 Hey psych-doers, do you struggle with sexual confidence? Maybe you feel self-conscious with your partner, or you've never had sex and feel anxious about your first time, no matter how experienced you are. Today's video may help you become more comfortable with your sexuality, which can play a huge role in your mental health and relationships. Keep watching to learn five ways you can become more sexually confident. Number one, know what you like. What are your greatest fantasies and what things turn you off? Taking time to think about your likes and dislikes can help boost your sexual confidence. It allows you to communicate your needs to your partner and feel more at ease going into the experience. Whether you have a partner or not, you can think about what you'd like to try and explore what feels best so that you help someone else satisfy you. After all, no one knows your body better than you do. Number two, communicate with your partner. Communication is key, especially when it comes to sex. To become more sexually confident, talk to your partner about your preferences and ask them what they're into. The more you understand what your partner likes and dislikes, the easier it'll be for you to satisfy them, which in turn can boost your sexual confidence. Starting the conversation can help you feel closer to your partner, both in and out of the bedroom. Chances are they'll appreciate you facilitating an open and honest space to share your fantasies. You might even be surprised to find out how much you have in common. Remember that no matter what you or your partner's preferences, sex should always be safe and consensual. Number three, focus on pleasure, not just performance. If you lack sexual confidence, you might be thinking a lot about performing. Maybe you worry about how you look or sound during sex instead of just enjoying it. But take a second to think about your past sexual experiences or if you haven't had any yet, imagine how it would be. Are you picking the other person apart and criticizing them in your mind? Or are you thinking about how you are performing and focusing on the feelings you're experiencing? Chances are your partner isn't criticizing you as harshly as you think. Like you, they're probably just happy to be there and busy focusing on other things. So, relax and enjoy it. This will help you have a better experience and boost your sexual confidence. Also, remember that what you've seen in movies or online often is not realistic. It's a performance. Just because you don't act the same as people you may have seen on screen doesn't mean you should feel embarrassed about it. Number four, challenge your negative beliefs around sex. Did you grow up in a household where you received negative messages about sex? Even if you didn't, sometimes the messages we get from the media and society can cause us to feel less sexually confident. Remember that this is your life and your experience. Negative messages shouldn't affect how you feel about sex or yourself. You deserve to have positive sexual experiences and knowing this, believing this can help you feel more confident in bed. And number five, positive self-talk. Think about all of the wonderful things your body does for you during sex. It allows you to feel pleasure, connect with your partner and experience new sensations. Focus on what you love about your body. Positive self-talk can go a long way when it comes to sexual confidence and also helps boost your overall self-esteem. You might even find it improves your mood to practice it. Try repeating these affirmations out loud or in your mind. I love and accept my body. I deserve to feel good. I embrace my sexuality. Finally, if you don't feel sexually confident, try to be gentle with yourself. It's totally normal to feel self-conscious at times, especially in a situation where you're being so vulnerable and intimate with someone. We all have our insecurities. We hope that by practicing these five tips, you can gradually become more sexually confident over time. What are your thoughts on this topic? Do you feel sexually confident? Share in the comments below and see what others in the community have to say. If you wanna hear more about the psychology behind sex and relationships, don't forget to subscribe and hit the like button. To learn more about why you might not feel sexually confident in the first place, check out our video on Five Signs You're Sexually Repressed. It might give you some insight in your behaviors and beliefs around sex. As always, the references and studies used are listed in the description below. Thanks so much for watching and see you next time.