Want to Feel More Confident? Ditch Your to-Do List and Try Going Outside

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If you could share one lesson with your younger self, what would it be? We're betting "how to be more confident" ranks up there—because TBH we could all use a little more self love even as adults.

Karen Ramos is with you. She also wanted to convey confidence to younger generations, which is why she founded Get Out, Stay Out—an outdoor excursion program for indigenous migrant youth. Her method? Tapping into the power of the outdoors.

While a 15-minute walk around the block or an outdoorsy weekend trip might seem like a strange secret for unlocking self worth, Ramos has found it to be a poignant tool. "Being outdoors for me, I just felt so powerful and confident, and I wanted to be able to give that opportunity as well to youth," Ramos says.

To do it, she lets the Get Out, Stay Out kids run the show. They get to decide what they want to do outside, where they want to go, and what they want to get out of it. How much more empowered would your afternoon walk feel if you applied that formula every time you stepped outside?

"We believe that one of the best ways to build self confidence is by being given the freedom to make your own choices, and then be supported in those choices," she says. "No matter who you are, you can use the outdoors as a healing space, as a place for inspiration, and as a place to ultimately enact change." Some fresh air with a side of mindfulness might be just the pick-me-up you need—just hop on your bike, as Ramos recommends.

Watch the video above for more of her advice on how to build confidence, plus her take on why the "outdoorsy person" label should be redefined.

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