Hands up if you’ve ever been scrolling through Instagram and saw a model in an ad that instantly made you feel self-conscious.
Hands up again if an advertisement has ever made you feel like you weren’t good enough or like the only way to feel confident was if you purchased their product. Self-confidence is no easy task. It seems as though everywhere you look, there is some type of advertisement making you feel like you shouldn’t be proud of your appearance.
Here at Oh My Garden!, we solely believe in adhering to sustainable marketing practices. No false promises, no tricks and certainly no shaming our audience into thinking they need our products to be beautiful. You are beautiful just the way you are, with or without our products.
Learn more about sustainable marketing in Mariann’s latest vlog:
Self-confidence comes within. There is no magical product you can purchase that will instantly take away all of your insecurities (wouldn’t it be amazing if there was!)
However, there are small, actionable steps we believe anyone can take to help create a healthier relationship with yourself. We hope that through more self-love and self-understanding, you will become more confident.
Self-confidence looks different for everyone, but here are a few steps we found have worked well for us and we hope they help you, too!
1. Practice self-care
You’ve heard us say it a million times, but we believe self-care is a critical step towards self-love. By taking the time to do small actions such as combing your hair, washing your face, or deep conditioning your hair, you are taking time to stop and appreciate yourself. Creating a more loving and appreciative internal relationship is a powerful first step towards embracing who you are, and who you are is pretty fantastic.
2. Fill your social media with positivity
Part of building confidence is removing elements that make you feel like you aren’t good enough. If you feel insecure every time you see a particular influencer or brand on your feed, it may be time to consider why you are following them in the first place. It’s impossible to boost yourself up if you are constantly surrounding yourself with images and messaging that brings you down. Instead, replace these types of influencers and brands with those who inspire you and make you feel empowered to be the best version of yourself.
3. Use positive language when you talk/think about yourself
A lot of us use self-deprecating humour as a defence mechanism, oftentimes without even realizing we’re doing it. It can be easy to fall into the trap of thinking, “well, if I make fun of my insecurities then no one else will.” We all want to protect our emotions from hurtful words. But if the hurtful words are coming from you, are you really protecting yourself or are you simply becoming your own bully? When talking about yourself (even in your head) use positive and affirming language. You deserve to be respected, especially by yourself.
4. Purchase products because you want to, not because you think you need to
You are beautiful! With or without beauty products, you are gorgeous, strong and whole. While certain beauty products may be great for self-care (such as shampoos and conditioners, facial cleansers, moisturizers, oils, makeup, etc.) you do not need them to be beautiful. Your self-worth is not defined by the amount/type of products you consume, your self-worth comes from within. Next time you are purchasing a product, make sure it’s because you want to, and not because you feel like you need it to be beautiful.
5. Join the conversation with positive brands, influencers and groups
Surround yourself with like-minded individuals that create a community of empowerment and positivity. Social media is flooded with groups and conversations that feed off hate and negative interaction between members. Replace these types of conversations with ones that are uplifting and supportive. We find that the best way to seek out these types of conversations is to follow people, brands and groups that use positive, community-focused messaging on topics of shared interest. Once you’ve found the right conversations, we encourage you to jump in! We know it can be nerve-wracking, but part of building confidence is trusting that what you have to say is meaningful, intelligent and important (because it is!)
At Oh My Garden! we believe in the power of building a supportive community and the importance of uplifting other women. We love like-minded women who share our mindset of healthy and sustainable living, eco-friendly beauty, self-care and wellness. We love this self-confidence video we discovered from Julia, a health and wellness coach in training and a member of the OMG! nation. Thank you for sharing with us, Julia!
Do you have some tips towards self-confidence that you want to share? Join the conversation and become an active member of the OMG! community. Send your thoughts to contact@ohmygarden.co for a chance to be featured on our blog or social media channels!
