Feeling Insecure? 6 Tips For Actors To Boost Confidence

When you’re feeling insecure, how do you boost your confidence? 

Everyone has insecurities, even the most talented actors and celebrated creatives; it’s totally normal. But you don’t want to let the occasional fear and skepticism prevent you from pursuing your dreams and living the life you deserve. 

Even if you’re stressed about something small, like whether your outfit is chic enough, or something life-altering, like a romantic relationship or a career decision, if you continue to feel that you don’t deserve good things, it’s going to take a toll on your health. 

So, I have put together a short list of my favorite tips to help you shake free of self-doubt and start to celebrate your worth. 

1) Choose A Hype Song

Music is a powerful tool to change our mood. It can calm us down, lift us up, or even freak us out. Why do you think so many scary movies have iconic scores? Certain chords can literally make the hair on the back of our necks stand on end.  

But we’re talking about using music for good here… 😉 Take advantage of this easy outlet to boost your confidence by choosing your very own hype song. Think of it as your personalized theme music!

You know that oft-repeated scene in movies where the protagonist needs to put in a lot of hard work to reach their goal, so you see a montage of actions set to a fun, high-energy song? 

Well, I want you to find your own version, and play it on repeat while you’re preparing to go on set or driving to an audition. 

2) Use Your Power Color

Just like music, visual cues can inspire us into action as well. That’s why vision boards and visualization techniques are such popular tools. You don’t even have to flip through a stack of magazines to find images though. Just look in your wardrobe! 

What color makes you feel assured and on top of the world when you walk in a room? Maybe red makes you feel like a boss, or blue gives your serene, chill vibes, or black makes you feel tough and a true badass. 

Whatever triggers good energy for you, incorporate it into your outfit (and/or environment) whenever you need a pick-me-up. 

P.S. You can do the same with styles of dress too, like a lucky pair of socks, a jacket that makes you feel like a pro or a hat that gives you confidence.  

3) Leave Encouraging Messages For Your Future Self

Everyone enjoys a compliment; it’s an instant mood booster when you’re feeling insecure. But how often do you compliment yourself? 

If affirmations feel icky and Post-It Notes around your home get predictable quickly, try this exercise. Set a reminder on your phone or calendar with words of encouragement, such as “You’ve got this, babe! 😘” or “You’re strong and capable of doing hard things!”. 

If it’s hard to write warm and fuzzy messages to yourself at first, imagine you’re writing to your best friend. By creating a little distance from ourselves, we’re better able to embrace compassion.  

Then have the reminder repeat at a random interval. By the time you get the surprise message, you’ll have almost forgotten you set it up. But it’s sure to bring a smile to your face, maybe when you need it most. 

4) Concentrate On Baby Steps

Cut yourself some slack. Overcoming insecurity and building confidence takes time, so you don’t expect to see instant results. Instead, focus on the smaller steps you can take every day. You’ll feel way less pressure when you break up this journey into individual actions. 

If you need an extra push out of your comfort zone, consider finding an accountability buddy. It will not only make the experience less lonely, but you may find yourself moving forward faster when you’re working in tandem with another person. 

Check out my tips on how to get connected with a buddy and feel supported, even when you’re busy doing your own thing.

5) Toot Your Own Horn!

Don’t forget to give yourself a shout out when things go awesome! 

The nature of the acting industry directs us to always be looking toward that next job, even before our current one is finished. This sense of uncertainty can make even a consistently working actor feel nervous, stressed and insecure about their career. 

Plus, we don’t want to seem like we’re bragging or taking a good thing for granted, so it can be easy to brush off success and just put your nose to the grindstone almost immediately. 

I know I have certainly been guilty of this myself, moving the goalpost further away every time I hit a milestone, but it’s important to acknowledge when your hard work pays off. Especially if you overcame an insecurity to make it happen. 

If it helps, keep a running list of all the compliments or positive feedback you’ve received, so you can refer to it whenever you’re feeling down or doubting your purpose and impact on others (because I can assure you, you’re making a big, positive impact in someone’s life just by existing). 

6) Consult An Expert

Sometimes you need extra guidance. If insecurity is an ongoing issue that is getting in the way of your everyday life and overall happiness, it may be time to find a therapist or a coach who can help you work through what’s holding you back. 

Once you can uncover the root of your fears and doubts, you can begin to rewrite the stories your mind is holding on to about who you are and your worth. And the mind-body connect will follow. 

I’d love it if that person is me, so if you’d like to learn more about how I help actors feel good in their skin and crazy confident in everything they do, click here to schedule a free Vision + Vibe Session with me.

LOVE + encouragement!