Last Updated on February 21, 2023
Things can happen in life that lead us over time to lose confidence and to lose self-esteem. So what can we do in our 50s + to rebuild and boost our confidence? Here are 20 ways to boost and build your confidence after 50.
1. Embrace Aging
One of the best ways to start boosting your confidence is by embracing your age and all its perks.
Age brings wisdom, confidence, and perspective that you can use in your life.
Being in your 50s or 60s can actually be the twilight time in your life, meaning a special time when you might be free, for example, from bringing up children.
Furthermore, it’s a time when you might have greater financial freedom than in the past.
This is your time to do the things you love and that you are interested to do. Enjoy being in your 50s+ and 60s and older!
2. Managing Your Health
One of the best ways to boost your confidence in your 50s+ is to manage your health and it really can be fun whilst also being sociable.
The best way is to join a local class and consider:
- Yoga or pilates (great for overall health including balance and strength)
- A sport you enjoy such as badminton, squash, running
- Or join a local walking group or do a pacey daily walk
You will feel much better and it’s a great way to meet new people in your 50s.
3. Find Success
Focus on things you can do well and make a success out of them.
When you find success in something, it will help to build confidence.
- Are you good at painting or drawing? Why not take up painting art or start attending a life drawing class and start drawing and showing your drawing skills?
- Perhaps you are talented when it comes to arts & crafts. Why not do it for fun and let people see your talents?
4. Take Risks and Don’t Be Afraid
Taking risks can be a great confidence booster.
Even if you fail, the experience of trying something new can help boost confidence.
It doesn’t matter what you choose to try, as long as you push yourself a little and step outside of your comfort zone. You might for example:
- Have always wanted to learn to sing but were too scared to attend classes. Do it now!
- Is it time for you to try a parachute jump and raise money for charity at the same time?
- Is there a country you have always wanted to visit but have avoided because you couldn’t find anyone to go with? Is now the time to go and go alone if needed!
- Are you still single (or single again) in your 50s+ and there is a love interest you haven’t yet been brave enough to approach?
You’ll not live forever. Maybe now is the time? 🙂
5. Build a Strong & Positive Support Network
Surround yourself with people who love and support you.
Building the right people around you that you can turn to can help boost your confidence.
Actively think about which people you surround yourself with, i.e. are they a positive influence?
If you hang around negative people all of the time, it stands to reason that you will feel negative too and your confidence can ebb.
Keeping a positive company will help boost confidence.
6. Have Positive Self-Talk
Negative self-talk can really hurt confidence, so try to fill your head with positive words and thoughts about yourself.
Here’s a great article by Healthline on positive self-talk, to get you started.
7. Develop New Skills
It is also a great idea to keep learning and developing new skills that will keep your mind active and help you build your confidence.
It can be anything including:
- a language (how about Spanish)
- origami
- writing skills (why not start writing your own life story)
- taking up cookery classes and learning to cook Italian cuisine
- trying a new activity such as canoeing, hiking, or gardening
8. Be Yourself
The moment we begin to compare ourselves to others, we can very easily begin to lose confidence because there will always be someone who is a greater achiever.
There will always be someone better so stop comparing yourself to others. Be yourself and start to love who you are.
9. Celebrate Small Everyday Achievements
It is important to learn, when trying to build and boost your confidence, that the small achievements are the ones we should celebrate more often that the big achievements.
As we move into our 50s and 60s and later in life, we might have lost sight of the importance of basic achievements.
The old adage that what counts is the journey and not reaching the goal is very true.
Learn to take confidence from simple basic achievements.
- Learned to master another 2 steps in tango? You are improving. Take confidence from this.
- Learned 7 new words of Italian in 7 days? Keep going!
- Managed to run 5km 10 seconds faster than you’ve done before? Pat yourself on the back and enjoy the achievement.
- Successfully made a poached egg for the first time? Result!
10. Dress for Success
To boost your confidence, why not also put some effort into your wardrobe and dress for success?
Even when you’re not going anywhere special, dressing well can really help confidence levels.
You might find it interesting to read the post I did recently on fashion tips for the over 50s.
11. Learn to Say No
Don’t be afraid to say no when it’s appropriate and necessary.
Saying no can help boost confidence because you will better use your time and as a result, feel more empowered.
What also inevitably happens when we do not know how to say no to people, is that we end up doing things we feel uncomfortable doing and this, in turn, leads to a loss of confidence.
Your time is precious and it is valuable so learn to say no when needed, so that you can focus your time on positive things.
12. Take Time for Yourself
By learning to say no to more things, as we mentioned above, you will find that you have more time for yourself.
Use some of this time to relax, recharge and do something you enjoy.
13. Be Decisive
Making decisions can be difficult, but the more decisions you make confidently, the easier it will become.
In other words, being indecisive can drag you down and is not the way to build confidence.
Here are some useful tips on how to be more decisive.
14. Make Goals
Set goals for yourself and create a plan to achieve them.
Working towards something will help boost confidence.
15. Become a Volunteer
Volunteering is a great confidence booster.
You will feel you are doing good for others and this aids personal confidence.
Furthermore, you are likely to build some good connections and positive friendships from the volunteering work.
To find volunteering opportunities, there are a few options:
- You can volunteer in local charity shops near to where you live or for local sports clubs
- If you want to volunteer but for a set amount of time and love to travel then why not consider the likes of Workaway.
16. Make New Friends
Making new friends in your 50s + can also boost your confidence.
As I mentioned earlier, focus on positive connections to develop a great circle of positivity around you.
If you haven’t already read it, you might enjoy this post:
17. Get a New Haircut
Sometimes a confidence boost can be as simple as getting a new haircut.
Why not be brave and try something new and refresh your look?
18. Be Assertive
Speak up for yourself and be assertive when necessary.
Being able to stand up for yourself will help your confidence levels.
19. Give Yourself Permission to Make Mistakes
Don’t be too hard on yourself if you make a mistake or fail at something.
Embrace trying new things and from these new experiences, enjoy the confidence you will gain from experiencing more of what life has to offer.
20. Traveling
To enjoy the experience of new places, you do not necessarily have to travel far.
You can benefit from exploring local villages, towns, and nearby cities.
Alternatively, visiting new countries and parts of the world is a great way to build confidence by allowing yourself to experience new things.
These days, in our 50s, my husband and I try one new world adventure every year.
This year, for example, I decided to travel and tackle my fear of skiing by trying cross-country skiing. So we went to Norway and tried cross-country skiing and what an experience and confidence booster it was.
Hi. I’m Dr Valeria Lo Iacono, a lady in her 50s living in the UK. I write about the over-50s and 60s lifestyle including on travel, health, food, and fashion.
