No More Low-Confidence Days

Simple Everyday Changes

To keep self-esteem intact no matter what's happening in your life -- bad hair, bad boss, jerky guy -- we've got a whole slew of new personal-confidence boosters. If you're just joining the challenge, work your way through these, then check out the list below (Go for the Bold! -- as seen in the September issue of FITNESS) for more great ideas.

Rack up 15 points in 30 days (record your score in the box on the next page) and you'll be amazed by how charged you feel.

1 point

Start a confidence file. Keep every complimentary letter, romantic birthday card, or flattering photo of yourself in a box; save admiring e-mails in a special folder on your computer. Every so often, look through them to remind yourself how cool/smart/gorgeous other people think you are.

3 points

Erase bad memories. The next time a mortifying recollection (the time you forgot the name of your company mid sales pitch) flashes through your mind, knock it out: Mentally fade all the color from the image until it's black and white. Then shrink the picture down to a tiny gray dot. "Removing the color eliminates the emotion, and shrinking it dials down the intensity," explains Tim Ursiny, PhD, author of The Confidence Plan. Then replace it with a brilliant, Technicolor image of one of your greatest successes.

3 points

Go ahead and brag. Women are experts at deflecting praise ("Oh, thanks, but it was no big deal"), which keeps our confidence in check. So whenever you get a promotion, lose 10 pounds, or finish a 5K race, let everyone know by throwing yourself a little party. Don't be obnoxious about it, just say, "I'm really proud and I wanted to share it with all of you."