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https://www.skillsyouneed.com/ps/self-esteem.html

Identify and work towards changing the negative thoughts you have about yourself and build on the positive thoughts. Work on relationships that are a reflection of the direction you want to grow and leave the negative ones behind. Give yourself a break when you make mistakes or fail, its normal everyone fails at some point in time.

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Self-esteem is your opinion of yourself. Learn how to improve your self-esteem by challenging negative thoughts and taking positive action to look after yourself.

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Madison Krummrich

Self-esteem is extremely valuable for your well-being.  It's very hard to build up and keep your self-esteem. You have to really give yourself the time to focus on yourself. If you don't have a good or high self-esteem it could affect you in a lot of other aspects of your life.
*Look your best
*Do not say negative things about yourself
*Reward yourself often
*Stop comparing yourself to others

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Self-esteem represents the thoughts and beliefs that we have about ourselves. Our self-esteem is shaped by what we think we are worth...

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Building a Dwayne "The ROCK" solid self-esteem :)- Peter Reilly

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Building a Dwayne "The ROCK" solid self-esteem :)- Peter Reilly

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Many people struggle with self-esteem, self confidence, and self image issues. But there are some things we all can try to help fix our self-esteem :)
The above article talks about things like: Doing a Social Media cleanse (which I HIGHLY recommend), Cutting out toxic friends, cleaning our environment (your room is a good place to start) and celebrating the small victories. Don't forget, you are loved, and you deserve to be happy!

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Positive Affirmations to help low self-esteem - Eirian Chappell

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Positive Affirmations to help low self-esteem - Eirian Chappell

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Positive affirmations (also labeled as positive metacognitions) are instrumental in improving self-esteem, cultivating a growth mindset, and increasing self-efficacy. A study from a Psychiatric Journal demonstrates how first confronting negative metagonitions and self-approaches, i.e., "I think wrong, I'm dumb, I can't do this" diminishes how often we think such negative thoughts as well as how they affect us. As they are dissected and challenged, they reoccur far less and the emotional toll is lessened as we realize the inaccuracy of these thoughts. Secondly, saying positive affirmations, and especially replacing negative affirmations with them, strengthens neurolinks within our brain, making the positive thought both prevalent and convincing. It will eventually connect well enough to the point that when a negative thought is had, a positive affirmation will be our natural response as we have trained ourselves to think kindly and challenge negativity.

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Vahid Farahmand, MSc, ¹ Ramezan Hassanzadeh, PhD, ¹ Bahram Mirzaian, PhD, ¹ Mohammad Reza Fayyazi Bordbar, PhD, *,² and Jaleh Feizi, MSc ³

Abstract

Objective: The present research aims to analyze the efficacy of group metacognitive therapy (MCT) on self-esteem and mental Health of those who suffer from major depressive disorder.

Methods: The research was a randomized clinical controlled trial, using pretest and posttest with 2 months of follow-up. Twenty-two patients with major depressive disorder based on DSM-IV-TR criteria were selected through available sampling from patients of two psychiatric hospitals of Mashhad, Iran, in 2011. They were allocated randomly into two groups of trial (n = 11) and control (n = 11). Citalopram and sertraline were prescribed as antidepressant to both groups. The experimental group also attended nine 90-minute sessions of MCT (a 5-week program). Eysenck self-esteem scale (ESES) and Mental Health Checklist (MHC) were used in pretest, posttest, and follow-up as the study instrument. The data were analyzed by analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) using SPSS.

Results: ANCOVA revealed that the patients receiving group MCT had significantly increased (p < 0.001) self-esteem in posttest, which remained significant in the follow up (p < 0.001). Moreover, mental health scores had increased in the MCT group (posttest, p < 0.001; follow up, p < 0.001).

Conclusion: Group MCT has beneficial therapeutic roles in improving the self-steam and recuperation of mental health in MDD patients.

Key Words: Major Depressive Disorder, Mental Health, Metacognitive Therapy, Self-esteem

Introduction

Negative biases in data processing about self have been known as one of the major characteristics in developing and maintaining of long-term clinical depression ( 1). Depressed patients encounter a situation in which they are not assertive enough to move, but they complain and are disappointed with the situation they were in ( 2). Because of the recurrent and chronic course of depression, and the potential disability caused by it, knowing the risk factors and taking immediate action in early stages are of paramount importance ( 3).

Self-esteem is one of the most important aspects of the personality and determines the human behavior specifications ( 4). Deb and Bhattacharjee state that depressed people's self-esteem is significantly lower than ordinary people ( 5). People with lower self-esteem are more vulnerable to depression; thus, depression can be considered as the result of low self-esteem ( 6).

Conditions of psychological disorders and their prevalence in adulthood have presented distressing figures. For instance according to Bahrami, Beck has reported that depression has drastically spread during the recent decades and has become a detrimental issue ( 7). Moreover, the International Health and Hygiene Organization has estimated that depression and anxiety disorder will be at the top of the list of psychological disorders and will include 25% of the patients going to the health care centers in the world ( 8).

