5 Ways To Boost Confidence And Prevent Anxiety In Teens

Today’s children are under more pressure than their parents. This is because of the existence of social media and how immensely demanding today’s world has become. Therefore, in order to help as much as possible, we are going to explain 5 ways to increase self-confidence and prevent anxiety in adolescents.

As adults, when we think of our childhood in school, one of the first things we remember is our relationships and social experiences with other classmates and friends from that time. And when our teens reach high school, we can see them going through everything we’ve been through on our own: insecurities, fears, new relationships and friends, trying to fit in with others, worries, etc.

Tools to Boost Confidence and Prevent Anxiety in Teens

In order for our children to better cope with life and its adversity, great confidence in themselves is vital. We need to make them aware that we all have strengths that help us develop self-confidence. The tools we’ll talk about next will help adolescents gain the confidence they need to move from adolescence to adulthood.

Strengths

According to Dr. Martin Seligman (link in English) every person has 24 key strengths in them, such as leadership, humility or perseverance. We all have them, although some have more strengths and others less. If we discover our teens’ strengths and get them to use them to their own advantage, we will grow their self-esteem. Knowing what they are will make them more confident about the paths they take in life.

Emotions

Feelings and emotions are something we should be aware of. We need to pay attention to it when we communicate with our teenagers. They are not just there to make us feel bad or suffer. Worry, anger, sadness, negativity and other emotions are all trying to send us very important messages.

For example, anger can mean that a situation or a person exceeds our limits. Worries can be a sign that something important is about to happen and that we need to focus on solving or addressing it. We need to understand why we have a certain feeling when it shows up.

Self-compassion

Sometimes, when a teen feels like they are being judged or ridiculed, it can add to their self-doubt. To avoid this, you need to practice self-compassion. It has 3 basic components:

• Mindfulness: giving yourself time to feel and understand your own existence.
• Self-tolerance: Talking to yourself the same way you would talk to a friend.
• Altruism: being aware that no one is perfect and that we are never alone.

These 3 components can help teenagers, or even younger children, deal with difficult social and emotional situations.

Self-esteem to increase self-confidence and prevent anxiety

Self-esteem is very important when dealing with other people. Depending on whether it is low or high, we will be more or less inclined to associate with other people.

Teenagers are at a stage in their lives where social relationships are very important. A good sense of self will be the key to this. In addition, it is important that we appreciate all of our child’s efforts and make sure that they know this. Therefore, any criticism we make must be constructive. We also need to help them do what they like. And of course we have to spend time on it. All of this will help them develop a good sense of self so they can relate better to the rest of the world.

Nervousness

Did you know that nervousness can help us improve our performance? When our nerves grab us, they make us more alert and improve blood flow.

Contrary to popular belief, nervousness is more a feeling of excitement than something unpleasant. As our heart speeds up, our thoughts travel a thousand miles an hour and we can feel a tingling sensation in our stomach. So if teens change their perspective and think they’re excited instead of nervous, it can all work in their favor.

Boosting our teens’ self-confidence

With the tips we just showed you, you can boost confidence and prevent teenage anxiety when it comes to meeting new people or being in a new environment. They are the foundation they should use to deal with the world outside their home.

We all know that adolescence is full of changes, both physical and psychological. For this reason, it is important to keep these tools in mind when helping your children to trust themselves. Plus, all of this will help boost their confidence as they go from teens to adults.