Therapeutic Self Esteem Building Activities

Whether you occasionally feel down about yourself or suffer from a chronic low self image, such feelings can negatively impact all areas of life, from your relationships to your job performance. According to the Counseling and Mental Health Center at the University of Texas at Austin, your childhood experiences play a significant role in your level of self esteem, and such established feelings can be difficult to change. Cognitive behavioral therapy techniques gradually help you recognize and replace negative thoughts and beliefs about yourself with positive ones.

Practice Quieting Your Inner Critic

An important first step in conquering low self esteem is recognizing and rebutting the negative messages your mind comes up with. Common thought patterns that negatively impact your self esteem include filtering out and dwelling on negatives, generalizing unrealistically, making illogical leaps to negative conclusions and writing off your positive accomplishments. Write down the common thought patterns that may negatively impact your self esteem, and come up with a rebuttal for each. Every time you catch yourself in one of those negative thoughts, recite the rebuttal to yourself, suggest UT's Counseling and Mental Health Center.

Write Affirming Lists

Charles G. Curie, M.A., A.C.S.W., and Bernard S. Arons, M.D. with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration suggest writing, rereading and rewriting lists affirming your positive attributes frequently. Consider listing five to 10 strengths, things you admire about yourself, things you're good at, greatest accomplishments or things that make you feel good.

Create A Personal Scrapbook

The UT Counseling and Mental Health Center suggests reminding yourself regularly of your achievements and positive attributes. To help you accomplish this, create a scrapbook honoring you. Include pictures, notes and other mementos that remind you of happy memories and positive things you've done. Reward yourself in celebration of new accomplishments, and be sure to document them in your scrapbook. When you're feeling down, take a look at all the reasons you have to feel good about yourself.

Plan Your Calendar

Often low self esteem can lead to a sense of lethargy. Take a proactive approach by filling in at least one activity that you enjoy doing every day, suggest Curie and Arons. Revamp your feel-good calendar each month as you discover new things you enjoy. Include activities involving particular friends and family members that make you feel good when you're around them.