When you hear the words “fake it till you make it” it sounds cheesy, right? We have all had peers, parents and teachers repeat that phrase. I, like them, want to emphasize that faking it until you make it is essential when it comes to confidence. What I mean by that is when you are doing anything, act confident whether or not you truly feel that way.

As social media becomes more prevalent, confidence in teenagers and young adults is plummeting. We need to make sure that we are bringing our levels of confidence back up because of the benefits confidence has. When you are confident, you attract more opportunities. If you believe that you are worthy of your experiences and opportunities, you will not only attract more of them, but you will also exceed in them.

Even when you are not feeling truly self-assured, you need to make it seem like you are. By “tricking” yourself and others into thinking that you are sure of what you are doing by the way you carry yourself, you are actively manifesting and reassuring your brain that you are confident. If you tell yourself that you are confident (even when you are not) your brain will soon start to believe it—just like how people say not to talk negatively to yourself because you will believe it. It is the same way with acting confident.

The best example I have is during a job interview. Would you want to hire someone who knew what they were talking about and wanted to be there or someone who seemed like they might not want the job? You would always hire the person who acted the most confident. In nerve-wracking situations, remaining as calm as possible and acting as self-assured will always set you apart from your competition. 

When you walk into a classroom, hold your head high. You are meant to be there. Make yourself a seat at the table. Don’t let anyone tell you differently. Practice self-affirmations like “I believe in myself,” “I am meant to be here” and “I am qualified.” Tell yourself that you believe in yourself, and soon enough, you will without a doubt.

There is a difference between confident and cocky, though. Cocky is when you take confidence to another level: bragging about being so self-assured and are arrogant about it. Being cocky is making your confidence known. Being confident is being internally self-assured and believing in yourself in a humble fashion. You don’t have to make it known that you are confident to anyone other than yourself. 

If just spending five extra minutes in the mirror each morning to say positive affirmations is the difference between being confident or not for the day, why wouldn’t you just do it? It can be as simple as that. Spend the extra time with yourself and always try to come off as positive as possible even when you are not. Being confident attracts opportunities your way, so why not just try?