Recent studies have shown that the central factor in feeling self-confident is the ability to connect with others.

There is a painless way I use to improve this skill in my clients – and it takes just 5 minutes a day. I also do the peace, poise and confidence exercise (below) daily to connect to my most powerful inner resources.

I give clients the following exercise.

Here's how it works – feel free to try it yourself:

If you want to try this, you commit to yourself that you will do an experiment where you smile at 5 strangers a day for a week. Be sure to pick people who feel safe at first, meaning that you don't expect a response from them. Like in all of life, you will find that some will respond and some won't. But that's not the point at all here. What you are aiming to accomplish here is completely about you and your ability to stretch your connection skills.

After you do this for a while you might start to feel differently, in some small way, and wonder how often you used to smile at people, or even start to wonder what your usual expression is with people. If you like, you could ask your friends if you usually smile or frown, or something in between.

An easy way to create a state inside you of peace, poise and confidence from which to smile is to do this simple exercise that takes only 5-10 seconds:

Take a few deep breaths and settle in to your body… Now that you are completely relaxed, see in your mind's eye the face of someone you love. See this person looking back at you with complete love and admiration in their eyes. This person sees you completely and loves you just as you are.

When you dip into this feeling you can smile with complete abandon, just like the sun shines itself out on everything with complete abandon.

RESOURCES

My colleague, Rori Gwynne, is excellent at helping women increase their self-confidence in the area of relationships. What I especially like about her work is that she gives tangible steps using powerful role-playing exercises in her monthly workshops and drop in sessions. This mind-body approach is that same one I use in my therapy and coaching. Contact Rori at www.CoachRori.com for more information or call her at 310-710-5802.

Susan Quinn, MFT Psychotherapy and Life Coaching. Visit my web site at www.susanquinn.net for my complementary Ezine, Susan Quinn's Power Therapies, or call me at 310-600-3458.

Recent studies have shown that the central factor in feeling self-confident is the ability to connect with others.

There is a painless way I use to improve this skill in my clients – and it takes just 5 minutes a day. I also do the peace, poise and confidence exercise (below) daily to connect to my most powerful inner resources.

I give clients the following exercise.

Here's how it works – feel free to try it yourself:

If you want to try this, you commit to yourself that you will do an experiment where you smile at 5 strangers a day for a week. Be sure to pick people who feel safe at first, meaning that you don't expect a response from them. Like in all of life, you will find that some will respond and some won't. But that's not the point at all here. What you are aiming to accomplish here is completely about you and your ability to stretch your connection skills.

After you do this for a while you might start to feel differently, in some small way, and wonder how often you used to smile at people, or even start to wonder what your usual expression is with people. If you like, you could ask your friends if you usually smile or frown, or something in between.

An easy way to create a state inside you of peace, poise and confidence from which to smile is to do this simple exercise that takes only 5-10 seconds:

Take a few deep breaths and settle in to your body… Now that you are completely relaxed, see in your mind's eye the face of someone you love. See this person looking back at you with complete love and admiration in their eyes. This person sees you completely and loves you just as you are.

When you dip into this feeling you can smile with complete abandon, just like the sun shines itself out on everything with complete abandon.

RESOURCES

Susan Quinn, MFT Psychotherapy and Life Coaching. Visit my web site at www.susanquinn.net for my complementary Ezine, Susan Quinn's Power Therapies, or call me at 310-600-3458.

Susan Quinn has been practicing as a psychotherapist and hypnotherapist since 1987 in the Los Angeles area.