Boost of Motivation

44 Confidence Boosters by ALLURE Magazaine

1. Smile.

"There's lots of research that suggests if you smile, even in a fake way, it will indirectly lift your mood," which makes you feel safe and relaxed,

2. Take the compliment already.

If someone praises you, smile and say thanks--don't argue or play the whole thing down. "Accepting a compliment at face value feels good,"

Forget stereotypes.

Women tend to get worse at things when they're aware a task is "typically male." For instance, women did well on math problems in a study at Dartmouth College--until they were reminded of the belief that men are better with numbers. So forget that kind of thinking before you start a new project.

4. Stop waffling.

"When people have low self-confidence, they tend to overanalyze everything,"

5. Improve your skin.

"There are four secret concealer places that make your whole face look better," says makeup artist Mally Roncal. "The inner dark corners of the eyes, the outer corners of the eyes, either side of the nostrils, and either side of your mouth--dab concealer lightly on those areas."

6. Learn something,

like a new language (rosettastone.com) or how to make a pie crust from scratch (epicurious.com). "The better you become, the more confident you'll be in general--not just when you're doing that thing,"

7. Meditate.

People who meditated at least five days a week improved their self-acceptance in a study at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Here's how it worked: They sat quietly, paid attention to their breathing, and thought compassionately about themselves or someone else.

8. Stop apologizing.

Spend one 24-hour period without unnecessarily saying, "I'm sorry." "People often say they're sorry when they're feeling insecure," says Beck. Force yourself to quit, and you'll feel more self-assured.

9. Smell something crisp.

Weird, but it works. "Green apple and cucumber are the most effective smells for reducing anxiety,"

10. Give your skin a rest.

"Sleep is critical to reducing inflammation in the skin," says Amy Wechsler, dermatologist and author of The Mind-Beauty Connection (Free Press). "Sleep can undo many of the signs of aging that stress hormones have created during the day."

11. Step away from the mirror.

When women spend more time on their appearance than on other things, they're less happy, according to a study at the University of California, Berkeley. We're not saying you can't care about your looks--just that going overboard can distract you from other facets of your life

12. Straighten up.

Victoria's Secret models do it before they hit the runway in their undies, and no matter how hot their bodies, you know they need confidence there and then. "When I work with Victoria's Secret models, the first thing I tell them is to pull their navels toward their spines, roll their shoulders back, and stick their chests out,"

13. Reward yourself. A lot.

"Give yourself credit for small, daily accomplishments," says Beck. "Don't wait until a project is finished." One way: Make a list of what you have done (not what you have left to do).

14. Give yourself some color.

Most people tend to feel healthier with a tan (even though a real tan is pretty much the opposite of healthy.) Roncal advises rubbing a few drops of self-tanner in with your moisturizer. "It makes you look like you're outdoorsy and vibrant even if you're not feeling that way,"

15. Dump the junk.

"Choosing foods like grilled vegetables and fish or going completely raw will make you feel great, which can lead to a better self-image,"

16. Recover from failure.

Defeat is inevitable, so accept that it will happen occasionally. "Know that you will make bad decisions and you won't succeed at everything," says Goldsmith. The fastest way to get over it? Focus on the next challenge

17. Brighten up.

One of the quickest ways to look and feel fresher is a peel. "You can go to a doctor for a 20 percent salicylic acid peel," says Wechsler. "Or at home, try a yogurt-and-honey mask--plain, full-fat yogurt is rich in lactic acid, and the honey is soothing and antibacterial. It exfoliates and makes the skin look dewier."

18. Work out.

"Even just one trip to the gym increases positive feelings about your body,"

19. Change your hair color.

Women who dyed their hair were more confident at work, a study at the Nottingham Trent University in England found. "After coloring their hair, they were much more likely to ask for a raise, challenge their boss, or put their foot down when confronted by a coworker,"

20. Don't freak out about your mistakes.

"People are much more forgiving than we imagine them to be," "People may not stand up and cheer in the aisles when you give a speech, but no one else will notice if you flub a line or lose your place. It's going to be far worse in your mind than in anyone else's."

21. Assume people like you.

This simple thing "makes it a lot easier to walk into a room," says Beck

22. Push harder.

Soreness after exercise makes people feel strong, according to Duke: "When my clients work out hard, they feel so much better about themselves. You can always tell someone is proud when she starts