She Strengthens

Boosting Confidence without Breaking the Bank

As humans, we all experience moments of self-doubt and insecurity. It’s natural to feel down on ourselves from time to time, whether it’s due to a setback at work, a perceived flaw in our appearance, or simply a bad hair day. But what can we do to combat these feelings without resorting to impulsive spending or unhealthy habits?

Finding Productive Ways to Boost Confidence

Personally, I’ve found that engaging in healthy activities like yoga, taking a walk, or reading a piece of writing I’m proud of can help shift my focus away from negative thoughts and towards more positive ones. Talking to a friend about my accomplishments or writing in a journal can also give me a confidence boost. And let’s not forget the power of a cute outfit and some lipstick – sometimes, all it takes is a little pick-me-up to get us out of the house and feeling more confident.

The Dangers of Impulsive Spending

While it might be tempting to try to buy our way out of feeling bad about ourselves, impulsive spending can often do more harm than good. Whether it’s splurging on wine and dessert or buying expensive skincare products, these quick fixes can lead to feelings of guilt and regret in the long run.

What Other Women Do to Boost Their Confidence

I reached out to several women in my life to see how they cope with low confidence. While some turn to food and drink as a temporary solution, others prefer to treat themselves to something special, like a new outfit or a self-help book. Here’s what they had to say:

• Sarah: “FOOD and alcohol…Sometimes I will go get a haircut or buy a new outfit or go out to dinner or something to get me out of a funk.”
• Elizabeth: “If I’m feeling low in confidence, I’ll end up paying more than I usually would for little ‘treats’ to myself throughout the day.”
• Molly: “Books, man…I’ll go to the bookstore to get something inspirational, and then I’ll end up leaving with three more.”
• Anne: “When I’m feeling low on self-esteem, I usually treat myself to a fancy coffee…drinking a coffee and reading in a coffee shop leaves me feeling better when the day is done.”
• Sydney: “Chocolate for sure. And a bottle of wine. Immediate confidence boost with just one bottle!”
• Arline: “Pretty generic, but clothes and chocolate.”
• Chelsey: “So, I have one of two thoughts when I’m feeling pretty shitty about myself: 1) ‘You need to eat your weight in chocolate and crap food,’ or 2) ‘Be productive, get your lipstick on, and show the world what a goddess you are.’”
• Jan: “I find myself turning to self-help books or magazines if I am feeling low on confidence…On the flip side, though, it is probably in my lowest moments when I have spent the most on skincare.”
• Nicola: “So if I’m feeling particularly disorganized or behind with work, then I tend to buy a lot of stationery…If I’m feeling low about myself, then I tend to buy really healthy food and meal prep stuff.”
• Katie: “When I’m feeling low on confidence, I spend money to treat myself to something I normally wouldn’t…A small luxury that I would normally forego.”
• Marissa: “If I buy anything when I’m feeling low confidence, it’s definitely clothes or food…Something about having new things to wear makes me feel better about myself.”
• Brittany: “It really depends…I usually do a lot of research into what will make me ‘feel better’ and then end up walking away from whatever it is.”