Confidence is a skill that can be developed through practice.

Having a lack of self-confidence or low self-esteem can affect nearly all areas of your life – and as an artist if you have low confidence it can entice you to stay in your studio making your work and avoid putting your work or yourself forward for showings, and other opportunities. Or worse, it can have you not even going into the studio in the first place, in case you fail somehow.

Confidence issues can come up for many different reasons and over time they become so commonplace that we can just expect lack of confidence to rear its head.

If you are dealing with confidence issues at the moment you will understand just how it can affect your life. A lack of confidence can prevent you from chasing your dream, from applying for that position or residency or grant that you want, or asking someone to collaborate on a project. At best, a lack of confidence limits our ability to enjoy our lives in their fullest potential. At its worst, it leads to anxiety and misery.

Some people allow a lack of confidence to rule their lives, but you don’t need to be like that!

Here are some tips to help you regain your confidence. I hope that you put this small collection of tips to good use and get the confidence that you deserve and desire. I wish you the very best of luck and success.

1) Let go of comparisons

As Theodore Roosevelt said, “Comparison is the thief of joy”.

You are the only version of yourself. The only comparison worth making is you today and you tomorrow.

Everyone has their own unique skills, experiences and talents, and everyone has their own inner worries – even the people you watch in amazement.

2) Revisit your strengths

Grab a notebook and create an ‘achievement journal’ or ‘confidence book’ . Write out your accomplishments and proud moments (big and small) so that you can read it whenever you need a pick me up of the ‘If I did that, then I can do this too’ variety. 

Be sure to update your CV, Bio and Statement to reflect the changes in your art career.

Resist explaining away or giving away your achievements as ‘flukes’ or something ‘anybody could have done’. Own your achievements and your strengths.

Ask for testimonials from your buyers and add those to your ‘achievement book’, include them in a social post or update your website.

You can even do an online strengths assessment (I recommend the Gallup Strengths Assessment) to find out your top natural strengths – incuding strengths you may not be aware of.

3) Surround yourself with positivity

Positive, enthusiastic and passionate people are contagious. As much as possible surround yourself with them and allow their confidence to brush off on you. If you’re an introvert and need more alone time, all the more reason to choose people who are more positive and optimistic to spend time with. 

By being around positive people we will learn how they confidently deal with things in their life that would throw us off course. Identify the positive people already in your life and be sure to spend time with them.

Want to meet new people?

Connect with other artists. Join group programs, communities online or offline, take up a hobby or course in something that really interests you. 

4) Treat yourself

Yes really. Find some way to treat yourself 

Buy some new clothes that make you feel great. Incremental steps are fine – whatever you can afford in a style that you love, whether it’s one new item or more. Have your new clothes and underwear properly fitted. Have items tailored so they fit you perfectly as you are? The impact of ill-fitting and uncomfortable clothes on a person’s confidence is incredibly high. So while you are at it, toss out clothes that are uncomfortable and/or that no longer reflect how you want to be perceived.

Update your shoes, hair, accessories, glasses, posture – whatever is meaningful for you. Just one change can make a difference and leaving you feeling great.

If you havne’t been out for a while, a night out to an event – theatre, music, dance, whatever you enjoy, can really shift your energy.

And of course, some  new art materials can be a great way to treat yourself. Find one special brush or tool or painting surface, just one thing that feels like a treat can be a great pick me up (a freshly primed linen canvas is my favourite).

5) Make a change

If you find that an element of your life is causing you to lack confidence – change it!

Do something new – move house, make new friends,  change jobs, start (or end) a class or hobby. Try a new medium to express your ideas. Anything. Just make a change. One change is often enough to start a beneficial ripple effect.

6) Ask for support

Know that you are not alone. Most people – if not all – have periods where they lack confidence. 

When we lack self esteem or have low confidence we tend to judge ourselves poorly against what we see of other’s apparently confident exteriors. But here’s the thing, you don’t know what’s going on inside their heads. Just know, everyone has doubts at times, everyone feels anxious at times, so when you feel that way, don’t give yourself a hard time. Know it’s part of being human and that others will understand.

You can reach out for support when you need. And you can also ask your loved ones to tell you what they see as your strengths, successes, good points – you’d be amazed how often other people have a high opinion of you.

Remember that you set the limit on what is impossible, so open up your mind and consciously decide what you can and can’t do rather than just relying on your emotions to make these decisions for you.

Challenge yourself to come up with all the ways you CAN make a change before you let yourself think about what could go wrong (and then only so you can problem-solve a plan in advance)

Good luck!

Until next time,
Happy Creating
Amanda 🙂