When we think of bullying, an iconic image of a bigger, stronger kid taking a five-year-old’s lunch money on the playground probably comes to mind. In the 21st century, bullying has taken on surprising new aspects while maintaining its power to do harm. Yet the constant truth remains that bullying...

Do you ever feel like you are your own worst enemy? Drugs. Drinking. Overeating, and nasty behavior can seriously lower how you feel about yourself. Sometimes that’s the point. Trauma throughout your life can make you feel like you don’t deserve to be attractive, socially satisfied or financially stable. You...

Having positive, realistic expectations of oneself is an attitude that begins to form in infant-hood. There will be times when you feel a child in your life might be too big for his or her britches, but – to an extent – narcissism is a survival instinct in young humans...

You painstakingly devised your first real plan for self-improvement. A milestone. A changing point. Use of your growing self-confidence. You’ve studied your strengths. You’ve uncovered your likes and dislikes. You chose the direction you wanted to go, and took time setting your goals. You even took baby steps, successfully, and...

The very act of having friends can inspire confidence. You’re someone who is worth being around. Friends can bring so much more to your life, though. You should be able to count on your friends for support. When you’re feeling low, they’re there to tell you about your good qualities...

For those who have unpleasant memories of freshman composition, writing may seem like the least likely source of self-confidence possible. With the right approach, it can be surprisingly effective. Think about the last time your self-confidence hit a low. Maybe a co-worker got the promotion you had been hoping for...

Women’s self-confidence problems can get very complicated. Much of it is due to the social confusion surrounding gender roles. Men who are caring and loving and successful are still allowed to be masculine, whereas many women feel the need to avoid femininity in order to be taken seriously. At the...

As we age, our bodies change in significant ways. We can’t do all that we used to, and do some things we’d never imagined. This is especially difficult for generations with the can-do attitude that brought them through major struggles, like the Great Depression. Age brings on an incredible hit...

Self-confident people recognize their skills. Some people avoid this, thinking they’ll become egotists, but you don’t have to brag in order to pat yourself on the back. Even the most humble person takes time to appreciate what he has to offer the rest of the world. If you cannot think...

Self-confident people are proud of their abilities, and honest about where they need to improve. Part of that is maintaining a realistic focus. Having the ability to see things as they are instead of how we wish or fear them to be. We all have trouble seeing the truth at...