Do you ever feel like you could use a boost in your self-esteem? If so, you’re not alone. Studies show that low self-esteem affects people of all ages, races, and genders. According to Psychology Today, about 85% of people worldwide suffer from low self-esteem. But the good news is, there are effective ways to boost your self-esteem, increase your confidence, and feel better about yourself.
In this post, we will explore 7 unique strategies to improve your self-esteem. These strategies will help you uncover how to understand and value your unique talents, treat yourself with kindness, practice gratitude, and invest in self-care. You will also learn the secrets to make you feel powerful and able to overcome low self-esteem regardless of your circumstances.
Without further ado, let’s get started.
What is self-esteem?
Have you ever felt like you lacked the confidence and the courage to pursue a particular task or solve a problem? Or were you afraid of making a wrong decision or failing which affected your ability to move forward with your ideas? These feelings are normal and they represent your self-esteem levels.
Self-esteem is the opinion we have of ourselves which is marked by the confidence of our worth and capabilities. This emotional state is affected by the feedback we receive from others, our successes and failures, as well as our own internal judgments of our performances.
7 Tips to boost your self-esteem and feel better about yourself
To boost your self-esteem, you must intentionally decide to make necessary changes in your life that contribute to overall internal satisfaction about your life, worth, and abilities. That is you must change the way you view yourself as a person and how you process feedback from others. Yes, people will criticize your ability to do wonders. But, these critics will not affect you if you don’t allow them.
Do you view yourself as a strong person who can do anything no matter the circumstances? Or do you see yourself as unworthy with little to no ability to succeed in life without support from others? Do you feel confident enough to carve your way out of any situation? Or do you lack the motivation and confidence and want to hide when problems arise?
These two sets of questions describe two different individuals. One is self-confident with a high level of self-esteem and the other lacks confidence with a low level of self-esteem. If you have low self-esteem, this article was written for you. All skills are learnable and all you have to do is, “Want to change”.
If you are ready to boost your self-esteem and build confidence, the following are effective strategies to help you achieve this goal.
1. Understand and value your unique talents
To boost your self-esteem and feel better about yourself, it is critical to understand and value your unique talents. We all have strengths and skills that make us uniquely qualified to do certain things. However, it’s easy to focus on what we’re not good at rather than what we excel in.
By taking the time to recognize and appreciate your talents, you will gain a sense of confidence in your abilities. This can help boost your self-esteem and make you feel more capable of achieving your goals.
Sometimes what improves your self-esteem is the feeling that you have helped someone using your knowledge, skills, and talents. So, take some time to reflect on what you’re good at and how you can use your talents to improve your life and the lives of those around you.
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2. Treat yourself like a best friend
Self-respect and appreciation are essential elements in boosting your self-esteem. Yes, it is easy to be your own worst critic and focus on your flaws and shortcomings. However, if you can manage to treat yourself like a best friend and give yourself the same kindness and support that you would offer to someone you care about, you can boost your self-esteem and feel better about yourself.
Treating yourself like a best friend means being compassionate with yourself when you make mistakes and celebrating your successes, no matter how small they may seem. Never turn yourself down or treat yourself like you are a loser. Yes, you will make mistakes. However, you need to treat mistakes as a learning curve and a chance to improve.
Just like you would tell a friend that it is ok to make mistakes, you should always say the same thing to yourself every time you make a mistake. Learn to be your biggest supporter and keep your positive energy up.
3. Practice gratitude
Another way to boost your self-esteem is to practice gratitude. This means focusing on all of the good things in your life and acknowledging them with appreciation. When you adopt a grateful mindset, you tend to feel more positive overall and find it easier to overcome low self-esteem or feelings of self-doubt.
Practicing gratitude can be as simple as taking a few minutes each day to reflect on what you are thankful for. This could be anything from the people in your life to your abilities or accomplishments. Writing down a list of things you are grateful for can also be helpful in keeping your mindset focused on the positive.
A good trick to find the good in your life is to visualize those who are less fortunate. For example, if you are having a hard time with your college, picture those who never set foot in college due to financial constraints. Or those who were forced to drop out due to wars, health problems, etc. Very often, you will realize that you are lucky to be alive and be grateful for what you have. This feeling can help you boost your self-esteem and make you feel better about yourself.
