How to improve your self-confidence? If building self-confidence is a matter of changing your beliefs about yourself, it's going to take some work. You can say "I'm good enough; I'm smart enough and people like me …" into the mirror every day — and it couldn't hurt — but there are more practical, effective tools you can use, too. Be honest with yourself Charlie Houpert, the author of Charisma on Command, suggests being "hyper-honest" with yourself as a simple, everyday way to exercise your confidence. "For example, let's say someone asks you what you do for fun or what you do for a living," he said. "If you find yourself biting your tongue or hiding something, evaluate that. That's an indication to either stop doing that thing or, more likely, accept that part of yourself and own it." This doesn't mean you have to share every part of your personality with everyone you meet. You can share your geeky hobbies with your geeky friends but stick to work topics at work. However, you can find someone to share yourself with. When you stop hiding parts of yourself from other people, you'll find you feel more confident in who you are. Start working out Many people start working out to lose weight or build muscle, but exercise can also be a huge boost to your self-confidence. The American Psychological Association has noted that exercise can improve your mood and — along with regular treatment and therapy — help combat depression and anxiety. It can also help improve your confidence if you stick with it for a while. Working out regularly requires a commitment, and keeping that commitment is an accomplishment. Not only does sticking to a new healthy habit make you feel more confident, but you can also spot physical improvements to your body and health over the long term. Try things that make you uncomfortable Stepping outside your comfort zone is, as you might expect, uncomfortable. But that's the point. Confidence is ultimately about being comfortable in a wide variety of situations that would make most people feel uncomfortable. So if you stretch your comfort zone every day, very quickly you'll have a large comfort zone and be able to feel more comfortable even when outside of it. This can involve more daunting changes, like taking a new job or confronting someone you usually avoid. However, it can also take smaller forms, like striking up a conversation with someone new if you're normally shy, or trying some new food. It's more important that you regularly expand your comfort zone rather than occasionally throwing yourself into the deep end.