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Wearing Athleta ⅞ Chakra Tight and Colorblock Power Of She Bra
This post is sponsored by Athleta, one of my favorite activewear brands committed to empowering women to realize their limitless potential.
Do you wake up clear, confident and excited to take on the day?
I know that I don’t. It took me a while (about 15 years, to be exact) to figure out practices, rituals, and mindset that make me feel like my most empowered self.
When you intentionally connect to the feeling of confidence in your body, you move through the world with more ease. You also become more magnetic and attract exactly the people and the opportunities you want in your life.
But how do you actually get there?
Here are my 9 favorite tools that you can rely on first thing in the morning (no matter what time you start your day) to bring the feeling of confidence in any situation!
1. Meditate
“I don’t know how to meditate. I can’t stop thinking”. These are the things that stop 99% of people from giving meditation a chance.
Let me make it easy for you: it’s NOT about stopping your thoughts. Not about forgetting all your worries and flying away far into the clouds. Instead, it’s about finding a bit more ease with yourself, your life, everyday challenging situations. Consistent meditation provides all of that – and more! – and there’s plenty of neuroscience to back it.
I’ve done several extended meditation and yoga training but lately, I find such power in coming back to the basics. I find so much comfort in the consistency of my practice, even if it’s just 5 minutes a day. No matter how long you meditate for, it will help you connect to your inner power and confidence. It’s especially powerful first thing in the morning, as it sets up the mood for the rest of your day. If you don’t know where to start, my meditation app is Headspace.
2. Move Your Body
Think about how you feel when you feel confident. Where do you feel it in your body? Here’s the cool part: it can work in reverse, too. You can invoke confidence by adapting the body language of a confident person. Check out this brilliant TED talk on how your body language shapes who you are.
This goes beyond adapting specific postures: moving your body in ANY way can help you move past blockages in your mind and emotional body. So dance, shake, take a workout class, go on a walk around the block, or – if that’s available to you – on a hike.
I took these photos while I was leading a 6AM hike in Arizona at mindbodygreen’s Revitalize conference and can attest that moving your body first thing in the morning can help you feel more connected, grounded and as a result – more confident! The key here is to really let your mind wander and do whatever it wants to do while you’re staying focused on how your body is moving through space.
3. Choose Clothes That Empower You
Do you have a pair of jeans that you’re saving for the day when you “lose those last 5 pounds”? Get rid of them ASAP. Living by the idea of “one day” takes away the power of being here now, and accepting yourself exactly the way you are.
I felt so liberated when I got rid of all the clothes that were too small and bought a few new pieces that fit me today. I spent 3 years working for a high-end image consulting company and if there’s one thing I learned, it’s this:
How you dress DOES matter, and can transform your life.
And it’s not so much about what others think about your style choices, but about how you feel in your clothes. Whatever stories we tell ourselves about our image and style, people around us pick up on a subtle level. So when we dress like the movie star version of ourselves, we start acting to match that, and people perceive us as such.
That said… choose clothes that make you feel comfortable exactly the way you are! My personal obsession is tights – I wear them while working at my home office, to yoga, to hiking and even around town dressed up with a leather jacket and cool sneakers.
Right now I’m loving creamy dreamy tones, and I’m absolutely OBSESSED with the lightweight Athleta ⅞ Chakra Tight. They could be the coziest tights I’ve ever owned! I love the hidden pockets, the high waistband, the minimal seams and the cool (and functionally breathable) laser-cut perforation. I’ve been pairing them with the Colorblock Power Of She Bra and the water-repellent Catalina Aero Jacket with UPF 50+ sun protection. It was perfect for the sunny desert walk that turned into a rainy hike in Arizona!
4. Acknowledge Yourself
Often lack of confidence comes from comparing ourselves to others. Instead of comparing yourself to someone else, if your mind is going to do it anyway (we’re all human), compare yourself to an earlier version of you. And be blown away by how much you’ve grown and how much you’ve accomplished!
If acknowledging yourself doesn’t come easily to you, just think about things you once wished for that are now your reality. Write them down. And if that’s not easy either, start by listing three things you’re grateful for. Gratitude is the fastest way I know to elevate your vibration to a higher state of presence and confidence.
5. Stop Thinking About What Others Are Thinking About You
This one is easier said than done. It’s so easy to compare our work and our achievements to others’ and let what everyone else is doing to define what you’re all about. I recently caught myself overwhelmed by all the research I felt that I needed to do for my podcast to be successful. I felt like I need to know exactly what other people are doing, how they’re doing it, and who they interview.
Until I hit a point where I was spending so much time looking at what others are doing, that there were very little space and energy left for moments of pure, magical creation. So now I’m consciously putting my blinders on and letting myself be inspired by others, but not swayed away as I stay clear on my own vision and what excites me. When I’m in the flow of creation, there’s no space for anything but confidence. Which brings me to the next point…
6. Do What Brings You Joy
Do what makes you feel good first thing in the morning! If you’re not sure what it is, take a piece of paper and at the top write: “Things that bring me joy”. And let yourself list it all out, no matter how big or small those activities or things are – a matcha latte ritual counts. And then commit to doing at least one thing from your list every single day for 7 days. When we’re moving through the world from a space of joy, everything else gets worked out. It really works – give it a try in both your personal life and in your business. Founder of LOTUSWEI Katie Hess shared this quote on my podcast that I absolutely love:
7. Turn Complaints Into Requests
If you keep bringing attention to things that are NOT working, and not taking action on it, nothing will happen. You will continue feeling disempowered. The complaining (which can also take form of gossiping) can be quite addictive, especially in work environments. If you really want to shift your vibration and feel more confident, it’s going to take consciously cutting out any of these lower vibrational thoughts and interactions.
The fastest way to do it? Change a complaint into a request. For example:
- Instead of this: You didn’t do the dishes again! The roaches will come back because of you.
- Do this: You promised to do the dishes. Can you let me know when that’s going to be completed?
Try it. And then enjoy the wave of peace, ease and confidence wash over your body. Boom!
8. Take On Things You’re Not Ready For
Life is about figuring things out. You’re not supposed or expected to know everything, and the only skill you need for success is the willingness to figure things out. If we only take on projects that we already know how to do, there’s little space for expansion. It takes that leap of blind trust to say YES to something that you don’t feel entirely prepared or ready for.
But think about it… if the opportunity is already in your field of awareness, or even more so if someone reached out to you and offered you something… people trust that you can do it. So why wouldn’t you trust yourself? Say yes to things that scare you. They say fear is excitement without the breath. So give it some breath, and let yourself feel the excitement that’s really underneath it. Once you’ve done this once or twice, you will connect to an unstoppable energy and you’ll ooze confidence anywhere you go.
9. Eat Foods That Make You Feel Good
You know exactly which foods make you feel good and which don’t. We look for the answers outside, but the truth is no one knows what serves you better than you. It’s just that sometimes we feel too lazy or scared to take action on that little voice inside of us. But food is a great area to practice your intuition more.
Take in the ideas and inspiration you see on Instagram, listen to your nutritionist and doctor, and then really let the final decision arise from your gut. It’s no coincidence that the food you eat and your intuitive superpower share a home.
When you allow yourself to take empowered choices in the area of food (trust your gut!), your overall connection to your intuition will heighten. Once we find a way to connect to our intuitive wisdom and actually start taking actions on it, there’s a whole new level of confidence that comes into your experience.
That’s it, those are my go-to ways to shift my vibration and feel more confident.
What makes you feel the most confident? I would love to hear from you in the comments.