According to the University of Florida, participating on a sports team can improve your self-esteem and your sense of self-worth, particularly when the emphasis is on the team's success, instead of individual achievement. But team sports are not for everyone; some people find empowerment and personal growth through individual sports or activities, such as martial arts, rock climbing and art projects.
Martial Arts
Engaging in martial arts--whether it be karate, judo, kung fu or one of the many other disciplines--is fun and challenging, and martial arts builds your self-esteem and empowers you to take control of your life. As you develop your martial arts skills, you gain confidence in your ability to protect yourself from harm. You also develop your physique and fitness in a natural, balanced way. Other important health benefits associated with your participation in martial arts include the following: improved joint range of motion, improved ability to regulate your body weight and increased muscle strength and endurance. But healthy self-esteem is not only a product of building a stronger, more resilient body; it also stems from your adoption of and adherence to a belief system that emphasizes self-respect and respect for others, discipline and balance. The physical, mental, social and spiritual aspects of martial arts help you achieve the self-esteem needed to be healthy, confident and productive.
Outdoor Activities
According to Outward Bound, a non-profit outdoor education association founded by Kurt Hahn, outdoor activities offer the possibility of experiential learning, which helps you gain self-esteem, discover your innate abilities and develop a sense of responsibility toward your peers. Participating in outdoor activities, such as rock climbing, backpacking, mountaineering and rafting, challenges you and helps you expand your physical and mental limits. It also stimulates your personal growth and bolsters your leadership skills. And it's not just physical activity that boosts your self-esteem: the more time you spend in the natural world, the more confidence you gain. It's important not to underestimate the restorative power of nature and the positive effects it can have on your physical and mental well-being. Combining activities that foster empowerment with inspiring outdoor venues is a powerful way to realize optimal self-esteem.
Art Activities
Art activities have the capability of stimulating your creativity, fostering personal growth and expanding your mind. According to an Oct. 24, 1999 article by Chuck Slater in "The New York Times," participation in art activities, including dancing, singing and arts and crafts, helps developmentally disabled adults improve their skills and confidence. But participation in art can help everyone improve their self-esteem. The feelings of satisfaction and enjoyment that accompany art participation is therapeutic, in many ways, and the generative aspect of art participation helps you realize the creative forces that reside within: a realization that often is empowering and contributes to enhanced self-esteem. The art you produce, whether it be a painting, a poem or an article of clothing you designed, is an expression of the way you see the world and is a powerful symbol of your complexity.
Personal Grooming and Self-Care
According to a 1999 study published in "Issues in Mental Health Nursing," study participants who performed more self-care activities had significantly more self-esteem than those who performed less self-care. Self-care refers to all those activities that you accomplish without technical assistance, including eating, washing, dressing and communicating with friends and family, and it also refers to your personal grooming habits, appearance and hygiene. Taking care of yourself and your appearance is a helpful way of improving your confidence and self-esteem, along with your overall health and well-being. When you put time and effort into self-care activities, you're helping to realize your best self, and you'll feel a sense of accomplishment as a result. Performing self-care activities is not always easy, but it's an important way to foster self-esteem and develop the social aspect of your health.
Travel
Travel is a constructive activity to help gain self-esteem. The more countries you visit and the more people you meet, the more likely you are to feel secure about yourself and understand who you are as a person. Travel teaches you many things, including the benefits and limitations of the society in which you live, how similar most people are and an appreciation of others' cultures and traditions. Travel simultaneously teaches you how to be fiercely independent and how to rely on others, and it teaches you about social dynamics and how to successfully navigate complex social situations. Travel also teaches you how to cope with feelings of loneliness and isolation, which helps make you a stronger, more resilient person with heightened self-esteem. You don't have to visit exotic lands to reap the self-esteem benefits of travel either; even traveling to places that are close to home can stimulate personal growth and improve your confidence.
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