It’s easy to understand why so many of us feel self-conscious at times. We’re concerned about making a good impression, and we want others to see us in a positive light, so we experience a heightened awareness of how we look, what we say, and what our body language is expressing. While it’s important to be mindful of the way you present yourself and the message it sends, being overly self-conscious can actually sabotage your efforts to make a strong impression, because it leads to nervousness and sometimes even anxiety.
Here are a few strategies to keep in mind that can help you to feel more relaxed and confident the next time you notice self-consciousness creeping in.
You are your own worst critic
While our supposed imperfections can look like major flaws in our own eyes, others may not even notice them at all. No one else views you through the microscope with which you view yourself. It’s so easy to fall into the trap of scrutinizing every little detail about ourselves and to get down on ourselves for every hair that’s out of place. But remember, the lens through which you view yourself probably exaggerates the “imperfections,” and no one else sees you that way.
We all star in our own movies
Part of the reason that your supposed imperfections are not nearly as noticeable to others is that everyone else is probably so caught up in their own inner drama that they don’t notice those little things you see as glaring shortcomings. We’ve all got busy schedules — not to mention our own interior monologues to contend with — and for the most part, we’re just too busy with our own lives to have the time or energy to scrutinize other people.
People are rooting for you
Many of us work in very competitive fields and it can often feel like our co-workers are our rivals. The fear is that others are going to cynically expect us to fail. But that’s really not the case most of the time. There will always be those few people who are just self-interested, but the reality is most people want you to succeed. In fact, most of us enjoy seeing others do well. The truth is, others are genuinely pulling for you, and they’re already on your side – you don’t have to worry about winning them over.
Check also some other tips here