Reassemble Your Self-Esteem in 5 Steps
Sometimes, life knocks us down and we get depressed or start suffering low-self esteem. A person does not have to settle for a life filled with sadness and self-doubt. They can get help and do things on their own to improve their outlook on life and self-esteem. If nothing is done, we may continue with negative feelings such as believing we are toxic and ruining the lives of people close to us. We can blame ourselves for everything that goes wrong.
Rebuilding our self-esteem takes time and effort. It takes self-compassion, patience and mindful action. Here are five steps to take to build your self-esteem:
1. Watch out for negative self-talk
Start being really mindful of your thoughts, especially negative ones. Make sure the expectations you place on yourself are realistic and fair. Do not let thoughts of self-belittling and blame stand. Avoid the common positive affirmations and go for personal self-affirmations based on your real accomplishments and strengths. They mean more. Feel good about the things you are really good at.
2. Don’t spend time with people who make you feel bad or uncomfortable
Save your socializing time for people you enjoy being with and who make you feel good. When you are with good people, learn to accept positive feedback from them. Learn to accept compliments with a simple “thank you” and no denial. Those compliments will become easier to accept and believe, giving you more self-esteem.
3. Start taking action for improvement in small, attainable steps
This is different for each person. Take these small actions over and over until you improve your faith in your ability, and then add more small actions that are achievable and not overwhelming. Identify areas of strength and find ways to demonstrate them. Make the effort to take part in things you do well in a comfortable way so you don’t feel overwhelmed.
4. Try hard to practice self-care
When negative self-talk is overbearing and loud, take steps to overcome it with self-care. Self-care takes many forms such as taking a shower and styling our hair to seeing a mental health counselor. Go to a spa or a beauty parlor for a new look, get your legs waxed, buy a new piece of clothing or clean a room in your home. For things like leg waxing, check out Nacach and other sources. This company supplies high-quality, easy-to-use wax online so you can have the satisfaction of doing the job yourself.
5. Don’t compare yourself to others, as their story is different
Other people are showing only the parts they want you to see. They may be suffering in private. Concentrate on how good you are and can be. Instead of using what you see in others as a yardstick of what you should be, decide what improvements in yourself you want and strive to get help to accomplish that. Love yourself as you are and can be.
Learn to enjoy life
Once you are feeling more confident in your self-worth, make an effort to get out and enjoy life on your own terms. Don’t let people push you too far too fast, but start doing things you enjoy, like taking a cooking class or start to walk every day. Starting with small things and using the positive affirmation to move on to slightly larger things can be a good plan of action. Each small step can add to your self-esteem and make you happier. Don’t forget to take care of your health and do what you can to look your best.
Article written by Jane Davies
This article was written by the guest author listed at the end of the article.