Young girls and women in this world are often met with a whole gnarly set of obstacles and standards to try to live up to, which can ultimately be damaging to their self-esteem as they mature and make their way through life.
This is why it’s so vital if you have a daughter, no matter her age, to live your life with as much authenticity, courage of conviction, and self-confidence as you can, because there is something so powerful about showing your daughter what a strong female role model looks like.
There are lots of ways in which you can live your day-to-day life for your best self while at the same time helping your daughter see that high self-worth and inner happiness shine through.
Let’s take a look at six easy ways moms can promote self-confidence around their daughters.
1. Establish that the word 'no' is a full sentence.
One thing that women and mothers can be known for is continually being the ones to take care of the people around them, even other adults and their partners. With that can often come doing things that you don’t really want to do but feeling obligated to say yes.
If you want to set clear boundaries, particularly within your family unit and friend group, it can be a valuable lesson to have your daughter see that you don’t always have to say yes to things just to make someone else happy. In fact, "no" can very often be a full sentence, and you can say it and really just leave it at that.
If daughters see their moms establishing clear boundaries and using the word "no" on a regular basis, then it’s likely to give them the confidence to speak up and commit to their own firm boundaries themselves.
2. Show body confidence and positivity on a daily basis.
From comparing ourselves to influencers on our social media feeds to feeling envious of the near-perfect bodies we see depicted on television shows, it can sometimes feel difficult to look at our own bodies in a kind manner.
And daughters, without even being aware of what they’re really taking in, will look to their mothers at a young age and notice how they feel about their bodies, and those daughters may even mimic it in their own relationship with theirs.
This is why it’s so important to show your daughter a woman who’s not only proud of the body she has, but who’s also completely OK with the way it’s going to change and fluctuate over the years.
It can be helpful to continually come at things from more of a health-conscious perspective rather than ever use the word "diet" or restrict foods. When you’re feeling good about yourself or like the way you look in a certain outfit, say that out loud and establish why you’re feeling great.
It’s also crucial to look at the ones around you and not compare yourself to them but rather tell them that they’re beautiful or looking strong as well.
3. Be passionate and curious about your own interests and hobbies.
Nothing gets another person more excited and curious than watching someone who’s enthusiastic and passionate about their own individual pursuits, creative endeavors, and hobbies.
For example, if you’re someone who works in finance and your daughter sees that you’re excited about attending a training seminar for additional job techniques, it helps to establish that you love what it is you do and you’re continually striving to be and do your absolute best.
Or even if your daughter sees that your partner loves golf while you enjoy making your own pottery, it shows that it’s more than OK to pursue activities that bring you joy and happiness, even if you do it alone. Hopefully, this will help young women navigate whatever it is they’re passionate about and go after it on their own.
4. Continually build up the other women in your life.
Another way to promote confidence in a truly effortless manner on a daily basis is to consistently lift up, celebrate, and validate the women around you.
Whether it’s your mom, aunts, sisters, coworkers, family friends, or other moms at your daughter’s school, there are always going to be things you can mention about them in a positive light. It’s always great to keep your compliments about something other than appearance, too, which helps put the emphasis on someone’s unique personality, intellect, and achievements.
This way, daughters will see their moms regularly making sure they surround themselves with women they perceive to be their heroes, confidantes, and true peers and not competition or enemies.
5. When you experience hardship with your partner or friend, establish open communication and conflict resolution.
As a young girl or woman, it can feel difficult to try to find your voice in a world where you may not feel like you’re being taken seriously. Not only is it super important to continually listen to your daughter when she’s trying to tell you something, but it’s also vital to help her learn the most effective ways for open and healthy communication.
Girls and young adults are going to experience difficult times within their friend groups or with their fellow peers at school or even with significant others when they start dating. They need positive female role models to show them that not every fight has to end in tears or even the dissolution of a friendship.
If they watch their mothers do things like working to control their emotions when they feel frustrated or really listening to what it is the other person is trying to say before responding, then it can help give them the confidence to use their words thoughtfully themselves.
Plus, they’re likely to not just shut down as well and instead work toward a compromise or resolution. And it often takes someone with a healthy sense of self-esteem to be able to see both sides of things in difficult scenarios.
6. During times when things don’t go your way, dust yourself off and try things another way.
It can take someone feeling self-assured and confident in their efforts and the progress they’ve made along the way to see that failing at something can actually be a good thing.
Motherhood is all about providing a safe, healthy, and positive environment for your kids to grow up in and blossom, but it’s truly inevitable that you’re not going to get everything right every step of the way as a parent.
That’s a really broad example, but the same sentiment applies to having your daughter see you try at different things throughout life that may not go your way, only to see you dust yourself off when the going gets tough. You don’t always have to try things again, either, but if daughters see that their moms can experience hardship or failure and come through it in a positive way, they are likely to find that same strength and reserve in themselves as well.
