and energy. Meeting certain goals can also help you feel more confident. When you eat healthy foods you’ll feel less sluggish and be able to get through those long afternoon meetings. When you focus on sleep, you can improve your memory and your immune system which in turn helps you stay on top of projects at work. All of these health things work together to improve your confidence.

Focus on Your Strengths

Focusing on your strengths is one of the best ways to build confidence. The value of learning and playing to your strengths cannot be understated. When you can focus on what you’re good at, you can start to be proud of yourself instead of feeling like you don’t measure up. Sit down and write everything you are good at. It can be anything from organizing events to training dogs to behave.

Work on Your Posture

The way you stand and carry yourself can affect the way other people perceive you and how you feel about yourself. Good posture can make you look more confident, which is a helpful boost in itself. It also helps your breathing flow more naturally, reducing stress and keeping you relaxed—and that’s important for confidence as well. When we’re stressed out, our bodies are more likely to tense up so good posture will help keep this from happening by encouraging relaxation.

Smile More Often

Smiling can be a good way to boost your confidence. It may feel unnatural at first, but once you get used to it, smiling will help you feel happier with yourself and others. Smiling can also improve your mood. When you smile, the muscles around your eyes contract and relax; this sends signals to other parts of your brain that produce chemicals that make us happy.