Low Self-Confidence Damages Your Health

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Confidence and health are joined at the hip. High levels of confidence lead to better health and low levels of confidence impair your health.

Low confidence leads to negative thinking: worry, fear, doubt and pessimism. Sustained negative thinking ultimately gives rise to chronic stress.

When you suffer from chronic stress, there is a domino effect of physiology that takes place inside your body.

With normal, short-term stress, the hypothalamus increases the release of epinephrine and norepinephrine. These hormones make the heart beat faster and prepare the body for fight or flight.

If the stress lingers, however, a gene on chromosome 10, called CYP17, is activated. This gene goes to work to convert cholesterol to cortisol. One of cortisol’s side effects is that it depresses the immune system by reducing the production of lymphocytes – white blood cells. The gene CYP17 also turns on another gene called TCF, which suppresses the production of a protein called interleukin 2. Interleukin 2’s purpose is to put white blood cells on high alert. White blood cells are your body’s main defense against viruses, diseases, germs and any parasites that infect the body.

Lack confidence leads to negative thinking, which leads to chronic stress and this makes you more susceptible to disease, viruses and infections.

How To Boost Your Confidence

I studied 233 millionaires and 128 people struggling with poverty. I uncovered over 300 daily habits that can help you live a happy, healthy, successful life. Here are a few of the confidence-boosting Rich Habits I discovered in my five-year study:

  • Daily Learning – Read to learn every day. This reading should be directly related to your chosen field. The more knowledge you acquire, the more confidence you will become on the job.
  • Deliberate Practice – Some professions require daily deliberate practice. Deliberate practice may be both physical – swinging a golf club a certain way, and thinking – reviewing facts and information related to your profession. Deliberate practice boosts your confidence.
  • Daily Exercise – Exercising every day will help you lose weight, look trim and health and this helps to boost your confidence.
  • Overcome Obstacles – Confronting obstacles are a part of life. If you make a habit of surrendering to obstacles, this will impair your confidence. If you make a habit of overcoming obstacles, this will boost your confidence.
  • Attack Fear – Fear holds most back from taking action. If, however, you take on an activity that has you riddled with fear, you will find that your fear was exaggerated. When you engage in activities that frighten you, this will boost your confidence.
  • Do Good – When you help improve the lives of those around you, this makes you feel like you are adding value to the lives of others and will boost your confidence. Volunteer at community non-profit groups.
  • Find Apostles – Surround your self with upbeat, success-minded people. When you surround yourself with the right people, they will encourage and support you. Their positive influence on you will help boost your confidence.
  • Be Responsive – Return phone calls, emails, text messages. Not doing so will cause you to subconsciously worry that you are impairing your relationships. Remove that worry and you will boost your confidence.
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Thomas C. Corley About Thomas C. Corley

Tom Corley is a bestselling author, speaker, and media contributor for Business Insider, CNBC and a few other national media outlets.

His Rich Habits research has been read, viewed or heard by over 50 million people in 25 countries around the world.

Besides being an author, Tom is also a CPA, CFP, holds a master’s degree in taxation and is President of Cerefice and Company, a CPA firm in New Jersey.
 
Phone Number: 732-382-3800 Ext. 103.
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Comments

  1. Jennifer Tanner says:

    Great list, I just printed out and posted by my desk. Great for my kids to read as well. By the way I appreciate the list of inspiring books, biographies you shared a few weeks ago. I am reading one you just mentioned the other day, Talent is Overrated. I have had my eyes opened reading about Mozart, Tiger Woods, musicians, etc. My husband is my sons baseball coach and their time practicing, ten year mark and intense personal conditioning is putting them right on track for my son to be successful at his favorite sport. He is eleven but what the two of them do to achieve his success in baseball is in line with all you mention in this blog ( constant practicing & learning) and that book. I use your blog to keep me inspired in other areas of my life, that was just one example. Thanks so much!

  2. Davene Meehan says:

    I really appreciate your “attack fear” and “find apostles”.I am starting to study to be a principal and was so nervous to tell anyone else. First my husband–all his support. Then a dean, counselor, and a vice-principal–their support. Then my principal. Every time I actually thought they would be critical or hysterical. Instead they are giving me suggestions, more responsibility, letting me in on more of what they are going through, their thought processes. They do tell me to be aware of negatives–lack of life due to sports and club competitions, awards, faculty meetings…. Still apprehensive but going forward…It is a dream, a goal, a passion.

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