I am beyond excited about this wonderful opportunity I got to work with Ashley Reynolds, Creative Copywrighter at American Family Insurance, as a co-writer for a piece entitled "4 TIPS FOR IMPROVING YOUR CONFIDENCE". What a fun piece to work on and how helpful it can be to boil things down into tangible steps and ideas. Here is the full article:

Here’s how you can begin living your happiest, most authentic life.

By Ashley Reynolds

What if I told you that all you need to achieve your dreams is confidence? Easier said than done, right? Confidence is a tricky concept and not exactly an easy quality to embrace, and yet, it’s a key ingredient to finding success and happiness in life.

So, how does one overcome their insecurities and become more confident? Kyira Hauer, founder of Kinda Kreative, LLC, creator of the #ReclaimBeauty Warrior Project and all around inspirational dreamer, starts by defining what confidence really means.

“Confidence is the ability to embrace and live a life in line with your authentic self. It’s about knowing your values, honoring what makes you, you, and finding ways to let that shine through in all you take on,” she explains.

Sounds like something you can get on board with, right? Sure! But there are a few roadblocks to overcome first. Here are some tips to get you started down the path to confidence.

First, determine your core values. Being confident in who you are and what you stand for starts exactly there – deciding what you stand for. What matters to you? Kyira recommends to begin by doing a values assessment. “Find out what motivates and drives you at your core. Then check in with what you’re doing and the direction you’re headed in and ask yourself how these things align.”

Accept that you’ll never please everyone. This is an especially difficult obstacle to overcome, because so often we define our success by what others think of us. But it’s time to change that. “As humans, we’re driven by the need and desire to be connected to others,” explains Kyira, “but we are not meant to be liked by everyone and no matter how hard we try, there will always be people who don’t like us or have a difference of opinion – and that’s okay! So, instead of doing everything you can to please those you’ll never be able to please, ask yourself what you can do to nurture your own values, needs and desires, and remind yourself that you are already worthy.”

Know that you are enough. Just as you must convince yourself that others can’t dictate how you feel about yourself, you’ve got to embrace that you are enough for you. “We are a culture built upon ‘busyness’ as our primary form of social capital, and ingrained in us is the notion that we need to always be achieving more. Well, I’m here to tell you that that’s not only a lie, but a darn good way to wear yourself out!” explains Kyira. “We are all already inherently worthy, valuable and beautiful. If you did nothing today but watch Netflix, you are still valuable. If you didn’t chase that next promotion, you are still the same person worthy of celebration.” Embrace it, believe it!

Celebrate yourself and others. Each one of us is unique and you have something special to bring to the table. Honor that by being proud of the things that make you different! At the same time, lift up those around you whenever you can. “Celebrate people for being who they are,” encourages Kyira. “Celebrate them for having a different outlook or opinion and get curious about what is beyond someone’s list of ‘accomplishments’ or the details of their resume.” You’d be surprised at just how much your confidence grows as you help your peers believe in themselves.

“When our confidence is up, we see ourselves as more capable of surpassing the barriers before us and see success as inevitable rather than possible. We take chances and are motivated by our fears to reach out for the things we desire. We accomplish our dreams,” concludes Kyira. So, are you ready to start living your happiest, most successful, most authentic life? Say it with me – confidence here I come!"