Surround yourself with friends who love you. Most of the time, when we’re around our closest friends, we are most confident. They know how to bring us out of our shell so we can be ourselves and, when in the midst of an intimidating situation, they can be someone to stand behind you for moral support and calm you down.

Talk about yourself in a positive way. We are all guilty of being way too hard on ourselves. We think we’re stupid after getting a bad grade on a test or self-centered for asking for one too many favors. If we constantly say bad things about ourselves, we are eventually going to believe them. In order to stop this, start talking about yourself in a positive way! Focus on things you did well instead of things you did horribly. If you force yourself to talk in a positive manner, it will start to come naturally.

Improve your posture. This one sounds weird, but it actually helps. Body language affects you more than you think. A person standing with arms crossed and slouching shoulders shows that they are trying to protect themselves from other people and makes them seem closed off. It shows that they are scared of what people have to say about them so they don’t do anything to draw attention. In order to look confident, put your shoulders back, let your arms hang casually at your sides, and don’t be afraid to make eye contact with others. This shows that you are willing to let people in, and will give you more confidence.

Animals!! Spend time with pets. Animals don’t expect anything from you except attention. They won’t see any flaws because they don’t care about the flaws. This can be a huge stress reliever, especially when you need some time to recharge. Grab your dog, cat, or even your gecko, and spend some quality time with them.

Anxiety is annoying, and may never completely go away, but it doesn’t have to control you. Use these tips to get your confidence back and take charge of your own life.