How to build confidence this summer

Summer holidays

The school holidays might be over for another year, but as summer turns to autumn there’s still lots you can do. There could be sunny weekends to enjoy, new activities to try or chances to make new friends.

Changes at this time of year can also bring new pressures – that could be from moving up a year at school, changing schools, or problems with friends or family. You might find it difficult to get back into the school routine or be struggling with homework.

Whether you’re looking forward to September, or are worried about it, we’re here to make things a bit better for you.

5 things to do in September

Write down one thing you like about yourself every day
Develop a healthy morning or evening routine
Try a new sport, activity or hobby
Try out an activity in the Calm Zone
Contact Childline for support.

Feeling better about how you look

Feeling better about the way you look can help you to feel more confident.

Sometimes people can feel a bit more pressure in sunnier weather, with more outdoor activities and sports, days on the beach and summer clothes. You might feel you should have a certain body shape, or ‘perfect’ skin.

Remember that confident people look all sorts of different ways, and that images you see online and in films aren’t necessarily real.

Other things that could help are:

writing down one thing you like about yourself every day
building your confidence in different areas that are not about how you look
only follow social media accounts that make you feel happy and positive.

Our how you look page will give you even more ideas and tips for feeling better about your body.

Why not try a new sport?

One way you could build confidence and start feeling more positive about yourself is to try a new activity or sport. There are lots of options and it doesn't need to be a team sport - it could be anything from archery to yoga. Find out more about body image and sport

Watch: Body Positivity with Grace Victory

Watch: Boys Body Image ft Dr Ranj

Feeling lonely? Here are some tips to help

How to understand your feelings

You can feel lonely for different reasons, like a change in your family or moving house. You might feel lonely when you’re by yourself, or when you’re with other people.

It’s normal to feel lonely or isolated from time to time, but if you feel it’s taking over, there are steps you can take to help yourself. This could include telling someone you trust.

How to start feeling better about yourself

Always putting yourself down? Or feel like you have no confidence anymore? You’re not alone – lots of people feel like this sometimes. And there are lots of ways to boost your confidence and self-esteem. It can take a while to feel better about yourself, but we’re here for you – and you don’t have to do it alone.

How to make friends

The number of friends you have isn’t important. What’s important is having friends that you feel close to and who will support you.

Need to make new friends over the summer? It can feel scary, but there are ways of building your friendship confidence so you can meet new people and form some great friendships.

When you go back to school, you might want or need to make new friends. Our top tips should help you with this.

How to help your mental health

Your mental health is always important. And anyone can experience mental health issues. Changes in your daily life over the summer can affect how you feel. You might feel more relaxed, or you might feel anxious or depressed. We’ve got resources to help you cope with anxiety and stress, as well as a coping kit full of brilliant ideas to help you feel better.

If you’re worried about your mental health, then you could try reaching out to a trusted adult, your doctor, or to Childline for help.

How to tell an adult how you're feeling

If you have a problem you can’t fix on your own, or if you think it would be good to share it, you could speak to an adult you trust. That could be a parent, carer, teacher, family friend – someone you feel safe and comfortable with.

Telling an adult how you’re feeling can help in two ways. It can feel good just to say what’s on your mind. And they might help you see things differently or have some good ideas.

Get support

We're here for you on the phone or online.

Coping with family issues

September can bring lots of changes in your family – going back to school, changing schools, getting used to new routines, new friends and interests.

That can be fun. It can also lead to arguments at home. It’s normal to not get on with your family sometimes, but if it happens a lot that can be stressful.

If you’re arguing with your parents or carers, you could try:

Waiting until things have calmed down, and you feel calm, before trying to speak to them again (only if you feel safe)
Saying sorry if you think you have done something wrong. You can still be assertive, which is saying what you need or think without being aggressive (again, only if you feel safe doing this)
Getting support, which could mean speaking to an adult you trust, contacting Childline at any time, or calling 999 in an emergency.

Maybe your parents are splitting up, you’re moving in with a step-family, or a parent or carer has problems with alcohol.

Remember that Childline is here to support you and you can contact us in the way that’s best for you.

Watch: Family Problems

Summer holidays

Love it or hate it, we're here for you over the summer.

Taking care of yourself

Taking care of yourself covers lots of things, including your mind, your body and your feelings. September might bring a change to your routine – with different places, people and activities. Carrying on with some of the things you like, as well as trying something new, might help you adjust. You could:

make sure you're getting enough sleep. A good night's sleep will help you feel better during the day
test out a different food or new recipe – how about a summery salad or autumn fruit such as apples, plums or blackberries? A balanced diet can help you feel better
start a healthy routine – such as a few things you do every morning to help the day get off to a good start.

We've got lots more advice on taking care of yourself, including videos and a step-by-step morning routine.