At some point in your life, you likely had a day that went really well. Everything fell into place. Perhaps you felt well-rested and in good spirits. Maybe you accomplished a lot or were fully present with whatever you were doing.
Taking on new habits and making strides to be our best selves every day can make us feel unstoppable. Start with these tips from smart and confident women. These are ideas you can easily incorporate into your life bit by bit. They will help you bloom and prosper.
Go on social media with a purpose
Smart women limit their time on Facebook and social media. They spend time pursuing things they want to do instead of watching what other people are doing. Certainly, social media has its place. It’s a great way to keep in touch with friends and family, near and far.
Before logging in to Facebook, Instagram, and other platforms, decide your purpose. Are you checking in with a friend? Wishing someone a happy birthday? Checking in for a volunteer group update or to see if you were tagged at an event? Or just to be mindless for a while? That’s fine. Just know going in why you are there.
In time, you may decide to take a break from Facebook once in a while.
Keep one to-do list
Our lives are busier than ever. It’s hard to keep track of it all. Making lists is one way to ensure we remember everything we need to do. The problem is not having a list-making system. Many people have multiple lists going – in a notebook, on scraps of paper, on their phones, tablets, or computers.
It’s stressful looking for your lists and working off multiple lists. Pare down all of your lists in one place. No matter how long the list, keep it in one place, on one list.
Use a spiral notebook or keep a list online. The important things are that it’s easy to access and easy to update. Wherever you make your to-do list, work off of one list.
Feel good in what you wear
Pay attention to what clothes you gravitate toward. Choose the clothing you feel good in. Notice what flatters you, and when you buy clothing, buy those colors and cuts. Try to choose colors other than black.
Dress up sometimes. It’s amazing what dressing up a bit can do for you. Perhaps that’s changing out of leggings and putting on jeans. Put on a necklace or a scarf. Choose those clothes in the back of your closet. Don’t save them for “someday”… wear them. Enjoy them.
Reach out
To be confident, a woman should find friends she likes and who likes her. Women, especially moms, are often looking at what “that group of women” is doing and wondering about all the fun they are having.
Instead, find your own group. Who do you enjoy talking to? Who do you feel most comfortable around? Reach out to those women. Forget the ones you are trying to fit in with. Start your own fun. Maybe it’s an outing for coffee. Invite someone to go on a walk. Start a book club. Soon, you will have your own group.
Be flexible
Learn when you are most productive. Work on the difficult, involved tasks when you are energized. Save the mindless tasks for the times you are tired.
Smart women are organized but flexible. We know how to prioritize how we are feeling and shift gears.
A writer shouldn’t write on days she’s sleep-deprived. Don’t do bills when you can’t concentrate. Hungry? Don’t make a meal plan and a grocery list. If your kids are around and you can’t focus, try to get dinner started or do a household chore. Save the work for while they’re occupied, and you’re not distracted.
Remember: Things aren’t always as they seem
With social media, it’s easy to get caught up in what everyone else is doing. Sometimes we log in when we are feeling tired or lonely. Things can make us feel worse than they usually would. It’s easy to feel bad about ourselves and our lives when we compare ourselves to others on social media.
It’s important to remember; things are not what they seem on social media. People are showcasing their best selves; it’s not their everyday lives.
Figure out what you can do in 5 – 10 minutes
So often, we have 5 – 10 minutes here or there. Instead of wasting it trying to figure out what to do or defaulting to Facebook, have an ongoing list of what you can do in five minutes and in 10 minutes. Keep it in your running master to-do list.
Then, when you find yourself with a bit of time, you will know exactly what to do. Maybe it’s meditation, pushups, or stretches. You can return texts or answer emails. If you’re feeling energetic, do some household chores.
Having a plan helps us not default to social media to burn uptime.
Expand your circle
True confidence means being open and friendly to all, not just people who can help you. Absolutely, have fun with your friends at the party. At the same time, including a newcomer or someone who seems out of place.
Building new habits
Start with one of these tips that resonates with you. Maybe it’s dressing up or being social in a different way.
Smart women make good use of their time. This enables them to have more opportunities for things that energize them. You’ll find you have more free time to be fully present with your family, friends, and hobbies. Things that fully enrich you and fill your heart will help you to become confident and fulfilled.
