The average American feels insecure five times a day, according to new research.<br /><br />A survey of 2,000 people looked at their confidence levels and found that for many, confidence can be tough to come by. <br /><br />Results showed that people find their nerves shaken the most when confronted with difficult situations like speaking in front of a large group (40%), not being properly prepared (34%) or starting a new job (28%).<br /><br />Respondents would also be on edge when in awkward situations like trying a new dating app for the first time (27%) or if they were the last ones to walk into a meeting (22%). <br /><br />Conducted by OnePoll for CURAD, the survey also found that people aren’t letting life’s hurdles get them down and offered their tips and tricks for gaining more confidence.<br /><br />Topping their list are adopting a positive mindset (48%), gaining support from family and friends (48%), being prepared for anything (45%), working out (43%) and helping others (41%). <br /><br />Interestingly, 55% of those who have faked confidence before said it actually helped boost their real confidence. In fact, a third of respondents (32%) “often” or “always” feel like they have to “fake it ‘till they make it” to feel more confident. <br /><br />Results also found that for three-quarters (76%) of those surveyed, confidence has a domino effect. <br /><br />Respondents feel secure in other areas of their lives once they have control in one area — especially when it comes to exercise (34%), parenting (33%), and playing sports (31%). Seven in 10 (71%) also said exercising impacts how confident they feel.<br /><br />Those who exercise frequently use tools that help strengthen their confidence and help enhance their overall performance such as knee/ankle braces (11%), supports (10%) or kinesiology tapes (9%).<br /><br />“It’s not surprising to learn that being active and maintaining a consistent exercising routine can contribute to your physical and emotional well-being,” said five-time Ironman World champion Craig Alexander. “Apart from the obvious physical benefits, there’s a sense of pride and achievement after exercising, especially if it is a workout that pushes your boundaries. When you look back to where you started and see all of the progress you’ve made, you can’t help to feel more confident.”<br /><br />The journey to confidence can feel lonely, which may be why nearly half of Americans also look to their loved ones for support (48%) and feel assured when others compliment them (31%).<br /><br />However, respondents know they shouldn’t rely on others to build their confidence. Many admitted that when they were younger, they valued others’ opinions of them more than their own (37%), but 46% said their own opinion of themselves matters more now.<br /><br />Survey respondents also shared that proper preparation is a mainstay in building confidence. Forty-five percent say that being prepared helps them feel more confident and another 48% feel more in control when they have it all figured out.
