Name
Confidence Building
Purpose/Effects
This is an NLP exercise for building up confidence.
Many people have low self esteem. Often this manifests as lack of confidence, even about activities in which they are highly competent. Low self esteem can lead to non-optimal outcomes.
By building up self confidence, we can improve the outcomes of our activities. Business deals, work, love relationships, friendships, etc., can all be enhanced by building up our confidence.
Method
Summary
Picture yourself with very positive attributes, while a large crowd of people applaud you.
Long Version
- Begin by getting grounded. In a nutshell, this means letting go of concepts and worries, and getting in touch with your body, your senses, and the present moment.
- Now close your eyes, and imagine yourself standing in front of you, looking back at you.
- Bit by bit, create a new you in your imagination that has all the characteristics that would give you incredible confidence. If what you want is a thin you, picture yourself thin. If you also want different hair, give the imaginary you the hair you desire. It can be anything, including non-visual characteristics. You may want a powerful voice, a brilliant mind, a super-sexy ability to make love, and so forth. Imagine yourself with all the characteristics and qualities that would give you the super confidence you desire.
- Watch the image of yourself change before your mind’s eye. Make sure that the image is big, bright, bold, and powerful.
- Imagine the feeling of confidence coursing through the veins of the imaginary you. Feel the rush of power, control, and fearlessness that comes with this confidence. Notice how the imaginary image even stands with the stance of great confidence, and holds its head in leonine way.
- Next, when you are ready, walk around behind this imaginary image and step inside of it. Become it. Feel yourself experiencing all the sensations of having amazing confidence. Notice how your body changes, your stance shifts, even your gaze subtly alters to express this volcano of confidence within you.
- Now imagine that this new you is standing in front of a large audience of admirers. They are cheering and clapping, and swooning with adulation and devotion to you.
- Pay particular attention to where the positive feelings you are having are located in your body. This spot is the center, the physical source point of your confidence. Feel into it deeply with your body awareness.
- Continue alternating between the visualization and the feelings of confidence in your body for as long as you wish. This exercise should feel very good.
History
This exercise comes from Neuro-linguistic Programming. It is essentially a form of self-hypnosis.