Meditation can be an effective modality to increase your level of confidence. If you experience anxiety as a result of a lack of self-confidence, you can use meditation to release your anxiety. Affirmations and visualizations are additional techniques you can use during meditation to feel more self-assured. With practice, the anxiety and lack of confidence you experience now will dissipate and be replaced with the peaceful calm you experience in your meditative practice. Ideally, the only goal you should have is to bring the peace of these meditation periods into your daily life more often.
Affirmation Meditations
When you are sitting in a comfortable, relaxed position with your eyes closed, bring to mind the affirmation you have chosen for the day. This affirmation should be one clear statement that makes you feel more self-assured. Some examples are “I am a worthy human being” or “I am just right.” You are most aware of your insecurities so only you can choose the affirmation best suited to correct misconceptions of yourself. Once you have clearly identified the affirmation, sit and engage in a breathing meditation for five minutes. Then, say the affirmation aloud repeatedly for at least ten minutes. Complete your meditation with two minutes of breathing meditation. If you are experiencing depression or extremely low self-esteem, you may feel the need to cry or become emotional while saying the affirmation. This is natural. Just allow the emotion to be released and continue to practice regularly.
Visualizations
You can increase your confidence by meditating with the images of yourself in a more self-assured and confident state. After five minutes of breath or sound mantra meditation, spend at least ten minutes visualizing yourself at your absolute most confident state. If you have never experienced this, use your imagination. Imagine what you look and sound like with confidence. Imagine others’ reactions to you in this confident state. Allow your imagination to paint the most inviting and positive picture possible. Stay with these images as long as you like until you feel so comfortable with this visualization that you begin to imitate it in your life. Practice visualization everyday.
Present Moment
Present moment meditation is also known as mindfulness meditation, which is the basis of Buddhist meditation techniques. To increase your confidence, you can use this style to rest more deeply in your true nature of peace, stillness and the strength of silence. With practice, this meditation can help you to become more comfortable spending time with yourself and help you to know yourself better. With this increased self-awareness comes confidence. With consistent daily practice, you can learn to enjoy just sitting and being with yourself, which makes it much easier to be at ease in the presence of others.
About this Author
Sala Saran is a bi-athlete and certified personal fitness trainer who is passionate about the life-transformative power of sports and fitness. Teaching a holistic perspective of the fitness lifestyle that is rooted in personal development, Saran shares her expertise in articles, columns and seminars to lead others to a discovery of their own power to transform their life experience.
