Building self-esteem is an essential part of living a healthy life. In many cases, low self-esteem can keep you from achieving your goals when you are fully capable of succeeding in the tasks you take on, and it can affect your personal relationships with other people in a negative way. However, there are ways that can help you build your self-esteem if you are willing to put in a little bit of effort.
Acknowledge Positive Traits
Making a list of positive traits that you can keep around to look at when you are feeling down or unsure of yourself is an excellent way to build and keep self-confidence high. Everybody has positive traits, and they do not have to be overly fantastic to be worthwhile. Traits like being a good friend to people in need, being generous to those in need of financial support, creative abilities, persistence and courage are all positive traits that many people admire.
Do Nice Things for Yourself
Doing one positive thing for yourself every day can help to build your sense of self-esteem and self-worth. It doesn't have to be a major task every day. It can be as simple as buying a piece of candy from a candy shop, a book from a bookstore or picking wildflowers from your garden. The important thing is that you stick to your goal and do what it is that you set out to do.
Practice Positive Affirmations
Telling yourself out loud about your positive traits and things that you are proud of is a great way to keep self-esteem high and boost your self-confidence when feeling low. Positive affirmations should be related to how you would like to feel about yourself on a regular basis, such as "I like myself" and "I deserve to be happy."
Face Difficult Tasks Head-On
Even though taking on a difficult task that you are unsure of your ability to complete or excel at may seem like a bad idea, many people rise to the occasion when faced with challenges. Of course, the tasks you choose shouldn't be completely out of the realm of possibility, or you are just setting yourself up for failure. However, aiming for a promotion, planning on losing five pounds in the next two months or training for a marathon are all challenges that you can probably handle, and when achieved, will help to raise your self-esteem.
Practice Relaxation Techniques
Relaxation techniques like yoga, deep-breathing exercises or listening to soothing music before bed can help you to forget about past failures and see the big picture. Try yoga in the morning before a stressful day or practice deep-breathing exercises on your lunch break.
References
- "10 Simple Solutions for Building Self-Esteem"; Glenn R. Schiraldi; 2007
- "Dynamics of Power: Fighting Shame and Building Self-Esteem"; Gershen Kaufman; 1991
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