Low self-esteem negatively affects the way we see own value and our place in the world. We might convince ourselves that we don’t belong, that we’re not good enough or we’re simply not worthy of the things we have. Imposter Syndrome, where we believe that we’re just winging our way through life waiting for the day we get found out for not being good enough is very real for many of us.
Whilst it’s natural to have moments of self-doubt at times, if your view of yourself, how you look or the kind of person you are is normally set to low, then you may benefit from our tips on increasing your self-esteem:
- Know that no one is perfect, not even the people that might come across as so on social media and in real life. We all make mistakes. Therefore, if you make mistakes (that you learn from) or life choices that haven’t served you well, then you’re just like everybody else!
- Celebrate your achievements, no matter how small you may perceive them to be. This will help you feel happier and more confident in who you are.
- Place more emphasis on the things you can change, rather than the things you can’t. For example, you can choose to empower yourself with exercise to change the way you feel about your fitness levels, so you can choose to go running or join a gym. This is far more self-esteem boosting than getting fixated on things beyond your control, such as how someone might perceive you.
- Avoid comparing yourself to others, because what we see isn’t always the truth anyway. Live your truth and be true to yourself, rather than trying to live a life that belongs to someone else. Your life is worthy of your attention and focus on you will help to build you up, rather than tearing you down with comparisons. If you do find yourself looking wistfully at someone else’s life, turn it around into a motivational thought and tell yourself that you too can achieve greatness.
- Surround yourself with kind, supportive beings, the kind of people that make you feel good, positive and happy and that don’t judge or comment negatively on people’s appearance. Being with negative people can be draining and mentally exhausting. Be with those who see good, and it’ll help you see the good in you.
- Set goals and challenges for yourself that you know are fairly challenging but achievable. Because the feeling when you do achieve them will help your self-esteem no end. Running a non-stop 5km, joining an art class, or learning how to make your favorite restaurant-quality meal – whatever it is, push yourself to achieve it!
Sometimes, the things we experience in our lives, from abuse and trauma to bereavements and mental challenges can affect the way we view ourselves. One of our upcoming video course, ‘Resilience to Recover from Difficult Life Situations’, created by Wellbeing Consultant and Burnout Expert, Cara de Lange is full of tips on making peace with upsetting or stressful life events. It’ll leave you feeling more at ease with yourself so that you can be kinder to yourself and be better able to face and cope with the life events that challenge you in the future.
Being more self-confident with better self-esteem doesn’t mean being brash or arrogant or changing who you are. It means believing in yourself more and appreciating who and what you are. So try some of our tips and begin to say hello to the newly confident you. You deserve it.
