boost confidence

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Virtual Voyeurs
We all know that journal writing is therapeutic. But a study at Israel's University of Haifa surprised us: Blogging our innermost feelings turns out to be more confidence-building than the old leather-bound lock-and-key approach. After two months, students who posted intimate and sometimes agonized entries online at least twice weekly showed greater improvement in self-esteem—especially if their (totally anonymous) blogs were open to comments (which were usually supportive). The explanation: A blog's "safe self-exposure" aspect helps us to feel connected and less socially anxious.