Remind yourself of your good qualities Look yourself in the mirror and recite a list of all your best qualities. Examples: “I am a brilliant, talented young man.” “I have a great smile, kind eyes, and an infectious laugh.” “I am a creative person and excellent conversationalist.” “I radiate confidence, certainty, and optimism.” Use affirmations Read over these inspirational quotes and repeat them to yourself to give you a boost of confidence. Examples: “Courage doesn’t mean you don’t get afraid. Courage means you don’t let fear stop you.” “Self-confidence is the best outfit, rock it and own it!” “Today is the future I created yesterday.” “I see fear as the fuel for my success and take bold action in spite of fear.” Shake off past rejections Remind yourself that the past is the past. Old rejections and relationships have taught you better ways to court and communicate with potential romantic partners. Examples: “I am a better man than I was after Sharon broke up with me.” “Joanie is different from other crushes and I have a lot to offer as a romantic partner.” “I have learned from my mistakes and am a better person for it.” “Just because I was rejected in the past does not mean this time will be the same.” Use visualization Imagining yourself as a cool, confident person will calm your nerves and inspire you to be that cool, confident person. Examples: “I imagine my shoulders are down and back, I have a natural smile and my arms are casually at my sides.” “I envision myself taking 3 deep, calming breaths before approaching Hannah. I’m smiling from ear to ear, happy to see her. I’ll ask directly: ‘Do you want to go out with me?’” “I envision myself casually approaching him after class with a cool, natural smile. I am relaxed and optimistic.” Jump right in The longer you wait to ask out your crush, the more time you might spend stewing in your nerves and doubts. So pump yourself up and ask already!