How to Build Confidence in Yourself One Day at a Time

Many of us have many goals and dreams we envision for our lives, but without self-confidence, we'll get nowhere with them. Building up confidence in yourself will give you the motivation you need to achieve everything you want out of life.

Here are three exercises you can try each day to gain the self-confidence you need.

Start a journal. A confidence-boosting journal should contain positive things you did for that day. Most people accomplish a lot of little things in the span of 24 hours, but don't really think of them as achievements.

By putting them in a journal each day, you see how they build up over the weeks, months, and years. You might start with the simple things - like five ways you paid a random act of kindness to a stranger or three thiB01ngs you did that helped further your career.

It can be something as simple as holding the door open for a little old lady or reading a book about saving for retirement. As you look back on your entries of positive accomplishments, it will give you motivation to achieve even more.

List your goals in baby steps. Instead of setting a goal to accomplish the whole thing at once, try breaking it down in tiny steps that need to meet each day. Each time you get to cross off the little steps, you gain more confidence in yourself and you'll empower yourself to reach the next step until you've achieved the primary goal.

If your goal is to save money for a vacation, you can plan tiny steps like placing $5 in a savings jar each day. You'll feel good knowing you've done seven things for yourself one week rather than waiting until you suddenly have $1,000 falling into your lap for your upcoming holiday.

Plus, if you fail to achieve your big goals, it can diminish the self-confidence you have built up, so small goals and baby steps help you gain the esteem you're lacking.

Read inspirational quotes. Search the Internet or purchase a book with lots of inspirational quotes on confidence or self-esteem. Read one of the quotes daily and see if you can apply it to your life throughout the day.

You can add it to your journal entry. If today's inspirational quote talks about greeting everyone you meet that day (instead of avoiding eye contact), and then try it. At the end of the day, you can journal it as one more positive thing you accomplished.

Tiffany Washko is the editor of Nature Moms, http://www.naturemoms.com - After working several years in corporate healthcare marketing and public relations, she took time away to be a mother. This new pursuit lead her to a new passion, natural family living and writing about environmental and political issues. She currently works as a freelance writer and newspaper journalist.