This is a complex problem, and no single answer will be a solution.
A few miscellaneous tips:
- Join a local ToastMasters chapter: it will force you to (1) speak to many people at once that you aren't familiar with, (2) force you to improve public speaking (which is closely related to #1), and (3) increase your confidence with speaking in general.
- The gym, like you mentioned, is one of the biggest single things you can do. Not even for the physiological transformation, but for the chemical dump that happens in your brain when you exercise, which has 'afterglow' affects that can last for days. I cannot recommend CrossFit enough (or just class-based functional fitness training in general).
- Get lots of quality sleep. Good sleep won't make you confident, but lack of sleep will definitely make you less confident over time (increased anxiety, decreased communication skills, etc.)
A few miscellaneous tips:
- Join a local ToastMasters chapter: it will force you to (1) speak to many people at once that you aren't familiar with, (2) force you to improve public speaking (which is closely related to #1), and (3) increase your confidence with speaking in general.
- The gym, like you mentioned, is one of the biggest single things you can do. Not even for the physiological transformation, but for the chemical dump that happens in your brain when you exercise, which has 'afterglow' affects that can last for days. I cannot recommend CrossFit enough (or just class-based functional fitness training in general).
- Get lots of quality sleep. Good sleep won't make you confident, but lack of sleep will definitely make you less confident over time (increased anxiety, decreased communication skills, etc.)