In this blog, we’ll explore empowering strategies and practical tips to elevate your self-esteem this ‘Boost your Self-Esteem Month’.
What is self-esteem?
Self-esteem is how you perceive and value yourself. For example, high self-esteem can look like:
- Sense of self-worth
- Confident in your identity
- Being kind to yourself
- Not afraid to step outside of your comfort zone
- A strong belief that you are enough and matter
- Awareness of your strengths
On the other hand, low self-esteem is often related to:
- Feeling like a failure
- Being overly self-critical
- Self-conscious thoughts
- A lack of faith in your ability to do things
Why does self-esteem matter?
As self-esteem feeds directly into how you believe others perceive you, you are more likely to withdraw from social situations and not put yourself forward for new opportunities due to a lack of self-belief. This can have a wealth of negative consequences on your mental health, including loneliness, anxiety, stress, eating disorders, addiction and depression.
Tips for improving self-esteem
While our perception of ourselves is usually skewed – and often formed based on environmental factors (e.g. past trauma, bullying, problems at work, health issues, negative body image etc) – it is possible to change.
Has your self-esteem been a little wobbly recently? Why not try:
-
- Positive affirmations: We know it sounds airy-fairy, but research has proven that self-affirmations activate the brain’s reward system and can be linked to positive behavioural changes. Don’t know where to start? Next time you’re getting ready for your day, tell yourself: “I am loved/worthy/confident/smart/powerful”. It might feel a little unnatural at first but soon it will become second nature. Watch how your perception shifts!
- Practice self-care: Learn to prioritise yourself, get to know yourself all over again – learn what makes you happy, and what motivates you – as well as identify any areas of negativity that you need to cut out of your life.
- Learn to say ‘no’: If you’re someone who suffers from low self-esteem, it’s likely you’re also a bit of a people pleaser. Learn to set boundaries and say ‘no’ to colleagues/friends and family when you don’t feel comfortable doing something. Remember, your time is just as important (if not the most important!) as everyone else’s and you should treat it as such.
- Avoid comparing yourself to others: While it’s human nature to compare ourselves to those around us, this type of behaviour can easily become obsessive and have a severe impact on our confidence. Instead, pinpoint and celebrate what makes you unique.
- Focus on the positives: At the end of each day, remind yourself of something positive you did to brighten your or someone else’s day. This can be as simple as making yourself a coffee or something as big as helping a client make positive improvements in their life.
Remember, you are in control of your self-esteem and as the only inhibitor of your brain, have the power to make it into a more positive, loving and accepting space. However, it is OK to ask for help if this feels like too much to go alone – whether it’s a trusting friend, supervisor or medical professional, it’s always best to share how you’re feeling.
Let’s work together to be kinder to ourselves this Boost Self-Esteem Month.
carlette Isaac
In this blog, we’ll explore empowering strategies and practical tips to elevate your self-esteem this ‘Boost your Self-Esteem Month’.
What is self-esteem?
Self-esteem is how you perceive and value yourself. For example, high self-esteem can look like:
- Sense of self-worth
- Confident in your identity
- Being kind to yourself
- Not afraid to step outside of your comfort zone
- A strong belief that you are enough and matter
- Awareness of your strengths
On the other hand, low self-esteem is often related to:
- Feeling like a failure
- Being overly self-critical
- Self-conscious thoughts
- A lack of faith in your ability to do things
Why does self-esteem matter?
As self-esteem feeds directly into how you believe others perceive you, you are more likely to withdraw from social situations and not put yourself forward for new opportunities due to a lack of self-belief. This can have a wealth of negative consequences on your mental health, including loneliness, anxiety, stress, eating disorders, addiction and depression.
Tips for improving self-esteem
While our perception of ourselves is usually skewed – and often formed based on environmental factors (e.g. past trauma, bullying, problems at work, health issues, negative body image etc) – it is possible to change.
Has your self-esteem been a little wobbly recently? Why not try:
-
- Positive affirmations: We know it sounds airy-fairy, but research has proven that self-affirmations activate the brain’s reward system and can be linked to positive behavioural changes. Don’t know where to start? Next time you’re getting ready for your day, tell yourself: “I am loved/worthy/confident/smart/powerful”. It might feel a little unnatural at first but soon it will become second nature. Watch how your perception shifts!
- Practice self-care: Learn to prioritise yourself, get to know yourself all over again – learn what makes you happy, and what motivates you – as well as identify any areas of negativity that you need to cut out of your life.
- Learn to say ‘no’: If you’re someone who suffers from low self-esteem, it’s likely you’re also a bit of a people pleaser. Learn to set boundaries and say ‘no’ to colleagues/friends and family when you don’t feel comfortable doing something. Remember, your time is just as important (if not the most important!) as everyone else’s and you should treat it as such.
- Avoid comparing yourself to others: While it’s human nature to compare ourselves to those around us, this type of behaviour can easily become obsessive and have a severe impact on our confidence. Instead, pinpoint and celebrate what makes you unique.
- Focus on the positives: At the end of each day, remind yourself of something positive you did to brighten your or someone else’s day. This can be as simple as making yourself a coffee or something as big as helping a client make positive improvements in their life.
Remember, you are in control of your self-esteem and as the only inhibitor of your brain, have the power to make it into a more positive, loving and accepting space. However, it is OK to ask for help if this feels like too much to go alone – whether it’s a trusting friend, supervisor or medical professional, it’s always best to share how you’re feeling.
Let’s work together to be kinder to ourselves this Boost Self-Esteem Month.