Your Secret Weapon: Confidence But does any good actually come from obsessing over stuff like this? Not really. If anything, negative thoughts will only make you feel crappier. Naturally, the only way to get out of a self-loathing funk is with self love, or confidence.
We don’t want to get all cheesy on you, but loving yourself really makes life so much easier. When you believe in yourself, you have a better chance of success. Self confidence combats crappy feelings and gives you an extra boost when you need it, like when you’re meeting new people or spilling your guts to your crush.
StayTeen.org has a few tips for improving your self confidence:
1. Find positive friends, and keep ‘em! If your friends are constantly down on themselves (or you), how can you keep a good attitude?
2. Stop comparing yourself to others. Yeah, she might have a gorgeous new car and he might be getting straight A’s, but do you know what’s going on behind the scenes in their lives? You rarely know the full story about someone else, so don’t assume that you’re worse off, unluckier, or less gifted than they are.
3. Say no to self-bashing. Most people say things to themselves that they would NEVER let a stranger (or even a close friend) say to them. You should be your biggest advocate, not your biggest critic.
Sure, you can try to change the things you don’t like about yourself. In fact, we’re all about making healthy changes at Fitsmi. You can make a promise to yourself to eat healthier, think before you speak, or practice more before tryouts next year. The key to self-improvement is feeling good about the changes you’re making, even if you don’t reach your goal. In the end, you just want to feel proud that you did your best.
Photo by: att21
By May 30
Growing up isn’t always easy. It’s totally normal to hate your butt, cry when you don’t make the team, or cringe at the thought of that embarrassing comment you made in class. 
