January is almost over, but that doesn’t mean we can’t sneak in one more post on confidence. We wanted to kick off the new year by ensuring all of our Aisle Planners are diving into 2017 armed with the Beyoncé-level confidence they deserve to feel. Today, then, we’re offering up 9 simple tips for shooting that confidence of yours sky-high. Read on, and get ready to start every day feeling like the rock-star you are:
Remind Yourself of the “Why”
You’re in the planning business for a reason—and that reason likely has something to do with passion. Try this for 2017: Before you dive into to your work everyday, take just a few minutes to remind yourself of the “why.” This can be as simple as writing down a sentence in a journal every single day before you dive into your work tasks, or simply reminding yourself of it throughout the day. (I.e. “I do this because I LOVE it and I am GREAT at it.”)
Arm Yourself with Knowledge
Knowledge is power in its strongest sense. If you’re feeling rusty or uninspired, you may want to refresh with a little education. Sign up for an ongoing education class or take a certification program for planners. Have a lunch-date with a planner who inspires you or read up on industry trends. Educate yourself in however small or big of a way feels right for you at the moment.
Find a Mentor
The word “mentor” often makes us think of college internships or boring college programs, but we’re using mentor in a more loose sense here. Simply put, find someone who inspires you, uplifts you, and can act as an accountability partner. This may be someone in the industry or simply someone who agrees to go on morning jogs with you every day.
Sweat it Out
Exercise is one of the best confidence boosters out there—not because exercise leads to losing weight or looking great (though it does), but simply because it makes us feel good about ourselves, regardless of the end results achieved. Schedule time for exercise and work it into your weekly schedule. And, rather than focusing on how you want to look, focus on how you want to feel—that will make all the difference when it comes to implementing and actually sticking to a workout routine.
Don’t Underestimate the Power of a Wardrobe Change
As planners, it can be all too easy to spend the day working from home in our pajamas. And, while we’re not against that idea at all (hey, we love a pony-tail, yoga-pant day as much as the next planner), if you’re feeling down or simply uninspired, a great way to boost your confidence can simply be to switch out those sweatpants for a pantsuit. Treat everyday like you have a Skype meeting, and dress accordingly. Freshen up your look and dress in clothes that make you feel like the badass business owner you are.
Repeat Affirmations
Whether we realize it or not, we’re telling ourselves a story all day long inside of our heads—and that story plays such a huge role in where we end up in life. The thought of completely changing your inner dialogue can be overwhelming, so we recommend just starting with simple affirmations. For the next 7 days, think of 2-3 affirmations you want to focus on. Then, write them down every single morning and repeat them to yourself multiple times throughout the day. It helps to repeat/write these affirmations in first-, second-, and third-person. (I.e. I am an award-winning wedding planner with a stunning portfolio. You, Jane Smith, are an award-winning wedding planner with a stunning portfolio. Jane Smith is an award-winning wedding planner with a stunning portfolio.) Above all, you have to throw self-judgment to the wind when it comes to writing down and repeating affirmations—everyone feels silly at first, but you’ll soon begin to see just how much your inner dialogue plays a role in your confidence.
Stretch with the Sunrise
As planners, it can be hard to make it to the gym every single day, but something we all can do is set our alarms a little earlier than usual in order to accommodate for a 15-minute stretch session every single morning. There are tons of at-home yoga routines available online for free that you can use to help develop the perfect stretch session. Our favorite yoga poses for confidence are Warrior I, II, and III, Forearm Plank and Chair Pose. Still a skeptic? Stick to the routine of stretching every morning for exactly one week and assess how different you feel at the end of the week.
Place Yourself Where you Want to Be
Building off of Number 6 on our list, one of the most effective things I’ve found for building confidence and accomplishing goals is talking to myself as if I’m already where I want to be. I know that sounds crazy, but bear with me. If your goal is to become published, rather than saying or writing, “One day, I will be a published wedding planner” simply say or write, “I am a published wedding planner.” When we start to affirm that we’re already where we want to be, we begin to act, think, dress, etc. all of the ways that will get us there. In other words, think and act like the person you want to one day be.
Get Your Systems in Place
One of the best ways to boost confidence is to get your business running like a well-oiled machine. Knowing exactly what you’ll be working on with a client (and being able to clearly relay that information to a client when they ask) is a confidence booster. Knowing exactly where to find information when a client asks for it (without having to dig through emails) is also a confidence booster. Don’t underestimate the power of knowing where something is the moment you need it, always being one step ahead of your clients, and driving the planning process through a clear and organized workflow. Having a solid system in place is not only a good business practice, it can be the exact thing you need to secure those little victories every day that eventually build that killer confidence.
Hero photo courtesy Jen Wojcik Photography
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