If you need a confidence boost now that life has gone back to normal after Covid lockdowns, here’s a tip: ignore the quest for the “perfect body” and add confidence-building habits to your morning routine. According to Alex James, a cognitive behavioural hypnotherapist, spending that time wisely is important. “Get up and do something positive for yourself,” he says. “It’s about setting the intention to have a calm day.”

1 Practise gratitude as soon as you wake up
Life coach Juachi Ezenwa likes to think positive thoughts before she gets out of bed. “I mentally prepare myself in bed because the day you have is determined by your mental strength.” She recommends doing a gratitude exercise as soon as you wake up in the morning. “I think of something I’m looking forward to that day,” she says.

2 Dress to impress yourself
Ezenwa says that dressing up makes her feel powerful. “I might wear a specific colour to reflect my mood.” According to psychologist and wellbeing consultant Lee Chambers, investing in our appearance can be beneficial because it helps us to feel valuable. “We are signalling to ourselves that we are worthy of attention – it gives us a sense of pride,” he says.

3 Mind your smile
To kill two birds with one stone, try looking after your oral care while practising mindfulness. Life coach Seema Malji does exactly that: “I’m present by appreciating each tooth in my mouth with my toothbrush,” she says. However, brushing alone will only clean 60% of your teeth so, to maximise oral hygiene, try adding TePe’s interdental brushes to your routine to help prevent gum inflammation, cavities, and brighten your smile. “If you want to make yourself feel good and confident, smiling is an amazing way to start,” says Malji.

4 Write positive affirmations
Try writing positive messages to yourself every morning. “I stick my affirmations up on my desk,” says Ezenwa, who reads out positive messages to herself at least once a day. Some examples of what she writes include: “I’m brave enough to get through my list”; “I’m superior to negative thoughts”; and “I’m embracing this season and all that is to come”.

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“There’s something about writing it down that allows you to process it better,” she says.

5 Start a ritual
For Malji, having a morning ritual is an essential part of her day. “I get up and have my honey and lemon tea before I do anything else,” she says. A ritual can be anything from skincare to preparing a specific meal. The important part, Chambers explains, is that rituals can teach us to trust ourselves. “They give us a sense of certainty – it’s something we can control.”

6 Work treats into your schedule
If you’re worried about how much work you have, hypnotherapist Juliet Hollingsworth advises making a schedule. “Having a schedule prevents you from feeling overwhelmed,” she says. She recommends estimating how much time you need to spend on your work but, more importantly, factoring in breaks. “And plan events in the week where you can do something you enjoy, too.”

7 Reflect on your motivations
Dr Nick Earley, head of psychology at Helix Resilience, advises you to learn to recognise the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, as extrinsically motivated actions may be more about pleasing others. “In contrast, if we are more intrinsically motivated, we are likely to be driven by our internal passions and less concerned about judgment; this results in more inner confidence,” he says.

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