Guest Writer: Walking Into Your Power

 Walking Into Your Power: 

Real-World Moves to Build Confidence and Chase What Matters

Submitted by: Suzanne Tanner

It’s easy to get caught up in your own head. You set goals, imagine a better version of yourself, even dream about the life you want to lead—and then you get stuck. Confidence doesn’t magically appear when you need it. It’s a practice, built day by day, decision by decision, and it's the key that opens doors to the version of your life that actually feels fulfilling. If you're looking for ways to break through hesitation and start showing up for yourself, these steps aren't about instant fixes or fluffy self-talk. They're about real effort, the kind that stacks over time, giving you the momentum to start living like you mean it.

Audit Your Inner Voice 

You don’t need to be your own bully. Pay attention to the way you talk to yourself in quiet moments—when you mess up, when you’re alone with your thoughts, when you’re standing at the edge of a risk. If the voice in your head is harsh, cynical, or endlessly critical, it’s not helping you grow—it’s just building walls around your confidence. Start redirecting it. You don’t have to lie to yourself or fake positivity, but you do need to practice being fair, honest, and maybe even kind.

Let Small Wins Stack

Confidence doesn’t come from huge achievements. It builds when you keep promises to yourself, even the tiny ones nobody sees. Getting up when you said you would, finishing the task you’ve been avoiding, speaking up in a conversation—these moments teach your brain that you’re someone who shows up. And when they start stacking, they reinforce the belief that you’re capable of more than your doubt tells you. The big milestones feel less scary when you’re already proving it daily in small, meaningful ways.

Create a Goals Poster

Turning your ambitions into something you can physically see every day makes them harder to ignore and easier to chase. Creating a personalized poster that reflects your goals, mantras, or future self helps transform vague intentions into clear, motivating visuals. Hang it where you’ll see it each morning—it acts like a quiet coach, reminding you what you’re working toward even when motivation dips. To create your free poster to print, utilize an app that lets you build, customize, and print stunning, high-quality posters using professionally crafted templates and tools; click here.

Get Physically Uncomfortable on Purpose

There’s power in pushing your body just a little past comfort. You don’t have to run marathons or become a gym rat. But when you move—really move—you reconnect with your body in a way that clears out mental clutter. Cold showers, walks without your phone, doing something physically awkward or new—these things reset your nervous system and remind you that discomfort isn’t a threat. It’s actually where growth hides. The bonus? When you build physical grit, your mental game levels up with it.

Talk to Strangers (Yes, Really)

Confidence doesn’t live in isolation. If you want to grow it, you’ve got to exercise it socially. Make eye contact. Say hello. Ask a real question instead of defaulting to small talk. You’ll be surprised how often people welcome that kind of openness—and how good it feels to prove to yourself that you can handle real interaction. Social courage is like a muscle, and the more you use it, the less scary it becomes to speak your mind or ask for what you need.

Get Rid of the “When I’m Ready” Lie

Waiting to feel fully prepared is the trap that keeps most people stuck. Here’s the truth: you’ll probably never feel ready to take the leap. Whether it's starting a project, asking for a promotion, or moving to a new place, there’s always going to be fear. But if you make moves anyway, you teach yourself that fear doesn’t get to be the boss. Taking action while scared is what builds real self-trust. Ready isn’t a feeling—it’s a decision.

Build a Personal Environment That Doesn’t Drain You

If your surroundings constantly pull you away from your goals, your confidence will keep hitting a wall. That includes your space, your habits, and especially your people. You don’t have to cut everyone off or design a Pinterest-worthy apartment. But you should be intentional. Set up your physical and digital world in a way that supports how you want to feel. Make room for your goals to breathe instead of burying them under noise and distractions.

Do the Thing You’ve Been Putting Off (Now)

There’s at least one thing you know you should’ve done by now. It nags you in quiet moments. You avoid it by staying busy or telling yourself next week will be better. But the longer it sits, the heavier it gets. Rip the Band-Aid off. Taking action on that one thing—even if it’s messy or awkward—can crack open momentum in the rest of your life. You’ll stop being haunted by your own avoidance and start seeing yourself as someone who gets things done.

Waiting to become someone else before you take your shot is a trap. You are not an unfinished draft that needs polishing before you're allowed to try. Your confidence will not grow from sitting on the sidelines, reading advice, or obsessing over what could go wrong. It grows in real time, through movement, mess, and moments of self-surprise. The truth is, your best life isn’t some far-off concept—it starts the minute you decide to show up like you belong in it. And you do. 

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