Self-confidence affects everyone to some degree or another. Some may have too much, some may have too little and others seem to have just the right amount. Self-confidence affects the way we perform and succeed in all areas of our lives. The great thing about self-confidence is that with a little help and practice, it can be improved to a level where we can reap the benefits.

Here are 10 useful tips that can help boost individual self-confidence.

1. Communicate with those around you. Sometimes when our self-confidence is low, the last thing we want to do is to tell others about the way we are feeling. However the old proverb "A problem shared is a problem halved" is often true and can help enormously.

2. Learn to accept compliments from others. Suffering from low self-confidence can make it hard to receive praise. Accepting a compliment rather than rejecting it can take a bit of practice, but you will reap rewards in the end.

3. Try to avoid comparison with others. It is all too easy to measure ourselves against the perceived successes or achievements of others. Comparison can lead to feelings of personal failure and to sense that we can never achieve the same degree of success.

4. Recognise your own successes and talents. Everybody is stronger at some things than others. Work out what your strengths are and capitalise on them.

5. Recognise your insecurities. Identify what it is that makes you feel insecure and work out what you can do to turn it around.

6. Learn from past mistakes. Turning a past mistake into a constructive lesson on how to deal with a situation better in the future can be very valuable. You will also turn a mistake into something positive.

7. Appreciate what you do have rather than concentrating on the things that you don't. It is all too easy to get swept up in the wave of simply wanting more and more, but this will only lead to dissatisfaction. Concentrate on the things you do have and you will learn to appreciate them far more.

8. Be aware of others and be willing to help out. Helping others has been found to increase levels of happiness and self-esteem.

9. Practice being positive. Being positive about things does not always come naturally, but making a considered effort to do so can often lead to naturally feeling more positive further down the track.

10. Be prepared to take on new challenges. Taking on new challenges and overcoming fears has an extremely positive effect on self. It results in feelings of achievement and personal satisfaction.

BH Yao invites the online community to read more articles on personal & professional development, building leadership, success skills, and helping people to unlock their true potential at Self Empowering Tips. Check out other articles on Self Esteem And Leadership http://www.selfempoweringtips.com/self-esteem.