There is a common misconception that if you’re confident, your self-esteem is bulletproof. But even the most self-assured individuals can still wholeheartedly feel and be influenced by negative experiences that lead to a confidence malfunction--or as I like to call it, a confidence burnout.

What is a confidence burnout, you ask? It’s what happens when you slowly start building positive momentum in your self-esteem and one incident completely shatters all of the hard work. A bad grade. An unflattering photo. An expectation not being met. A nasty remark. The list is endless and knows no bounds.

These scenarios can act as catalysts to a complete confidence burnout. It causes doubt in your abilities, mistrust in others and a second, third, or fourth glance in the mirror before you head out.

It’s time to put on the hard-hat and rebuild your lost confidence. Here are a few ways to get started.

Give yourself time.
If you trip and break your wrist, you will refrain from playing volleyball the next day. Without hesitation, we mend physical pain by giving ourselves a window of time to recover, but emotional healing is always rushed. We don’t give ourselves enough time to regroup and when we are haste about the healing process, it becomes inauthentic. We all have something that makes us feel better, whether it is going for a run outside or sitting in bed watching a movie with a bowl of ice cream in our lap. Sometimes we aren’t ready to face the world yet. And that’s okay. Take the time you need for yourself.

Approach the situation differently.
Everyone responds to negative situations differently, usually landing somewhere on the spectrum between fiery anger to complete avoidance. We have to teach ourselves to approach situations differently if we want to expect a different outcome.

If you’re disappointed with a friend, choose to talk it out instead of sending cryptic messages through social media. Instead of crumbling up your math homework and throwing it in the trash bin out of frustration--which will inevitably lead to failure on the upcoming test--meet with the teacher for extra help or see if you can form a study group. Trying a new approach could be the most effective remedy.

Change your perspective.
A bad grade does not mean you aren’t intelligent. Disappointment at the number on the scale does not mean you aren't good-looking. Luckily, you can not be measure self-worth with a letter grade or any numerical value. Tests do not measure patience or strength or generosity. Similarly, an unflattering photo does not make you unattractive either. We all have good angles and bad angles. Instead of fretting about what other people may think, embrace it, laugh it off, and then move on. Self-acceptance is a beautiful thing.

By: Erin Rodrigue
(c) I'mPerfect Magazine