How to feel more attractive and confident

Most people will admit that they don’t feel 100% at all times. Even the most beautiful and successful people have off days, but if you’re feeling bad about yourself more than you feel good, you might need a shift in perspective. 

Despite common thinking, feeling more attractive and desirable may have little to do with your outward appearance.

We consulted scientific studies and spoke to relationship and dating experts to find simple lifestyle changes that you can make to appear more attractive both to yourself and others.

These tips can help you begin to see yourself in a more positive light.

Get your sweat on

You might dread exercise but it can play a big factor in helping yourself feel more attractive.

We’re not just talking about exercise’s effect on your body physically — exercise is a great way to take some time to get out your aggression, have some time for yourself, and release endorphins, a chemical that can improve your mood. A 2015 study by the University of Turku found that people who exercised reported an increase in confidence.

“Exercise is a great way to feel more attractive,” April Masini, a relationship and etiquette expert, told INSIDER. “Not only are you giving yourself a gift of fitness, but you’re releasing endorphins and balancing work, play and self-care.”

Give some compliments

Getting some love from others might seem like the easiest way to boost your self image, but actually you might want to practice giving some love first.

Talking up good traits about others will help you seem more appealing in their eyes and make you realize the good things about yourself, too. Researchers at the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China suggested in a 2016 study that men who used metaphors to compliment women were found to be more attractive.

“Learning how to properly compliment may just be the key to a second date,” matchmaker Denise Levy told INSIDER. “Making other people feel good about themselves increases your attractiveness. People put effort into getting ready for a date so take the time to compliment the other person and mean it!”