8 Ways to Be Brave

Want to boost your confidence, but aren't sure where to start? Here are 8 easy way to be the best version of yourself!

1. Say yes.  

Sometimes you hear that little voice in the back of your head saying, Do it. Say yes. Maybe it's urging you to go on a date. Maybe it's to go hiking with a coworker who you don’t know all that well, but really like. It could even be trying the seasonal pumpkin latte instead of your regular americano. Do it. (Unless you question the combination of squash and coffee like I do and think that could be a regrettable choice.)

Say yes to little decisions that you want to do but then write off because they aren’t what you usually do and that makes them scary. Taking a leap during these little moments of chance will begin to create a stronger and more confident version of yourself.

2. Make conversation with a stranger.

You are standing in an elevator, someone gets in. It’s just the two of you riding up 12 floors. Ho hum, twiddling your fingers. Choose to make eye contact, smile, and say hello. I feel as though ignoring each other has become commonplace because we have let ourselves perceive it as scary to interact with others in moments like this. The world is filled with so many amazing and kind people, why not take the risk to just smile?

Don’t hide by staring at the floor and waiting until you can once again walk away down the street in solitude. Lift your eyes and embrace a moment in your life crossing paths with another. The more we smile and say hello, the more others will react in a similar way. This increases the ratio of having a happy, uplifting day filled with positivity.

3. Let something go.

As much as we all complain about something that plagues our minds, we for some reason actually do in a way want to hold on to it. More often than not there is an ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend in your life who you don’t want any contact with and definitely don’t want to get back together with. So why does their name being brought up or popping up in a text message jarr you so much? Time to tell yourself let it go. 

Let go of wanting to hold on to something that isn’t healthy or doing anything for you. If it does nothing but cause anxiety or even the smallest form of upset in your mind, let it go. It is that simple, and that hard. Challenge yourself to let go of wanting to hold on.

4. Stand up for yourself.

This is something we all know to do. When we were children playing on the playground, there was more often than not some other child who was mean to us. We were scared of them and maybe avoided them. The advice our mother gave us was to stand up for ourselves. This is the most basic and powerful advice. If we have been told this from a young age, why is it so hard as adults? Doing what you mean and saying how you feel is the bravest thing a person can do.

Remember and acknowledge your worth to yourself and others. Don’t shy away from defending yourself and having courage to speak from a place of value and knowledge.

5. Do something you’re scared of.

Whether it’s as left-brained as a painting class, as daring as skydiving, or as simple as joining that big donation yoga class you see in the park as you’re grabbing your early morning coffee, try it if you’ve had an inkling. By doing something that scares you, you prove to yourself that you can do anything. It is as simple as making the choice to welcome a possible new love and excitement into your life.

6. Make a “to-accomplish” list:

Make a list from the easiest to the most outlandish things you would like to accomplish. This could include walking around the city reservoir. This could include trying Ethiopian food for the first time. This could be making your mother’s famous breakfast pastry recipe. Make a list. Now look at number 1. Start taking steps to accomplish it. When you do, cross it off. Smile. Let yourself sit with the satisfying feeling that you are living your life from a braver and more fulfilled place.

7. Cook something you never have tried.

We all have to eat, and we all cook no matter what our level of doing so might be. Going out to dinner or getting to-go food regularly is a strain on the wallet and sometimes the waistband. I think we can agree we are all guilty of standing in the kitchen, staring at the fridge. Think of a food you don’t know much about or haven’t tried. Look up a recipe, and go for it.

8. Say and DO what you want for a whole day.