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In an era of profound uncertainty where people’s trust has collapsed across all industries, looking sexy, being outspoken, or even charismatic is not enough to make us think of someone as a truly confident person. Today, people want to see the real you owning your real story.

Confidence doesn’t discriminate. It is an attribute possessed by all those who have cultivated the ability to show up fully in their lives without allowing the mental baggage of negative comments someone once said about their bodies, their intellect, their background, or their abilities to dim their light. 

You know those things we all think at times such as “you are not good enough,” “you are too fat,” “you are too short,” “you are too old,” “you are too loud,” “you are too average,” “you are too privileged,” “it’s too late for you,” and so on? Those mental recordings playing nonstop in our heads interfere with our capacity to express ourselves authentically and attract what we desire more than we are willing to admit. 

Having the courage to recognize those negative recordings as a collection of old stories playing in our minds like a broken record allows us to remember that our worth is our birthright. It is that unshakable awareness of being enough, and not having to prove anything to anyone, that enables us to radiate confidence as the full expression of who we are and what we are here to do. That is the experience of embodiment. 

“Because one believes in oneself, one doesn’t try to convince others. Because one is content with oneself, one doesn’t need others’ approval. Because one accepts oneself, the whole world accepts him or her.” – Lao Tzu

Here are 3 steps to cultivate your ability to embody confidence:

1. Always start with your body

Scientists unanimously agree our body is made of 99% energy and only 1% matter, which means that human beings respond to our energetic vibration far more than our written or spoken words. In other words, people feel us. And their feelings about us will override any picture, number, credential, or logical thinking we can bring to the conversation.

The first way to cultivate the embodiment of confidence is to get inspired and to move. That’s right, spend one-week moving your body for ten to twenty minutes every single morning while listening to your favorite playlist with a deliberate intention of feeling fearless and untamed and watch what happens in your life. Don’t be surprised if random people start coming up to you to ask you for directions, or if those who know you best will tell you that you are glowing.

2. Stop fixing yourself and start honoring who you are

It’s easy to get into fixing-mode, and to believe the solution for not feeling confident enough could come from something as plain as getting a new degree, finding the right partner, or changing the way your body looks. However, searching for the solution outside of yourself and relying exclusively on external outcomes cannot possibly lead to any long-lasting transformation. 

Rather than seeing your external goals as a requirement to feel good enough about yourself, try viewing them as a byproduct of feeling that way to start. For example, stop thinking, “I’ll feel good when I get that big commission,” and turn that into “I choose to focus on feeling good now knowing that when I do that, my performance improves, and I become a match for higher compensation.” 

“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

3. Do what is right by you

When it comes to real confidence, we can’t just pay attention to what we do and how we do it. We must focus on the reason why we want to do it in the first place. In one of the most-watched Ted Talks of all time, Simon Sinek explains how some of the world’s most influential leaders understood that people don’t buy into a product, service, movement, or idea until they understand the WHY behind it.

The same is true for confidence. Shift your focus on your message rather than your performance and watch all uncomfortable sales calls become a chance to share a groundbreaking solution with individuals who need your services. Becoming present to your authentic message and feeling connected to your core beliefs will impact your breathing patterns, your voice, and your body language and transpire as real confidence radiating from within you.

In conclusion, to embody confidence, we must be fully present. That can only happen if we dive into the physical experience of our bodies (Step 1), detach from the old thought patterns populating our busy mind (Step 2), and restore our connection with our core beliefs and desires (Step 3). The more you practice the three steps I shared with you, the easier it will get for you to acknowledge your presence and for others to experience it. 

Embodiment is just that: the practice of feeling more and caring more, which is what makes truly us more human.

In times of uncertainty, how do you manage to feel confident? Share your thoughts with us below!