What is loss of self-confidence? We’re not always aware that we suffer from it. In fact, we think we’re born with it. That we can’t do anything about it. But self-confidence is built up. Day after day. What’s more, we need it to be happy. So how do you know if you’re suffering from self-confidence, and how can you overcome it? Here’s an article to help you regain your self-confidence.

1 – Not daring to give your opinion, a sign of low self-confidence

Before giving your opinion, you tend to wait until everyone else has done so. To make sure you don’t offend anyone.

In fact, your greatest fear is that you’ll say something stupid and others will notice.

You’re afraid people will point out your mistakes, so you prefer to keep quiet.

This is one of the signs of a loss of self-confidence. In fact, when we no longer allow ourselves to express what we think, or even what we feel, it’s time to regain our self-confidence.

In fact, as I said earlier, self-confidence isn’t innate. You’re not born with it or without it. It’s something we work on more or less as children, and then as adults.

In other words, there’s nothing to stop you having self-confidence.

Because self-confidence is simply allowing yourself to be yourself, to dare! Every single time!

That’s why, to help you dare to give your opinion, I invite you to practice. Start with people you trust, start with an innocuous subject, like a film or a book, and start with “I think that…”.

2 – Always ask for advice before making a decision

Even when it comes to buying clothes, you tend to ask for advice left and right.

In fact, you’re afraid of not pleasing others, afraid that your tastes won’t be unanimously approved.

You don’t want to justify yourself, you don’t want people pointing the finger at you.

This is one of the signs of a loss of self-confidence. In fact, when you can no longer make decisions about yourself without needing to ask for advice or opinions from those around you, it’s time to regain your self-confidence.

Because it’s your opinion that matters most to you. What’s more, you don’t live for others, you live for yourself. You’re the main character in your story.

In other words, it’s time to take back the power over your life and stop giving it to others.

So, how do you go about it?

I invite you to start small. Start with an item of clothing, a haircut, something to decorate your living room. Choose what’s right for you, and only you. Don’t think about anyone else. Just you and what makes you happy.

Because that’s what self-confidence is all about: putting yourself back at the forefront of your life.

3 – Fear of disappointment is a sign of low self-confidence

You tend to be careful about what you say and do. What’s more, you take other people’s opinions and advice very seriously before making any decisions in your life.

In fact, you’re afraid of disappointing those around you.

You’re afraid of hurting other people’s feelings and making them sad or angry.

That’s why you sometimes feel you’re not living the life you really want. Sometimes you feel like a stranger in your own life, like a prisoner.

Fear of disappointment is a normal fear. In fact, we’re all afraid of disappointing the people we love.

Yet it’s necessary, vital even.

Once again, it’s about understanding that your life belongs to you alone, and that it’s up to you to decide how you want to live it.

And it doesn’t matter who’s around you.

So how can you regain your self-confidence?

To do so, I invite you to take a moment and ask yourself this question: “And if I were no longer afraid of disappointing people, what would I do differently? In my professional life, my personal life, my hobbies, the way I dress…”

Take the time to redesign your life in terms of “me”, “I” rather than “he, she, they”.

4 – Fear of being different

As you may have already noticed, you tend to behave like a chameleon. Depending on the people around you, you’re more like this and less like that.

In fact, you adapt to everyone’s character out of fear of being different.

It’s true that it’s not always easy to hear people say: “Oh, you’re like this, but I’m like that.

Because we’re afraid of being judged by others. Fear of not being enough, or fear of being too much.

And it’s one of the signs of a loss of self-confidence. When you no longer dare to be yourself, and therefore no longer dare to be different.

Because we’re all different. All of us!

Just look at siblings. They have the same family history, yet they’re different. Why are they different? Because everyone’s experiences are unique.

That’s why being different is perfectly normal. Even if some people point the finger at differences, it doesn’t concern you.

In fact, most people talk about themselves, all the time, because they’re projecting themselves onto you. In other words, when they talk about you, they’re talking about themselves.

That’s why, to regain your self-confidence, it’s essential to understand that when someone talks about you, pointing out flaws in you, they’re talking about themselves. They’re saying “If I were you, I’d…”.

But he’s not you and never will be.

In other words, stop being afraid of being different. Accept it!

For a long time, I didn’t like it when others called me weird. Today, I’m happy about it, because it means I’m really me. And that’s a victory!

5 – Fear of taking action is a sign of low self-confidence

You don’t dare do certain things, things that can change your life as well as the simplest things, like taking up writing, drawing or playing the guitar.

You set limits for yourself because you’re afraid of how others will look at you: “What will so-and-so think?”, but also because you’re afraid of failing and even of succeeding.

In fact, when you feel like a prisoner in your life, it’s a sign of a loss of self-confidence.

Because it’s self-confidence that allows you to dare, to try, to experiment. That’s why I told you above that self-confidence is necessary to be happy.

Without self-confidence, we’re prisoners of our habits and conditioning. We do everything the same way we always do it, and end up suffocating from boredom.

So, regaining self-confidence means allowing yourself to do new things, or to do the same things, but differently.

Allow yourself to learn new things.

Allow yourself to make mistakes, change your mind, fail and succeed.

To do this, I wholeheartedly invite you to start somewhere: What do you want to try, what have you been wanting to do for a while now? Take a step, take a small action in that direction.

Find out more:

I invite you to read these 2 complementary articles:

Discover How to get respect: 7 practical tips
Discover How to be authentic and yourself: 5 powerful steps

I recommend this inspiring book:

The Choice: Embrace the Possible by Dr. Edith Eva Eger
This memoir chronicles her journey of healing and self-confidence in the face of trauma. It offers powerful lessons about resilience and choosing hope.
This woman survived the Nazis and the Reds. Her philosophy of life is remarkable: you can’t control what happens to you, but you can choose how you react to it. In short, accept the imponderables and react positively.
Beyond this philosophy, Edith’s story is remarkable, and puts into perspective the history of the particularly persecuted Jews of Eastern Europe.

Thank you very much for reading this article.

If you liked it, let me know in the comments.

Take care of yourself