How do you surround yourself with supportive and inspiring people who boost your self-confidence?

1 Why supportive people matter

Your social environment can have a significant impact on your self-confidence. The people you interact with can influence your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, either positively or negatively. Supportive people are those who respect you, value you, and care about you. They listen to you, give you honest feedback, and celebrate your achievements. They also challenge you, inspire you, and motivate you to pursue your dreams. Supportive people can help you build your self-confidence by reinforcing your strengths, acknowledging your efforts, and helping you overcome your fears.

2 How to find supportive people

Finding supportive people can be challenging, especially if you have been surrounded by negative or toxic people in the past. But there are some ways to increase your chances of meeting people who share your values, interests, and goals. For example, you can join online or offline communities that relate to your hobbies, passions, or causes. You can also attend events, workshops, or courses that offer opportunities to learn new skills, network, or have fun. You can also reach out to people who inspire you, such as mentors, role models, or experts, and ask for their advice, feedback, or guidance.

3 How to nurture supportive relationships

Once you find supportive people, you need to nurture your relationships with them and make them last. This means being supportive yourself, as well as receiving support. You can do this by expressing your appreciation, gratitude, and respect for them. You can also show interest in their lives, goals, and challenges, and offer your help, encouragement, or feedback when needed. You can also share your own experiences, achievements, and struggles with them, and ask for their support, advice, or input. You can also spend quality time with them, doing things that you both enjoy, or learning from each other.

4 How to avoid unsupportive people

Not everyone will be supportive of you and your self-confidence. Some people may be jealous, insecure, or judgmental of you and your choices. They may try to undermine you, criticize you, or discourage you from pursuing your goals. They may also make you feel guilty, ashamed, or unworthy of success. These people are unsupportive and can damage your self-confidence and happiness. You need to avoid them as much as possible, or limit your contact with them. You can also set boundaries with them, and assert your needs, opinions, and rights. You can also ignore their negativity, and focus on your own positive self-talk and affirmations.

5 How to balance support and independence

While supportive people can boost your self-confidence, you also need to rely on yourself and your own abilities. You can't depend on others for validation, approval, or happiness. You need to develop your own self-confidence and self-esteem, and trust your own judgment and decisions. You need to take responsibility for your own actions, outcomes, and growth. You need to challenge yourself, learn from your mistakes, and celebrate your achievements. You need to be your own best friend, and support yourself first.

6 How to benefit from support

Surrounding yourself with supportive and inspiring people can have many benefits for your self-confidence and well-being. You can learn from their experiences, insights, and perspectives, and gain new knowledge, skills, or opportunities. You can also get inspired by their achievements, values, and visions, and discover new possibilities, goals, or dreams. You can also feel more motivated, energized, and optimistic, and cope better with stress, setbacks, or failures. You can also enjoy more meaningful, fulfilling, and satisfying relationships, and feel more connected, accepted, and loved.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?