Occasionally, we all have doubts about ourselves especially when we are about to venture into something daring. However, doubting yourself all the time by thinking and feeling not-good-enough is a serious problem. And this problem is termed low self-esteem.
Self-esteem is your opinion of yourself. Low self-esteem means you have a low opinion of yourself and this only keeps you insecure, unmotivated and depressed. Worse still, it keeps you from attaining your full potential.
So, it’s about time; here are tips to help you improve your self-esteem so as to live a better and fulfilling life:
1. Be nice to yourself
That little voice that tells you you’re killin’ it (or not) is way more powerful than you might think. Make an effort to be kind to yourself and, if you do slip up, try to challenge any negative thoughts. A good rule of thumb is to speak to yourself in the same way that you’d speak to your mates. This can be really hard at first, but practise makes perfect. If you want a few pointers, check out our tips for talking yourself up.
2. Nobody’s perfect
Always strive to be the best version of yourself, but it’s also important to accept that perfection is an unrealistic goal.
3. You do you/be yourself
Comparing yourself to other people is a sure-fire way to start feeling crummy. Try to focus on your own goals and achievements, rather than measuring them against someone else’s. Nobody needs that kind of pressure!
4. Remember that everyone makes mistakes
You’ve got to make mistakes in order to learn and grow, so try not to beat yourself up if you forget to hit CTRL+S on a super-important assignment. Everyone’s been there.
5. Focus on what you can control
It’s easy to get hung up on all the things that are out of your control, but it won’t achieve much. Instead, try to focus your energy on identifying the things that are within your control and seeing what you can do about them.
6. Do what makes you happy
If you spend time doing the things you enjoy, you’re more likely to think positively. Try to schedule in a little you-time every day. Whether that’s time spent reading, cooking or just conking out on the couch for a bit, if it makes you happy, make time for it.
7. Celebrate small victories
Celebrating the small victories is a great way to build confidence and start feeling better about yourself.
8. Be nice
Being helpful and considerate to other people will certainly boost their mood, but it’ll also make you feel pretty good about yourself
9. Surround yourself with supportive friends
Find people who make you feel good about yourself and avoid those who tend to trigger your negative thinking.
10. Keep moving’
This requires consistency and determination to become better. You keep moving by setting goals and aiming to best previous victories, it helps bolster your self-esteem. Exercise is a great way to increase motivation, breaking a sweat also cues the body to release endorphins, the feel-good hormones.
