I was chatting with a friend this week who was sharing a work situation that she wished she had expressed more confidence. She believed that she would be more respected by her colleagues and be given more opportunities. Can you relate? Are there situations in your professional or personal live where you wish you felt more confident?

We’ve all had those awkward moments where we feel judged making us feel insecure and small.

Self-confidence is an important ingredient for living a happy and fulfilling life. Understanding the benefits of self-confidence is an important step toward living you best life. Here are five key-rewards of self-confidence:

1. Experience less fear and anxiety 

If you’ve ever suffered with low confidence you’re probably familiar with rumination – or the tendency to replay mistakes over and over in your head until you experience anxiety and even depression. By increasing your confidence you’ll be able to break the cycle of overthinking and quiet your inner critic.

2. Increase your motivation 

When you taking about a past accomplishment, it gives you the confidence to take steps toward your goals. If you think about a past success you will likely find that it took a lot of perseverance. If you could triumph over adversity then, why can’t you do it again? You can! As your confidence grows, you will become more likely to stretch your abilities and take risks. Sure, you may still be afraid and unsure, but you act anyway, feeling energized as you go for goals that are important to you.

3. You’ll have more resilience 

Having more confidence doesn’t mean that you won’t fail. You will, and you may even fail a lot. But, you’ll know you can handle challenges that come your way and you won’t be frozen with fear because you’ll understand that even when things don’t go our way you can handle it. As you continue to push yourself to try new things you’ll realize that failure and mistakes lead to growth. The more willing to fail you are, the more likely you are to succeed because you’re in action – you’re taking more shots instead of waiting for the perfect play.

4. Your relationships will improve 

When you have more self-confidence, you are less focused on yourself and you’re able to avoid the comparison game. As a result, you’ll be more relaxed and so will the people around you. Imagine what it would be like to be fully present and in the moment, instead of wondering what everyone is thinking about you. Newsflash, when you have self-confidence you understand that people aren’t focused on you, they’re focused on themselves.

5. The Authentic You Will Shine Through 

Confidence means that we understand that your weaknesses don’t change your self-worth. When your actions are in alignment with your values you have a stronger sense of purpose. When you know who you are and what you stand for you have the courage to speak up for what you believe in. Now go out there and shine on!

Here are five action steps that will boost your confidence immediately:

1. Write down your favorite quote that inspires confidence.
2. Smile and look into their eyes when you greet people. This simple body language shift will make you feel more confident.
3. Show appreciation when you receive a compliment instead of downplaying it.
4. Dress nicely and pay attention to your personal grooming. I work from home and I have to force myself to get out of my yoga pants and into my work clothes, but when I do, I feel more confident and ready to take on the day.
5. Help someone else. This makes you feel good about yourself and serves as a reminder for all that you should be grateful for.