How To Be Confident

How To Be Confident in five easy steps: an exercise inspired by Sara Bareilles’ “BRAVE” song.

If think you have to hide your true self from people, are very self-conscious of what other people think, or if you just haven’t heard this song yet, today is the day to change that.

1) Take out your notebook and pen.

2) Make sure your volume is up on your computer.

3) Press Play on this video:

4) Answer the following questions in your notebook:

• “Say what you wanna say”: make a list of the top three things that you feel like you want to say to someone but have felt held back for some reason or another.
• “Show me how big your brave is”: Draw a sketch of Confident “[YOUR NAME HERE]” What would he she/look like (smile on your face, standing tall, in front of the people you want to stand-up to, with them responding to you in a surprisingly positive way, etc)…
• “Maybe one of these days you can let the light in”: Write the top three things that you love about yourself. Add a 4th to that list, “brave”

…Take your time and be serious with your answers!

5) Make a commitment to say exactly what’s on your mind this week (“Why don’t you tell them the truth?” Anything less would be LYING!) and dance like wild for AT LEAST 30 seconds to this song to celebrate your new plan – if you’re feeling shy, just watch some of the examples of people in the video!

Rock out and BE BRAVE this week, and feel free to sing along! Lyrics below:

“Brave”

You can be amazing
You can turn a phrase into a weapon or a drug
You can be the outcast
Or be the backlash of somebody’s lack of love
Or you can start speaking up
Nothing’s gonna hurt you the way that words do
When they settle ‘neath your skin
Kept on the inside and no sunlight
Sometimes a shadow wins
But I wonder what would happen if you

Say what you wanna say
And let the words fall out
Honestly I wanna see you be brave

With what you want to say
And let the words fall out
Honestly I wanna see you be brave

I just wanna see you
I just wanna see you
I just wanna see you
I wanna see you be brave

I just wanna see you
I just wanna see you
I just wanna see you
I wanna see you be brave

Everybody’s been there,
Everybody’s been stared down by the enemy
Fallen for the fear
And done some disappearing,
Bow down to the mighty
Don’t run, stop holding your tongue
Maybe there’s a way out of the cage where you live
Maybe one of these days you can let the light in
Show me how big your brave is

Say what you wanna say
And let the words fall out
Honestly I wanna see you be brave

With what you want to say
And let the words fall out
Honestly I wanna see you be brave

And since your history of silence
Won’t do you any good,
Did you think it would?
Let your words be anything but empty
Why don’t you tell them the truth?

Say what you wanna say
And let the words fall out
Honestly I wanna see you be brave

With what you want to say
And let the words fall out
Honestly I wanna see you be brave

I just wanna see you
I just wanna see you
I just wanna see you
I wanna see you be brave

I just wanna see you
I just wanna see you
I just wanna see you
See you be brave

I just wanna see you
I just wanna see you
I just wanna see you

I just wanna see you
I just wanna see you
I just wanna see you

Music video by Sara Bareilles performing Brave. (C) 2013 Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment

Want to show someone else how to be confident? Share this article and add your own favorite inspirational songs!

Do you have a story of BEING BRAVE to share?!? Submit it anonymously here! To get the latest and greatest on reducing your anxiety, being confident and becoming your best self all packaged in one juicy little email,  get on the handy dandy Anxiety In Teens Anti-Anxi mailing list!!