How to be a strong, confident woman

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.

I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size   

But when I start to tell them,

They think I’m telling lies.

I say,

It’s in the reach of my arms,

The span of my hips,   

The stride of my step,   

The curl of my lips.   

I’m a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

That’s me.

– Maya Angelou

Confidence comes the moment you aren’t afraid to accept and love yourself. You may be curvy, or dark, but don’t let that spark within you dull. Do not let society tell you what is beautiful or what is not. Be audacious, make a confident step forward, and the world will be terrified with your confidence.

Make an attempt to forget the conventional beauty standards, instead develop your own. Take Maya Angelou, for example. One of the most famous Black female poets, Maya Angelou through her confidence and her unconditional love for her womanhood, made the world love her for her confidence. Now, she has become an inspiration for all the women under the sun.

          But why become a confident woman?

Because in the patriarchal set-up that we live on,it is important to be confident enough to demand what you deserve. Confidence is essential to be heard, to be taken seriously. Plus, a confident woman is attractive.

          Now the question is how to be a Strong, Confident Woman.

Below are certain tips that will help you gain confidence-

1. Love yourself

“Loving yourself isn’t vanity, it is sanity”

Only when you start loving yourself, can you expect the society to accept and love you the way you are. But how to do that?

Appreciate your strengths and accept your weaknesses. Embrace yourself in front of the mirror. You do not need anyone to motivate you for a task, do it yourself. Imagine talking to your split-self and give it the kind of love and motivation it needs.

2. Know your worth

Remember, every person in this universe is unique and so are you.

Yes, you!

You are passionate, you are caring, you are talented, friendly, intelligent and many more. You have the strength to win the world. But, first understand that you are worth it.

ALSO READ: Ways to build your Self-Confidence

3. Have fun, Stay Happy

Remember, Confidence doesn’t always come from achieving big milestones. It also comes from the little things, and this primarily includes being happy. Have fun, go around with your friends, have a good long chat over a cup of coffee, swing to your favourite travel destination and get clicked. But, do not forget to smile. Confidence emerges the moment you are happy. Do not stress over trivial things or overthink vis-a-vis how you look or how to talk. Just, keep in mind, that the moment you are happy,you look beautiful!

You look confident!

4. Wear what makes you feel good about yourself

While confidence needs to emerge from the inside, sometimes external appearances help. So, wear what makes you feel confident- not to impress anyone but for yourself. You alone.

It could be mini-skirt or head-to-toe covered attire. You could wear a bold red lipstick or none at all. Don’t let society decide your appearance. Wear what makes YOU feel happy and comfortable.

5. Raise your voice

A demure and weak voice is a sign of a lack of confidence. Therefore, raise your voice, say it out loud and be a confident woman. Confident women aren’t afraid to express their opinions. If you speak low, you may lose the audience. You can practice this out in front of the mirror. Try speaking out loud for a few weeks in front of the mirror and you will feel the difference. Remember that keeping your voice high, standing upright, making eye contact are habits of a confident woman. So develop them.

6. Stand Tall

Keeping an erect posture is also one of the ways to appear as a confident woman. Don’t bend your back or look down. That makes you look under-confident. Do not appear slumped over, instead keep your posture straight and stand tall.

7. Make eye contact and smile

In order to look confident, you need to look at people in the eye when in a conversation. Smile often. It not just makes you look and feel confident, but also makes you appear amiable as well as beautiful. Smile is the best thing you can wear to look confident and beautiful at the same time.

Also Read: WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR DAD | HOW TO MAKE YOUR DAD HAPPY

8. Practice self-care

Self- care isn’t synonymous with being self-indulgent. It is necessary to have adequate rest and refreshment in order to maintain that confidence. Self- Confidence does not germinate from exhaustion, it does so from a healthy and active individual. So, give yourself the love and care it deserves. Always, take time for yourself- for indulging in a reverie with yourself. You can quietly have a cup of coffee with yourself, read a book or watch something fun, or simply relax. But, always remember to give yourself some downtime.

9. Take the help of a mentor

If nothing helps, it’s never too late to talk to a mentor or seek out a person you admire. Ask them to help you gain self-confidence. This could be someone from work or your social circle or an experienced mentor. Do not be shy to talk through about it with someone. There’s nothing wrong or embarrassing about asking for help. You never know how one person may change your life entirely and help you become a confident person. So, go for it and ask for help.

So, here were certain tips on how to be confident. The gist of it all is that you need to develop a positive attitude. Love and care for yourself. Wear what makes you feel confident. Do what makes you happy. Develop positive gestures like standing erect, making eye contact, and smiling. Remember, that however much the world may push you down or demotivate you, you are awesome. So stay the way you are.

Be bold, be happy, be confident!

Also Read: Top 5 ways to motivate yourself | How to motivate yourself