According to Buinickaitė, members of Gen Z are often sad and afraid of being brought down by others. This mindset has a significant influence on their self-confidence. However, it is important to note that self-confidence should be based on objective criteria, and this is something that young people as well as their parents must comprehend.

"Parents often try to boost their children's confidence by constantly praising them for their accomplishments. For instance, when a child shows their parents a drawing of butterflies, the parents most certainly will say that those butterflies are wonderful, and that the child has done a splendid job. However, there are times when things do not go as planned and when we do not feel special. Unfortunately, members of Gen Z haven't been told that it's normal and haven't been taught how to cope with disappointment," says the psychologist.

According to Buinickaitė, this parenting strategy may cause problems in the future as disillusionment in one's abilities can become a major challenge.

"Young people are either trying to distract themselves from disappointment or immerse themselves in sadness. As a result, Gen Z is one of the saddest generations and its representatives are afraid of failure," the psychologist points out.

Thus, from the very childhood, a person should know and understand what he or she is praised for.

"When praising their children, parents should explain why their accomplishments are worth praising. For example, why the butterfly they drew is beautiful," explains Buinickaitė.

The lack of self-confidence goes hand in hand with a huge fear of mistakes. Such a mindset often stems from the habit of comparing oneself with others.

"Gen Zers should be taught to understand that people are different because of their genes, their parents, and their upbringing. Goals can be achieved in different ways; however, one must work on self-confidence to achieve them," says Buinickaitė.

According to the psychologist, it is important to understand that self-confidence strengthens by learning from mistakes.

"We should not be afraid to make mistakes as they can contribute to our overall competence. Mistakes help us acquire knowledge and form certain habits. Merely reading a book is not sufficient when it comes to accumulating knowledge, as true learning comes from consistently attempting to apply theories in practice," says the psychologist.

As Buinickaitė points out, in order to work on self-improvement, it is crucial to realize one's weaknesses.

"If someone notices that they feel nervous during live communication, they should intentionally create such situations to become accustomed to the discomfort. To overcome the fear of embarrassment, one should put themselves in situations that they can control. For instance, this very evening you can go to a shop and ask someone standing behind you in the queue to pay for your goods. This could be a great opportunity to build resilience and get used to discomfort and potential embarrassment," the psychologist suggests.

Although putting oneself in difficult situations may seem challenging, it can be beneficial, according to Buinickaitė.

"The fact that I myself create such situations and therefore can control them engenders a sense of security. This is why in order to overcome the fear of potential discomfort young people should consciously thrust themselves into awkward situations," says the psychologist.

Although it may seem convenient to rely on social networks as the primary means of communication, it is not necessarily beneficial for our well-being. However, as Buinickaitė suggests, people feel more secure when they have someone they can rely on for help when needed.

"We rarely think that we need people although, in fact, we need them (as a circle of support). In a work setting, for instance, we should have two types of such circles or connections - one for emotional support and the other for professional guidance. Without someone to turn to for advice, we may feel overwhelmed and anxious when faced with unfamiliar situations. However, having a reliable support system can help us feel more at ease and confident," explains Buinickaitė.

It is crucial for an individual to utilize their supportive network, notes the psychologist. This network of emotional support typically consists of close family members such as a mother, father, brother, or sister.

"Whenever struck by hardship one should reach out to someone from their support circle. Simply saying 'I feel unwell today, I don't need any advice, I need you to just listen' can go a long way in helping one cope and move forward," says Buinickaitė.

However, according to the psychologist, it is very important for young individuals to understand that they require not only peers but also elders as their potential role models.

"That elder person should be one's role model, a kind of mentor, the one who can be regarded as a source of wisdom. While it's common to find role models during school years, it doesn't have to be a teacher. Neighbors, aunts, uncles, and other individuals can also serve as role models," says the expert.

Although it isn’t very obvious, a lot of benefits, like boosting one’s self-confidence, come from doing good things for others.

According to Buinickaitė, when we do something to help others, we certainly feel better about ourselves. We gain a sense of being valuable, helpful, and worthwhile.

"We often overlook the small acts of helping others throughout the day. We tend to associate helping others with grand gestures such as volunteering or making large donations. However, sometimes even a small act of kindness can make someone's day better," says the expert.

Assisting someone can be as simple as holding a door open, according to Buinickaitė.

"Even the smallest acts of kindness boost our mood, self-confidence, and resilience," she added.