You may have been there. Those Grey-Sky Days when you feel unable to raise your head because you feel too unworthy to make eye contact with the world.

Here are five things that help me on such days.

Polish Your Boots!

When our confidence takes a slump we may struggle to raise our heads and we have eyes for our shoes only. I realised at the beginning of the winter what a difference it makes on such days to at least have polished (and re-heeled) boots. It may not quite impact our Moodscope score but it definitely lifts something inside. Even the regular polishing of your boots and shoes can be uplifting. Line them all up, turn up the music or catch up on a Radio 4 podcast and get polishing. On your next "shoe fixation" day you'll be glad you did.

Open Wide.

No, not quite like at the dentist but often when our confidence ups and leaves, clear speech is the next to follow as we resort to mumblings and mutterings. And is there anything more humiliating, when already feeling wobbly, than to be told to, "Speak up please, I can't understand you!"

Open your mouth slightly wider than you may feel comfortable with. Aim to speak with clarity. It may not cause the sun to shine but good enunciation and a taking of pride in our voice/speech can help to keep our dignity when we may otherwise feel wholly negative about ourselves.

Glossy Locks.

The first thing I lose when my confidence takes a crash is the ability to put together an outfit that I love - a daily ritual I enjoy when I'm "well" (although spending a few minutes before bed to lay out an outfit for the following day, even if you don't intend leaving the house, definitely helps!). If my hair is as clean and shiny as I like my boots to be, however, even if I'm on the rather crumpled-looking side, glossy locks will reflect otherwise.

Smile.

Yes, I'm all for being tender to oneself and listening to the feelings; no one likes to feel like an organ grinder's monkey. But a smile, even if only to yourself, is such an attractive thing. Finding yourself to be the recipient of someone else's smile can make our heart soar. So go on, it may not quite reach the eyes today but be the first to smile.

Stand Tall.

Perhaps the quickest, easiest way to boost our confidence is to adjust our posture. For some reason, I never notice this more than when at a hospital - either visiting or attending an appointment. Maybe it is because hospitals and doctor's surgeries can feel like such grim places. Walking tall and with confidence may not necessarily alter our mood but we will surely feel better able to 'handle it' and all that blows our way.

What do you do to assist floundering confidence?

Suzy

A Moodscope member.