Tango dancers spend countless hours practicing the same steps so that when a competition or performance comes, movements are like reflexes and partners appear proud and confident in each movement. Contrary to how their seemingly effortless dance appears, tango dancers do not learn and polish a tango dance in one day or even a week. If we look at their process, they teach us a valuable lesson about being proud of ourselves and being confident. Just like a tango dancer, we must practice over many hours to learn how to be proud of ourselves.

With any dance, you start by learning the fundamentals. There are small, basic steps that the rest of the dance is built on. There are also simple steps you can start today to move towards the confident person you want to be tomorrow.

Do you know that simply practicing good posture, whether sitting or standing, is a small and proven way to boost self-esteem? Not only will you breathe better, which makes your organs function better, but having your shoulders rolled back and head held high will make you feel more positive. Take a few minutes to evaluate how you are sitting now, and try taking a positive posture break for a few minutes while you read this post and see how you feel afterwards.

Another basic way to improve self-esteem is through words of affirmation about yourself, which you can write down in a journal. Identify and write down as many of your personal strengths as you can. You may be surprised at how many things you are great at – from being a caring family member to a hard worker. If you feel down on yourself, write down one or two of the strengths you are proudest of and revisit the journal later to write down more.

Even the best dancers have a misstep occasionally during a competition. They have a choice in that moment to either let that step stop the rest of the dance, or to continue on gracefully. In this sense, you can also practice not being so hard on yourself when you make a mistake. If you continually focus on a mistake, you may ruin the moments or days you have afterwards! So while you are practicing positivity, also practice forgiving yourself for your mistakes so you can move on successfully in the next moment.

Your confidence may be causing you to sit out part of the great dance of life, but with a little help and by learning a few fundamentals, there is no stopping you from achieving your goals. Remember that like the tango, you must concentrate on practicing one small step each day to build a strong foundation. Before you know it, you will soon be moving in harmony with your true self, and the steps you take will be innate movements, propelling you to where you wish to be next.

As you go on your personal journey and learn your new steps, I will be here to coach you and guide you as you go. Most dancers have coaches, and I will be here to help you if you take a misstep or need help figuring out the next move.

What is one step you can take today to boost self-confidence and being proud of yourself?