In its most basic terms, self-esteem is your opinion of yourself and your abilities. It can be high, low or somewhere in-between.
Today’s society shapes us in many ways, possibly more than we realise. From the overt effects of social media to the impossible standards of beauty reinforced in mainstream media.
Our self-esteem can be manipulated in many ways and if we aren’t careful it can develop into a serious problem. It is important to take time to work on your self-esteem just as you would your physical health through exercise.
Which is why we have outlined 4 of our simplest ways to improve your self-esteem.
POSITIVE SELF TALK
Positive self-talk is a great way of boosting your self-esteem. It has been proven to help reduce stress, anxiety and can make us more resilient to hardships or challenges.
It’s all about training yourself to shutdown that little voice that says things like “you can’t” or “look how successful other people are”. Every negative can be framed as a positive if you take the right approach.
For example, “I failed, I knew I wasn’t good enough”, can be flipped to “It wasn’t a failure because I learnt so much and I am proud of putting myself out there”.
This may seem easier said than done, but trust us, with some practice you will find that negative little voice becoming a positive little voice in no time.
TAKE SOME TIME FOR YOU
You deserve it! Make sure you take time out for yourself to do the things you love. It may simply be relaxing, going for a walk, listening to a podcast… or all three! But it is important to make a conscious effort to set aside even a few minutes a day for yourself.
This is not a one size fits all solution and every person will have a different way of “taking time for themselves” but try and ensure you are present in these moments.
STOP COMPARING YOURSELF
We are raised in a society that teaches us to compare ourselves with others. From primary school, kids are already comparing their results with other kids, so it’s not surprising it carries through into adulthood.
With the social media boom, it is more easily accessible to see these supermodel type figures online and we often find ourselves comparing their lives to ours. There are so many positives about yourself and it’s a matter of seeing them.
Focus on your good points. It might help to write them down or to practice gratitude.
REWARD YOURSELF
If you’ve climbed that mountain that’s been ticking away in your head, REWARD YOURSELF. The feeling of accomplishment is made even better with those little moments of treating yourself however you please.
Source:livelifegetactive.com
