By Adreanna

Having self-confidence when manifesting means believing that you have the capacity to help the universe bring to you what you are seeking.

It’s not about just sitting around and wishing for miracles to happen. Instead, having self-confidence means being prepared to hold space for the possibility while also taking action to bring your dreams into reality. For example, you can’t expect to win the lottery if you never buy a ticket, or become a writer if you never sit down to write. Fear may arise when pursuing something outside of your comfort zone, but it is a signal that what you truly desire is worth pursuing. Transforming fear and anxiety into motivation demonstrates to the universe that you are ready and willing to receive what you are asking for. Self-confidence is like the fuel that propels the manifesting process forward.

Here are a few things that will help you boost your confidence:

• Surround yourself with a team of enthusiastic supporters.
• Practice affirmations.
• Ask more questions.
• Fake it until you make it.
• Read. read. read.
• Get out of your comfort zone.

To manifestt successfully, you’ve got to be open to trying something new! I’m a huge fan of the “fake it until you make it” mindset and the power of asking more questions. Both of these strategies are amazing for rewiring your brain. They help you break free from the need to always be right and constantly seeking validation. Instead, they open your neural pathways to new possibilities and ignite your curiosity for alternative solutions. This is how you can propel yourself from where you are to where you truly want to be!

For me, the key to building self-confidence lies in purposefully immersing myself in uncomfortable – though safe – situations and granting myself the grace to discover my true self in those moments without self-judgment. In other words, I’ve mastered the art of “faking it until I make it.” Take, for instance, my aversion to networking events. While I find meeting new people enjoyable, I used to find myself retreating into my own thoughts in public, rather than openly engaging with the environment and absorbing new experiences. I would often attempt to disappear into a corner, allowing my mind to run wild with assumptions about others in the room while concurrently critiquing my own worth. Thoughts such as “They are more intelligent than me,” “I don’t belong here,” and “I have nothing valuable to offer” frequently dominated my inner dialogue. These were the repetitive scripts I observed in myself until the day I decided to embrace discomfort and venture into the unknown.

Once I realized I was missing valuable information and connections by being too focused on judging myself, I made a conscious decision to try something new. Now, as soon as I walk into any room, I set myself the task of finding at least 3 people who have an open demeanor and are engaged with the crowd, and I stand next to them for a while. I eavesdrop on their conversation to learn more about what is happening in the room. This process only takes a few moments, but in those moments, I am fully immersed. I am not listening to gain personal knowledge about them; what I am listening for are speech patterns, tone, and I am watching for body language, all while learning about the topics currently in rotation. Once I feel that I have a beat on the room, I then turn to those people and begin to ask them questions about what I’ve overheard. Instead of going into the room making assumptions about what is going on and what I can and cannot contribute, I become a student of the room and aim to learn more about what is going on.

By immersing myself in the learning process, I free myself from the stress of worrying about how I will be perceived, and instead, I embrace the opportunity to understand the atmosphere and ethos of the event. This way, when it is my turn to speak, I can do so with unwavering confidence, perfectly attuned to the room’s mood. I no longer fret about using the wrong language, discussing unsuitable topics, or striking the incorrect tone. This strategy enables me to feel fully equipped to respond appropriately, unburdened by indecision and unfounded assumptions.

Questions and being open to being wrong my friends has also been helping me build my self-confidence. Instead of assuming I know everything, I try to lead with questions that will help me temper and adjust according to the environment. This isn’t to say that I change my views or personality based on my perceived reception from others. I have a robust personality and can usually speak to anyone about anything. As such, I can switch up my speech pattern, body language, and delivery based on the crowd while still keeping my message authentic.

Faking it until I make it and asking more questions have been the two best practices I have employed to building my self-confidence. Interestingly enough, one of my manifesting goals was to be more confident. Can you see how that worked? I was able to manifest being more confident by being willing to do the work of placing myself in uncomfortable situations and opening my mind to being wrong. Being open to being wrong has shown me how right I am in some situations and how much learning I still need to do in others. That’s when the reading comes in.

Reading is not just a hobby, it’s a powerful confidence booster. Whenever I encounter a new concept, I dive in! Reading and researching helps me to not only feel confident speaking about diverse topics it also keeps my brain in a learning state so I’m not so tempted to fall back into overthinking patterns. Developing confidence in unfamiliar areas, including self-discovery, demands a willingness to immerse oneself in learning and investigating diverse subjects, as well as understanding what makes you tick. Without knowing who you are, true self-assurance is close to impossible to achieve, much like attempting to master arithmetic without understanding its principles and how it is applied.

While you are doing the work of placing yourself in uncomfortable situations to learn and grow, positioning yourself near people who have achieved the level of success you are seeking to learn from, asking questions to place yourself in a student’s mindset, being open to being wrong, reading more to develop your knowledge of self and topics of interest, I’d recommend you seal the deal with practicing daily affirmations and recruiting yourself some cheerleaders.

If you haven’t already surrounded yourself with cheerleaders, now is the perfect time to do so! However, instead of simply seeking out yes men, consider the importance of having high-quality cheerleaders. I personally believe in surrounding myself with sincere friends who genuinely support and encourage me. In other words, I prefer not to be around people who insincerely praise me for every little thing and idea, but rather those who provide earnest support and constructive feedback.

For example, if I decide to build a bookshelf from scratch, my supportive friends, realizing that I’m not a carpenter, might express their concerns in a positive and encouraging manner. They will ask me meaningful questions to help me assess my own capabilities, motivations, and aspirations. They might inquire, “Have you considered taking classes or watching instructional videos on building a bookshelf?” “Are there any workshops available to support your learning?” “How do you plan to approach building this bookshelf?” “Have you thought about its size and placement?” “What motivates you to build a bookshelf instead of buying one?” “What will the completion of this bookshelf signify to you?” These thoughtful questions from my supporters provide an opportunity for us to have a constructive conversation about my project, ensuring that we both understand my goals and allowing them to provide genuine support and encouragement when faced with challenges. By answering these questions, I provide them with valuable insights that they can use to motivate and support me during tough times.

What I aim to convey is the value of having cheerleaders who truly understand you, your strengths, and your areas for growth. They are able to inspire and support you not through empty praise, but through a genuine understanding of who you are. They know when to pose challenging questions that help you uncover any blind spots, and they offer encouragement once you’ve overcome obstacles. This approach fosters mutual respect, strengthening the impact of their support and encouragement.

Lastly, practicing positive affirmations has a tremendous impact on your ability to manifest your desires and boost your self-confidence. It’s important to remind yourself that you become the sum of what you surround yourself with, from the words you speak and the media you engage with, to the company you keep and the food you consume. Your environment shapes who you are. The first step in building self-confidence is to affirm to yourself that you are indeed confident. Create a list of the things you admire most about yourself, and frame them as “I am confident when…” statements. Incorporate these statements into your daily routine, repeating them at least twice a day.

I find it particularly effective to write them on notecards and place them around my bathroom mirror, so that they are the first things I see in the morning. Similarly, I display some near my bed, offering affirmations as the last thoughts before I sleep. By having these affirmations in visible places, you are reminded to repeat them regularly. Consistent repetition is key to reinforcing these positive messages!

Manifesting without self-confidence is a futile effort. To manifest something, you must truly believe it can happen for you and that you deserve the rewards you seek. Attempting to manifest without self-confidence sends mixed signals to the universe, leading to a sense of hopelessness when things don’t turn out as desired.

Self-confidence is a requirement to manifesting. Without it, you will find yourself day after day year after year doing the same things over and over again and feeling frustrated with the results.