From work parties to family events, your social calendar fills up quickly during the holiday season. If you’re not confident, all those social obligations can be stressful, but there’s a simple solution. Instead of spending the season worrying, use these tips to build your confidence before attending holiday parties.
1. Engage in Physical Activity
If you want to feel confident this holiday season, it’s time to get moving. According to researchers, regular physical activity boosts self-esteem and body image, which improves confidence. Just imagine how amazing you’ll look and feel when you exercise five days a week.
2. Have Your Teeth Professionally Whitened
You want to put on a happy face at holiday parties, so smiling is a must. Of course, it’s hard to flash a smile when you’re rocking discolored yellows instead of pearly whites. Fortunately, you can get yourself camera-ready by investing in professional teeth whitening before your next event. Along with feeling more confident, you’ll look healthier and more attractive to other partygoers.
3. Start a Gratitude Journal
Low confidence is often associated with feelings of inferiority, but you can fix that by starting a gratitude journal. Gratitude journaling will help you appreciate the good things in your life, both big and small. In turn, you’ll feel more self-confident, secure, and ready to mingle at all of the holiday parties you attend.
4. Spend Time with Positive People
Does it ever seem like you morph into different versions of yourself based on who you’re hanging out with at the moment? For instance, you probably feel drained, uneasy, and unsure of yourself after spending time with negative, critical people. On the flip side, positive folks make you feel comfortable in your skin and more confident. Make sure you’re in the best state of mind by surrounding yourself with positive people leading up to this season’s parties.
5. Practice Your Social Skills
Are you worried about interacting with other guests at holiday parties? That can make your confidence take a nosedive, so practice your social skills every time you leave the house. For example, chat with the cashier when buying groceries and start conversations with people in waiting rooms. Practicing will improve your social skills, so you’ll burst with confidence whenever you walk into a room.
6. Mediate Daily
Regular mediation builds self-awareness, promotes relaxation, and improves self-esteem and confidence. You can download an app for guided meditation or find a quiet room and meditate on your own. While you can get results after meditating for a couple of minutes, it’s a good idea to do it for 10-20 minutes to reap the most benefits.
7. Have a Good Story Ready
Let’s say you’re going into a job interview. You’d spend a lot of time thinking about the possible questions and how you’d answer them. That preparation builds confidence, and you can enjoy the same benefits when it comes to holiday parties. Think of a funny story you can work into conversations at parties and have it ready. Then, you’ll be excited to jump into discussions with friends, family members, and strangers.
8. Do Your Homework Ahead of Time
Confidence eventually becomes second nature, but you’re building your self-esteem right now. Give yourself the upper hand by reviewing the guest list beforehand. By eliminating surprises, you won’t have to worry about forgetting people’s names or how you know them. Instead, you can focus on connecting and having fun.
