Most of us experience lapses in confidence from time to time but if you’re not careful, your temporary dip in confidence could spiral into a full confidence crisis. What exactly is a confidence “crisis?” How does it differ from a temporary confidence dip?
And most importantly, how can you manage one and emerge unscathed on the other side?
What Is a Crisis of Confidence?
It’s very common to struggle with confidence, especially in specific experiences. If you’re joining a new social group, trying a new activity for the first time, or if you’ve recently experienced rejection, it’s only natural that your confidence has taken a blow.
But low confidence and self-doubt become a true crisis when you experience the following:
- Prolonged feelings of inadequacy or self-doubt. You may feel hopeless, inadequate, or incapable on a temporary basis from time to time, but these feelings are much more prolonged when you’re going through a true crisis. Instead of feeling bad for a few minutes or a couple of hours, you’ll feel bad for days or weeks. In some cases, you can go months with these feelings holding you back.
- Invasive thoughts and mood swings. In normal lapses of confidence, you can trace your feelings back to a specific point; for example, you feel bad because you failed at a given task. But in a crisis of confidence, you’ll deal with invasive thoughts and mood swings, some of which arise without explanation. You might beat yourself up over nothing or suddenly find yourself in a bad mood, despite being in a relatively good place.
- Measurable effects on your personal and/or professional life. Crisis mode can also be identified when your low feelings of confidence have measurable effects on your personal and/or professional life. If your performance suffers, if your relationships suffer, or if your life starts developing in ways you don’t want it to, you know you have a major issue on your hands.
How to Manage a Crisis of Confidence
So, what can you do to manage a crisis of confidence?
- Realize that this is normal. Before you do anything else, take a moment to realize that this is normal. While this is a mental affliction that you need to work on and pay attention to, this doesn’t make you strange, hopeless, or unloveable. This is normal for many people, and you have the capacity to work through it.
- Recognize stressful triggers for what they are. Take a step back and try to recognize triggers that make you feel unconfident or bad about yourself. Can you trace your low feelings of confidence back to a specific point in your life? Do these feelings tend to arise in certain situations, such as when you feel a loss of control? Oftentimes, introspection can help you realize that your reactions are exaggerated or that certain triggers can be completely avoided.
- Upgrade your image. Confidence is closely tied to our mental image of ourselves. If you can improve that image, you’ll naturally start feeling more confident. Are you feeling bloated and overweight? Consider hitting the gym. Are you self-conscious about the way you smile? Dental implants in Denver, or wherever you live, could instantly repair your teeth. Do you feel sloppy or unattractive? Get a haircut and upgrade your wardrobe.
- Invest in your health and fitness. In line with this, it’s a good idea to invest in your health and fitness. If you follow healthier habits, you’ll naturally feel better about yourself. Try to eat a balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables. Indulge in unhealthy foods and substances only in moderation. It’s also important to get at least some exercise every day, even if you’re just walking around the block.
- Treat yourself. Consider treating yourself. Confidence is often a byproduct of how you talk to yourself and how you think about yourself. If you indulge yourself at least occasionally, you’ll develop a better relationship with yourself. Buy something you enjoy or treat yourself to a luxury experience.
- Remind yourself of your best accomplishments. Even if you don’t feel good at this moment, you’ve probably done great things in your life. Think about some of your best accomplishments, such as awards you’ve won, career moves you’ve made, or successful relationships you’ve built. Remind yourself that you’re amazing.
- Practice gratitude. Did you know that expressing gratitude is scientifically proven to make you happier? It’s true. Take a few minutes every day to practice gratitude. What are you grateful for in your life?
- Get good at something. Another useful strategy is to deliberately try to get good at something as quickly as possible. Pick up a new hobby or interest and dive in. As long as you put forth serious practice, you’ll be able to watch your skills improve over time. It could be exactly the jumpstart you need to feel better about yourself.
- Lean on friends and family members. You don’t have to do this all by yourself. Consider expressing your feelings to friends and family members so they can offer you their emotional support as well.
Millions of men have faced a crisis of confidence only to emerge on the other side completely unscathed. You’re not weird, insane, or hopeless at all; instead, this is your opportunity to work on yourself, improve your outlook, and ultimately improve your position in life.
—
This post is made possible by Larry Alton.
Photo credit: iStockPhoto
