Simone Biles may be a world-record-breaking, gravity-defying, Olympic-gold-medal-winning gymnast, but even she sometimes suffers from bouts of self-doubt. But after many years of high-level competition and the stress of being in the public eye, she's figured out a handful of tips and tricks for regaining her confidence, and lucky for us, they don't require an Olympic effort to put into practice.
"Feeling like myself and feeling confident are the most important things to me. A big smile always helps to boost my confidence—whether it’s mine or someone else’s," Biles shared in a blog post for Candid, an affordable clear dental aligner brand and Biles's newest brand partner. As for how she deals with pre-competition jitters, "I listen to music, put on makeup, do my hair and brush my teeth. It’s nothing crazy; it’s pretty simple and I’m not superstitious." Brushing your teeth and listening to your favorite jams? Well, we can all do that. In fact, performing mundane or routine tasks (like writing lists or describing the items around you) is actually a psychologist-backed way to calm anxiety, whether that anxiety be confidence-related or not.
Plus, doing your hair or makeup can be both relaxing and mood-boosting (really, who doesn't feel better after a blowout or acing winged eyeliner, even if it's just one eye?). "Right now, I’m really into lashes, and I love a good eyeliner wing," says Biles. "And every once in a while, I’ll do a face mask or lip mask, and I love to take baths."
So while we'll probably (ahem, definitely) never be able to replicate any of Bile's awe-inspiring gymnastics routines, we absolutely can, and will, use her confidence-boosting tricks on the regular. And just in case you need one last piece of advice from Biles, just remember: "Be yourself, don’t let anyone try to conform you to today’s views and have fun."
