Dakota Bear,
Vancouver, British Columbia
Be yourself, girl! Love yourself. That's I think the biggest thing. I'm still working on it. And I think everybody does. Things change, but I would say, "Just get out of your shell and do you. Don't worry about what people think because it doesn't matter. We're all made differently and there's a reason. It would be so flipping boring if you were all made the same, because then it would be the same. But we all have different purposes. We all bring something different to the table. So it's just be you and love you."
When doing a presentation for classmates, or even talking about your own life experience, remember you are the expert in this. No one else really knows what you are talking about, they are learning from you.
If you have to do a presentation, practise. Practise in front of a mirror, or for family on video chat, or for roommates. The more you practise, the better you know the information and the more confident you will be.
Joining a Toastmasters club can help you build self-confidence and self awareness, improve your public speaking skills, build leadership skills and a great way to make new friends.
Check your school for a club or search for a local club at:
If you have difficulty maintaining confidence because of things you feel you can't do, it makes sense to improve your skills. Carry out a Personal SWOT Analysis to identify your strengths and weaknesses. Then draw up an action plan to work on the areas where you're not so strong.
Personal SWOT Analysis Website
Personal SWOT Analysis Worksheet
Do you believe in yourself? Or do you sometimes fall into thinking that you'll never be good at things? You can build confidence, just like you can build any other positive emotion.
These exercises can be done at any age.
