Actress and director Sylvaine Strike, 42, shares her five tips for achieving confidence
- Be yourself, and react to things in a way that’s authentic to you, rather than how others expect you to.
- Forgive and understand yourself more. Often we don’t give ourselves the credit we deserve. We tend to be very hard on ourselves, and because many of our “flaws” are internal rather than outward, we have a more negative perception than others have of us.
- Be in awe of those who inspire you, without comparing yourself to them. Figure out what it is about them that inspires you, and try to embody those qualities. At the same time, try to be an inspiration to others by setting a good example and being conscious of what you leave behind.
- Treat yourself. There’s nothing quite like a good haircut or a luxurious face cream – it can make all the difference to how you feel, especially when you’re a bit off-centre.
- Do what you love. For many moms, it’s difficult to put ourselves first, but I know that if I have time to myself to be quiet or do some of the things that fulfil me, I’m a better mom to my kids. It’s a fine balance, but it’s important so that you don’t look up years down the line and wonder what happened to you and your dreams.