Low self esteem holds many people back, preventing them from achieving their potential. In this interesting article, we look at some simple steps you can take to improve high self esteem.
Most people need a little self-esteem boost every once in a while.
Self-esteem is all about how we feel about ourselves. When our self esteem is low, we can find ourselves living with anxiety, we can be more prone to tolerating abusive behavior and relationships, and be prevented from reaching our full potential.
There can also be cons to self esteem. For instance, when a person's sense of self worth is unrealistically high, it can turn into arrogance or what is termed 'narcissism', and this can bring problems. Such persons can find it difficult to accept and learn from their own mistakes and can develop a false sense of entitlement.
Developing a healthy level of self-esteem is very important. For some, a healthy, high self-esteem develops naturally. But for others, keeping a healthy self-esteem takes more work. Check out the following tips to give your self-esteem a boost.
1. Draw up a list of your good points - For some people with diminished self-esteem, even considering making a list of their good qualities seems like a gigantic task, but it can be really helpful for boosting self-esteem. If you find this task challenging, think about what others say about you. What compliments have you received? Start with those and then expand on this. Jot your good qualities down using "I" and the present tense. For example, "I am kind and considerate."
2. Regular affirmations - Take another look at the list you made. Select your favorite qualities to use to do regular affirmations. Take those statements and jot them down on notecards and stickie notes. Stick the notes where you will read them everyday, such as on your computer screen, mirror, or fridge. When you see them, take a few minutes to repeat them over to yourself. Put notecards in your bag or wallet where you are sure to come across them on a regular basis. When you do, take a moment to read them to yourself a few times. In just a little while you can change out some of your best points for some of the other qualities on your list.
3. Gain some perspective - People generally don't talk about their challenges, failures, and struggles in life, but that's not because they don't have them. How we decide to approach these things will directly affect levels of self-esteem, happiness and success. The really successful and confident people in life aren't those who have had few problems and challenges, they are people who have seen them as simply a part of life and have pushed ahead anyway, learning as they go. Your failures don't mean that you yourself are a failure, they just mean you need to reassess the situation as well as your approach to it and approach it from a different angle.
4. Make yourself the priority - A large part of boosting your self-esteem is accepting you are worthy of your own love. Respect yourself enough to make time for yourself. Take care of yourself when you're passing through a rough time. Say 'no' when you need to and don't feel bad about it. Make your needs clear to others and ask for what you need. (If you have real difficulty saying 'no', then look for some assertiveness training, or get a book on the subject.)
Use these 4 simple tips and you will increase your self-esteem. Above all, remember to be kind to yourself and give yourself as much love as you give to the important people in your life. You certainly deserve it!
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