4. Get out of your comfort zone
One of the key drivers of low self-esteem is fear. Fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of the unknown, and much more. We often choose to stay within our comfort zones because it feels safe and familiar. However, by doing so, we limit ourselves from experiencing new things and growing as individuals.
Getting out of your comfort zone can be scary, but it can also be incredibly rewarding. It allows you to challenge yourself and push beyond your perceived limitations. Whether it’s trying a new hobby, taking a class, or traveling to a new place, stepping outside of your comfort zone can increase your self-esteem and confidence.
Of course, it is important to take things at your own pace and not push yourself too far too quickly. But by gradually stepping out of your comfort zone and taking on new challenges, you can build resilience and self-assurance.
5. Invest in self-care
One key aspect of boosting self-esteem is investing in self-care. Taking care of your physical, mental, and emotional health can have a major impact on your confidence levels and make you feel good about yourself. This includes getting enough rest, exercise, and nutrition, as well as carving out time for hobbies and activities that bring us joy.
Self-care also means setting boundaries and saying no to things that drain your energy and make you feel overwhelmed. By prioritizing your own needs, you demonstrate to yourself that you are worthy of care and attention.
When you take care of yourself, you build the mental and physical capacities to handle the challenges that come your way. This leads to self-appreciation and self-confidence, and you are more likely to feel good about yourself. In turn, this positive self-image can pave the way for even greater self-esteem and satisfaction in life.
6. Surround yourself with positive people
It’s no secret that the people you choose to spend your time with can have a significant impact on your well-being and overall happiness. When it comes to boosting self-esteem, surrounding yourself with positive people is crucial.
Negative and toxic people can bring you down and make you feel unworthy or incapable. On the other hand, positive and uplifting people can inspire you, lift you up, and help you see your worth and potential.
It’s essential to be intentional about the people you surround yourself with. You should seek out those who genuinely care for you, support you, and want to see you succeed. It’s okay to distance yourself from people who don’t have your best interests at heart or who bring negativity into your life.
By surrounding yourself with positive people, you create a supportive network that can help you through difficult times and celebrate with you during the good times. You can learn from them, gain new perspectives, and be inspired to achieve your goals.
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7. Practice positive affirmations on a daily basis
Positive affirmation is important to boost your self-esteem because it helps to counter the negative, critical thoughts and emotions that can lead to feelings of low self-worth and insecurity. When used regularly, positive affirmations can promote self-acceptance, and help in overcoming fears and beliefs that may be holding you back. In addition to boosting your confidence, practicing positive affirmations can provide you with a sense of motivation and purpose.
So, how can you practice positive affirmations to improve your self-esteem? The process is simple, and all you have to do is to change the simple sentences that you use to describe yourself and your life. The following are a few examples to help you get started.
Instead of saying, I cannot do it. Say, I going to do it. Instead of saying I am not good enough, you are a loser, you never win, etc. Say to yourself that you are powerful, a winner, and the best. Also, never start a day with negative emotions such as, I can’t wait for this horrible day to be over, I am going to have a bad day, etc. Always say that you are going to have a great day.
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What kind of goals should you set to boost your self-esteem?
If you are on a journey to boost your self-esteem, there are a few goals you can put in place to help you achieve what you desire. Your self-esteem goals should focus on improving your mental, physical, and spiritual well-being. Being confident about yourself and overcoming low esteem also comes with your ability to develop new skills, and attitudes, and handle complex situations. That is why the self-esteem goals you set for yourself should also foster a personal growth mindset.
The following are a few goals to boost your self-esteem
- Make it a goal to not denigrate yourself. There is no other person like you in the universe. For this reason, you should feel special, worthy, and strong enough mentally, physically, and intellectually to perform any task. You should also have confidence and believe in your ability to overcome challenges without relying on others all the time.
- Make it a goal to do physical activity a few times a week. Physical activities such as running, working out, jugging, etc, can help you improve your self-esteem. To achieve this goal, work out a few times a week. Write down the days you will work out and hold yourself accountable.
