How do you stay calm and confident in life especially during difficult and stressful situations?

Calmness is a virtue that adds to confidence.

It doesn’t matter what we go through, what matters is how we respond to it.

In a world full of chaos – a calm and confident person is a king. The true powerful man knows how to be aggressive but chooses to be calm.

What is a Calm mindset?

While some people are naturally calm or reserved; it would surprise you to note how easily they could still lose their cool during heightened emotions.

To be calm and confident is to learn how to control your mind and eventually find a way.

Life is a lot like the ocean and the mind is like water. If you focus, stay cool & maintain a calm demeanor, you can be okay.

When it’s calm, everything becomes clear. If you panic & lose your nerve you will probably drown yourself. When it’s turbulent, it’s difficult to see.

How to be calm and confident?

1) Have a strong purpose

We all know that fear is one of the greatest enemies we have. You need to find your purpose and get clear about the next steps in your life.

2) Play the long game

Think through decisions. Would this matter in 5 years time?

Building a business takes time. 

Building a relationship takes time.

Healing your body takes time. 

Everyone wants a quick fix because the long way seems too hard.

Rushing through decisions would keep you in nervousness and fear.

Train yourself to stay calm when everyone else is losing their minds.

3) Take responsibility

Take responsibility for where you are right now in life and examine the exact choices you’ve made that got you there.

4) Listen to understand

Calm people know how to listen and do so emphatically for that matter. Listening is an opportunity to collect data from your environment. If you talk too much, you miss this opportunity and learn nothing.

“Choosing to listen actively to someone, looking them squarely in the eyes, and purposely remembering the major points may take more than the 15 seconds that defines the attention span of the average adult, but will add value and honor and dignity to the person with whom you are interacting” – Lessons from the Third Grade drop out.

5) Be optimistic

It’s hard to see a confident and pessimistic person.

What keeps you calm and confident is being optimistic no matter the chaos.

The secret never take any pain or difficult situation as your identity.

6) Embrace change

People that lose their minds and get disappointed the most are people that constantly resist change.

But the truth is that time will pass regardless and NOT changing is harder!

Recognize that change is constant and work towards doing better with change.

7) Believe in yourself

Some people will only start believing in you when your dreams become a reality. It’s your responsibility to believe in yourself BEFORE they become true.

Go after it while being calm, cool and confident.

This goes for relationships with others and most importantly you.

8) Live in a state of gratitude

People who are always thinking of what they don’t have rather than being grateful for the little they have are the most anxious.

9) Stop overthinking, take action

Overthinking leads to nervousness.

Focus on solutions.

Play to your strengths.

Take action.

Want to know how to take action on your ideas? Read more here: how to take action on your goals? 

10) Seek help

If you’re lost despite all your efforts, you need help. Seek help from the right people to assist you in your journey and get you the transformation you seek!

The nearer a man comes to a calm mind, the closer he is to strength – Marcus Aurelius.

— Steve (@stevewinroad) April 22, 2022

11 Habits to be calm and confident

1. Meditate as a morning routine

Meditation helps calm the mind.

You want to start your day in a calm state. Meditation is a perfect supplement to maintain a calm mind.

You can get better in managing anxiety with the practice of meditation.

The Calm app is a great way to do this.

2. Practice, practice, practice.

You’ll always be nervous if you’re not competent in what you do.

Practice, until you’re better than mediocre.

You’ll naturally be calm and confident in yourself.

3. Prioritize your sleep

Better sleep = Better quality of life.

Go to bed early, focus on proper rejuvenation of your body .

4. Keep a still and straight posture

Learn to walk into rooms with the power pose. You become powerful when you’re confident, calm and self-conscious. This is your natural state.

Avoid Slouching as it signals fear, boredom and disengagement.

5. Give firm handshakes

Only unconfident men give weak handshakes. Always give firm handshakes. This shows how relaxed, calm and confident you are.

6. Work on your Breathe 

The quickest way to change your state is to calm down your breathing.

Nervousness makes you lose your cool and confidence.

– Take deep breath, it helps you calm down and think clearer as well.

– It also helps you feel more confident about what you are about to do.

7. Be Present

A lot of people mistake being calm to being out of touch with your environment where you’re basically lost in your own head and can’t relate to nothing going on.

It’s quite the opposite. True calmness is being present and still posing calm.

“Being confident and outspoken is overrated. Being present and calm is underrated.” ~ Maxime Lagacé

8. Hang around calm people

Behaviour is contagious – if you find the people around you are always nervous then you need to change circles.

If you want to be calm then hang around calm people.

If you want drama then hang around dramatic people.

— Dan Go (@FitFounder) October 20, 2021

9. Practice Gratitude daily

Life is not all rainbows and butterflies.

The key to being calm and confident is to be grateful for every moment. Cherishing every moment.

10. Work on your physical health

Start going to the gym and paying attention to the foods you eat.

The wrong foods are recipes for being nervous and unhappy.

Your physical health can literally create the snowball of positive changes in our life.

11) Be open to Coaching and mentorship

Every great success had great mentors, coaches, and a team behind them.

There’s a difference between self-reliance and thinking you can do something you’ve never done before without any help.

The best performers all over the world have coaches and accountability partners. Don’t wait until you’re completely stuck to seek assistance, make it a habit.

Benefits of staying calm and confident

1. Gain Respect from others 

Calm men = controlled men

A calm man is respected by all.

2. Better control of your emotions

In order to control your emotion you need to be calm first.

3. You live a purposeful life and help others do the same.

Purpose sets you apart. 

4. You stop reacting to people’s games 

If you are impulsive then you’ll remain a slave to everyone.

To an extent, you don’t have control over what people do or say to you but you do have full control over how you react.

The time you take between action of a person and your reaction towards it, determines the quality of your life.

5. You live in a constant state of gratitude & joy.

Gratitude and happiness is a wonderful state to live in.

6. Peace of mind

No one can put a price tag on a calm and peaceful mind.

SUMMARY

• Start believing that life is happening for you, not to you.
• Fear in itself isn’t all that bad, it’s how you deal with it.
• Stop reacting impulsively so you can remain calm and confident.
• Hang around confident people, it’s 1000x easier to believe in yourself and in your goal being possible when you have the right people around you