Confidence is a funny thing.
Some people seem to have it effortlessly, walking through the world without a second thought about how they look, sound, or come across. For the rest of us, it’s not always so easy.
We overthink, second-guess, and feel that familiar twinge of self-consciousness creeping in when we’re out in public.
But here’s the thing—true confidence isn’t about being loud or flashy. It’s about feeling comfortable in your own skin no matter who’s watching. And most people struggle with that way more than they let on.
If you can do these eight things in public without feeling awkward or embarrassed, you’re more comfortable with yourself than 95% of people.
1) Walk into a room without worrying what people think
Most people don’t realize how much they adjust themselves based on who’s around.
They scan the room, check for familiar faces, and subtly change their posture or expression to fit in. It’s almost automatic.
But if you can walk into a room—whether it’s a café, a party, or even just a store—without feeling like all eyes are on you, that’s real confidence.
You’re not shrinking yourself down or second-guessing how you come across. You just exist, as you are, without overanalyzing it.
That kind of ease is rare.
2) Walk past a group of people without feeling the need to change how you act
For a long time, I would tense up whenever I had to walk past a group of people.
It didn’t matter if they were strangers or people I vaguely knew—I suddenly became hyper-aware of every step I took, where my hands were, even the way my face looked. It was like I had to rehearse how to walk normally, which, of course, only made me feel more awkward.
The worst part was when I’d hear laughter as I passed by. Even if it had nothing to do with me, a part of me always assumed it did.
But when you’re truly comfortable in your own skin, you don’t make yourself smaller or adjust your behavior just because people are around.
You don’t rush your steps or change the way you hold yourself. You just keep going, completely at ease with existing in your own space.
3) Laugh out loud without worrying if it’s too much
Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “You wouldn’t worry so much about what others think of you if you realized how seldom they do.”
That hit me hard the first time I read it. Because the truth is, most people are too caught up in their own thoughts to analyze every little thing we do.
But when you’re self-conscious, it doesn’t feel that way. You hold back your laugh in public, keeping it quieter, shorter, more “acceptable.” You don’t want to be the person who draws attention for being too loud or too expressive.
Yet the people who are truly comfortable in their own skin?
They just let themselves laugh. Fully, unapologetically. They’re not filtering their joy through an invisible rulebook of what’s “appropriate.”
And the funny thing is, those are often the people others feel most drawn to—not because they’re trying to impress anyone, but because they’re effortlessly themselves.
4) Hold eye contact without feeling uncomfortable
Most people can only hold eye contact for about three seconds before they instinctively look away. It’s not something they consciously decide—it just happens.
There’s something about locking eyes with another person that feels strangely vulnerable, like they might see something in you that you’re not ready to show.
But when you’re truly at ease with yourself, holding eye contact doesn’t feel like a challenge or a test. You’re not overthinking whether it’s “too much” or “too intense.” You’re just present, fully engaged in the moment, without that nagging urge to escape.
The people who can do this effortlessly tend to leave an impression. They come across as self-assured, grounded, and real—not because they’re trying to be, but because they’re not afraid to be seen.
5) Speak up in a group without overthinking it
There’s a moment right before you say something in a group where doubt can creep in.
Is this interesting enough? Am I interrupting? Do I sound weird?”
And sometimes, before you even get the words out, someone else speaks, and you let the moment pass—telling yourself it wasn’t worth saying anyway.
But people who are comfortable in their own skin don’t second-guess themselves like that. They don’t need to rehearse their thoughts in their head before speaking, or worry about how they’ll come across.
When they have something to say, they say it. Confidently, naturally, without that internal tug-of-war. And because of that, people actually listen.
6) Admit you don’t know something without feeling embarrassed
There’s a strange pressure to always seem like we have the answers.
In conversations, when a topic comes up that we don’t fully understand, it’s tempting to nod along, throw in a vague response, or pretend we kind of get it. Anything to avoid looking uninformed.
But the people who are truly comfortable with themselves don’t play that game. If they don’t know something, they just say it—without hesitation, without shame.
“I’ve never heard of that before.”
“I actually don’t know much about this—tell me more.”
It’s simple, but it takes confidence. They don’t tie their self-worth to seeming knowledgeable at all times. And ironically, that openness makes them come across as more secure, not less.
7) Wear whatever you like without worrying what others think
It’s easy to say that clothes don’t matter, but the truth is, they do—just not in the way most people think.
What you wear isn’t just fabric on your body. It’s a statement, intentional or not, about how you see yourself and how comfortable you are showing that to the world.
A lot of people dress to blend in, choosing outfits that feel “safe” rather than ones they actually love. The fear of standing out, of being judged, keeps them from fully embracing their own style.
But when someone is truly at ease with themselves, you can see it in what they wear. They put on what they like—bold or simple, trendy or unique—without second-guessing if it’s “too much” or if others will approve.
And that kind of confidence? It’s noticeable before they even say a word.
8) Be alone in public without feeling awkward
There’s a certain kind of bravery in sitting alone at a café, walking through a park, or even eating at a restaurant by yourself—without the safety net of your phone or the urge to look busy.
A lot of people avoid it altogether. Being alone in public can feel exposed, like there’s an unspoken rule that you should always have company, that others might wonder why you’re by yourself.
But when you’re truly comfortable in your own skin, you don’t need that external validation. You don’t rush to fill the silence or pretend to be occupied just to avoid looking “lonely.”
You’re content with your own presence, fully at ease with being seen exactly as you are. And that kind of self-assurance? It’s rarer than most people realize.
The bottom line
Most people spend far too much time worrying about how they’re perceived.
But the truth is, everyone is too caught up in their own insecurities to be analyzing yours.
Confidence isn’t about being fearless—it’s about being okay with discomfort, about showing up as yourself without constantly adjusting to fit expectations.
It’s built in small moments: choosing not to shrink when walking into a room, allowing yourself to laugh fully, admitting when you don’t know something without shame.
And the more you practice this, the more natural it becomes.
Over time, self-consciousness fades into self-acceptance. And when you stop giving so much energy to how others see you, you gain something far more valuable—ease, freedom, and the ability to move through the world as your most authentic self.