- Make it a habit to get rid of negative people. If you are surrounded by people who are always complaining, cut them loose. These people are more likely the causes of your low self-esteem. Negative people kill your dreams and make it harder to make improvements. For this reason, you cannot boost your self-esteem, when you are surrounded by people whose actions denigrate your very existence, goals, and ambitions.
- Start using positive affirmations. You are a product of how you think of yourself. If you are negative toward yourself, you will also have low self-esteem. So, to boost your self-esteem, you need to improve the way you see and treat yourself. Start using positive affirmations on a daily basis. Some of the positive affirmations to improve your self-esteem are:
- I am strong
- I am better
- All I need is within me
- I am going to have a great day
- I am powerful
- My goal is to win
- Do not compare yourself with others. Comparing yourself with others does not bring you anything positive when you are struggling with low self-esteem. Instead, use the strength within you to accomplish the best you can in any circumstance.
- Read books about self-improvement, self-care, mindset training, personal growth, and success
What are the physical signs of low self-esteem?
The lack of self-esteem is a mental state which is usually manifested by physical signs if you know where to look. How do you know if you or someone has low self-esteem? The following are physical signs to help you identify individuals with low self-esteem.
- Speaking in a low voice
- Avoiding eye contact
- Slouching posture
- Not smiling
- Not confidently engaging in conversation
- Withdrawal from interaction
- Wearing baggy clothing
- Looking down to avoid eye contact
- Self-negative talks and putting themselves down
- Constantly thinking that people hate them
How to overcome negative self-talk and embrace self-love?
Overcoming low self-esteem and feeling better about yourself, comes from intentional self-improvement decisions and actions. If you don’t like what you see when you look at yourself in the mirror, then change it. If you don’t feel confident about yourself and always turning yourself down, there are effective strategies you can use to improve your image and feel confident.
The following are strategies to overcome negative self-talk and embrace self-love.
1. Create a positive self-image
Develop a positive self-image by focusing on your strengths and engaging in activities that make you feel confident. Educate yourself about your powers and use positive affirmations and positive self-talk instead of negative self-talk. You should also write down your strengths, and review them often to remind yourself of your uniqueness and power. Always try to use your skills and knowledge to help others achieve their goals.
2. Set realistic goals
Make sure your goals are realistic and attainable. Break down large tasks into smaller, measurable steps to make them more achievable. Acknowledge your accomplishments along the way and reward yourself for successes.
3. Practice self-compassion
Remember that you are human and you will make mistakes. When you make a mistake, forgive yourself and move on. Focus on the positive aspects of your life and be kind to yourself.
4. Develop a supportive network
Surround yourself with supportive friends and family who believe in you and are willing to offer positive reinforcement. Talk to them when you need support or motivation.
5. Uncover root causes
Pay attention to your negative self-talk and uncover the root causes of your thoughts. Acknowledge your feelings, be honest about them, and start to analyze why you feel the way you do. Talk to a therapist or trusted friend to help you work through your feelings.
For example, if you always have negative-self talk and low self-esteem due to a lack of knowledge, start boosting your skills. Knowledge is power and people who have it rule the world. If boosting your skills can help you boost your self-esteem, invest in your education.
Some people have low self-esteem in some areas. For example, there are people who are always down when they are scheduled to make presentations in front of a large audience. If you are one of those people, you can improve your self-esteem by practicing and improving your knowledge on the subject.
6. Challenge negative thoughts
When you have negative self-talk, challenge it with facts and evidence. Replace it with positive thoughts and think of new ways to view yourself and the situation. Over time, it will become easier to replace the negative self-talk with more positive and realistic thoughts.
The bottom line
Boosting your self-esteem is not an easy task, but it is necessary for a healthy and fulfilling life. Investing in self-care and surrounding yourself with positive people are two powerful ways to boost your self-esteem and feel better about yourself. By making these intentional choices, you can create a foundation of positivity and confidence that will serve you well in all areas of your life.
It is also necessary to celebrate your unique talents, treat yourself with kindness, and practice gratitude. These special activities boost your self-image and make you a powerful person inside and out. Like anything important you want to achieve in life, it will take time and effort to boost your self-esteem. But, if you practice the strategies I shared in this article, you will become more confident about yourself and boost your self-esteem in no time.
