There are many ways to increase self-esteem. Self-esteem is the positive or negative attitude that one feels about oneself. Portraying yourself a certain way in your mind will eventually lead to disappointment. Here are ten ways that help boost your self-esteem.
1. Avoid negative people
Don’t let people’s negative perception of you lead you to start believing those negative thoughts of yours. When it comes to self-esteem, your opinion is the only one that matters. Avoid people who treat you badly because this will start to make you feel bad about yourself. Surrounding yourself with negative people will only make you act negative.
2. Stop trying to please everyone.
You can’t please everyone, so don’t try. Trying to please everyone will make you feel unappreciated if you don’t get the same treatment in return. Although you should treat others as you want them to treat you, you will not always get the same treatment in return. Not receiving the same treatment in return is not a reflection on you, but on them. Everyone’s intention will not be the same as yours. Pleasing everyone is stressful. Don’t rely on others to determine your self-esteem due to rejection. Don’t expect things to always go your way. Be the unique person you are. You don’t need to seek validation from anyone. Never let the thoughts and feelings of not being able to help others affect you mentally, physically, and emotionally.
3. Take care
Don’t waste time thinking about something that makes you sad or makes you feel insecure. Do the things you like to do to occupy your mind. If you’re busy doing things you love, you won’t have time to dwell on negativity.
4.Get support
It’s okay to get the support you need when you’re struggling with low self-esteem. You don’t have to do it alone. Having a good support system makes believing in yourself much easier. Communicating how you really feel shows that you are in tune with negative thoughts and that you really want help. Being more open allows you to express all your feelings that you have been keeping inside.
5. Forgive
You have to be able to forgive. Holding on to feelings of resentment will keep you in a state of negativity. Once you forgive yourself, you can begin to forgive others. Sometimes you have to change your perspective to see the point of view of others. The past is the past and you can’t change it so don’t live with regrets. Having that sense of forgiveness is a relief lifted off your shoulders.
6. Be confident
Never feel like you’re never worth anything. Be confident both inside and out. Cheer up and treat yourself with kindness. The more you practice treating yourself genuinely, the more self-confidence you will have. No one can see your insecurities and lack of confidence unless you show them and tell them. Having a strong self-esteem results from daily activities and how you control bad thoughts. As you focus more on the present instead of what you should have, could have, and would have, confidence will come easily. Are these thoughts real? Do you really believe the things you think about yourself? Would you say those things about yourself to another person? If you wouldn’t, then avoid telling yourself. Being hard on yourself and having low self-esteem will lead to depression.
7. Do not compare yourself with others
Comparing yourself to others can make you feel like you’re not worth it. The fact that you feel that someone has more than you, or that he is doing better than you in some kind of way, depresses you. There is no better life than yours. Your insecurities shouldn’t be a reflection of everything someone says. Don’t be so hard on yourself if things don’t go exactly the way you want. Know your own personal value.
8. Surround yourself with positive things
Surround yourself with people who love you, care and accept you just the way you are. It helps when family and friends remind you of the things you do well. If you expect to be treated a certain way, surround yourself with those people. Treat those who treat you negatively as they treat you. People see you differently than how you see yourself. Openly accept the sayings of those who treat you well. This helps you see yourself in a different way than how you see yourself. Hearing what people like about you instead of what they don’t like about you puts you at ease. Treat others with kindness and the kindness will be returned to you. Being appreciated makes you feel better about yourself.
9. Make a list
Make a list of things you are proud of. Celebrate your achievements. No matter how big or small, it’s always a job well done. When you feel that your self-esteem is not high, look at the list to remind yourself of your success.
10. Turn negative thoughts into positive ones.
Negative conversations can cause you to respond negatively. Emotions rise when there are negative conversations. Instead of being overwhelmed by negative thoughts, accept them. Don’t let negative thoughts influence your behavior. When you feel bad, you will only remember bad times. As you continue to think about the things that bother you, it will cause you to act in a way that is not appropriate. The way you feel has a huge impact on thoughts and behavior. Your self-esteem will begin to improve as you learn to control negative thoughts. If you can’t control your thoughts, you can never control your behavior. Learn from past failures and turn them into positives.
Being aware of your thoughts and feelings uncovers the real problem. Just because you see yourself a certain way. Thoughts are just thoughts; not necessarily to be factual. Thoughts are normal and may seem like facts, but they are just perceptions of how things should be.