The remarkable subject is the interest of therapists in giving meaning to the cognitive phenomena in patients suffering from anxiety and depression. Metacognition is the knowing cognition of the cognition ( 1). The metacognitive approach has been created because of dissatisfaction with the existing approaches to psychotherapy which do not consider the important inadaptable thinking specifications and their controlling factors ( 9). This approach focuses on mental processes of thinking style ( 10). Wells and Matthews have introduced the Self-Regulatory Function model (S-REF) to determine the psychological disorders as a fundamental model of treating the metacognition ( 11). Considering this model, conserving the disorder is related to activating a specific style of thinking called Cognition Attentional Syndrome (CAS) ( 9). The important symptom of this syndrome is the constancy of negative thoughts in a form of rumination or worry ( 12). This mental pattern has a crucial role in triggering emotional disorders, especially depression, and also in recognizing its causes ( 13). From this point of view, these challenging procedures have reverse effects on emotional disorders ( 12). This syndrome has various consequences, which lead to psychological disorders. The psychologist must carefully diagnose CAS and name it for the patient's awareness and knowledge during the treatment session ( 13).

Alloy et al. considered mental rumination as a description and interpretation of stressful incidents, and introduced it as mental rumination to react against stress ( 14).

This style of thinking often occurs in response to fundamental automatic negative thoughts. The difficulty of this rumination is that it has long term negative and stressful effects, and the individual's concentration will be on ideas and processes, which reinforce ineffective knowledge ( 10). This kind of thinking (rumination) causes pessimistic interpretations of life events, leading the individual to be also pessimistic about future positive events and making them weak so that he/she will be unable to solve interpersonal problems ( 12). It also causes an increase in the negative mood effects on motivation and problem solving (for example through self-doubt regarding the ability to solve the problem or the cognitive abilities) ( 15).

One presumption is that instead of changing the cognitive content that is used in cognitive approach, we must decrease its useless effects by trying to change the styles used for experiencing the mental events ( 16).

MCT enables the patients to stop rumination, decrease self-monitoring, and create more adaptable styles to encounter their thoughts and emotions. The attention training technique (ATT) is one of the techniques used that do not involve shifting attention to neutral or positive stimuli to control or avoid subjective experiences. Instead ATT involves shifting attention in ways that are specifically designed to strengthen metacognitions that regulate thinking, remove unhelpful thinking styles that impede normal emotional processing, or modify beliefs ( 16). The important part of the treatment is changing the negative and positive metacognitive beliefs about rumination, and changing or eliminating Cognitive Attentional Syndrome (CAS) ( 13). Positive metacognitive beliefs are concerned with the usefulness of worrying, rumination, threat monitoring, and other similar strategies. The second domain of metacognitive beliefs is concerned with the negative significance and meaning of internal cognitive events, such as thoughts and ordinary beliefs ( 15).

Previous researches have shown that there is an association between high self-esteem and positive character specifications in individuals. People with high self-esteem have specifications such as mental maturity, stability, being realistic, tranquility, and high capability of tolerating failure and disappointment. However, people with low self-esteem do not display such specifications. As was mentioned, low self-esteem is remarkably connected to pathological symptoms and has an association with many of the mental health issues and problems and usually leads to mental traumas ( 17). Therefore, by considering the importance of self-esteem and its key role in mental hygiene, and also the need for designing innovative treatments, we decided to perform the present study with the purpose of assessing the efficiency of group MCT on self-esteem and mental health of the people with major depression.

Materials and Methods

The present study is an open labeled, randomized control trial conducted in Mashhad, the second biggest city of Iran. In this study the pretest-posttest and follow-up plan with the control group has been used. The study population included the patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD), based on DSM-IV-TR criteria, who were referred to Ghaem and Ibn-e-Sina psychiatric hospitals of Mashhad in 2011 with the age of 18 to 50 years.

30 patients have been chosen by available (convenient) sampling. A clinical psychologist and psychiatrist approved their diagnostic of MDD based on DSM-IV-TR criteria.

Inclusion and exclusion criteria are: 1- meeting DSM-IV-TR criteria of MDD based on semi-structured interview, 2- lack of borderline personality disorder, 3- not receiving any other psychological intervention, 4- not having any other psychological therapy at least during the 2 previous years, 5- no history of psychosis, 6- no substance abuse or dependency, and 7- being between 18-50 years of age. Patients were allocated randomly by using table of random numbers into 2 groups; trial group (n = 15) and control group (n = 15). The participants started pharmacotherapy by SSRIs (citalopram or sertraline). Citalopram was started with the initial dose of 10 mg/d, and increased 10 mg every 3 days up to 40 mg/d. Sertraline was started with the initial dose of 50 mg/d, and increased 50 mg every 3 days up to 150 mg/d. Four weeks after the beginning of drug treatment, the experimental group started the MCT sessions. The sessions were conducted by two clinical psychologists (a therapist and a co-therapist). In the second treatment session, we encountered the drop out of 4 patients (3 males and 1 female). Their reasons were the dissatisfaction of their wife or being busy for final exams. Thus, 4 patients from the control group (4 females) were randomly omitted.

Eysenck self-esteem scale (ESES) and Mental Health Checklist (MHC) were used as measures for assessing the outcomes. These tools were used in pretest (before starting the group metacognitive therapy and 4 weeks drug therapy), posttest (end of sessions), and 2 months of follow-up. We have to mention that during the first interview the essential information of to the research was given to the patients. In addition, they were convinced that the data would be published for research purposes only. Then, the informed consent form was handed over to them, in which some notes such as treatment description, negative and positive effects, supplementary treatments, and inclination to leave the treatment plan in any desired period of time were included. Moreover, it was prescribed that the control group also take the course of the MCT group, after the research is over.

The sessions' contents are presented in the table 1 . We have to mention that as the first session was one of the most important treatment sessions, to promote the possibility and quality of properly formulizing the participants, the therapist felt the necessity to hold this session individually for each of the members of the group. During all the sessions, if necessary the patients were in touch with the therapist. Furthermore, the therapist was in touch with each participant during the interval of sessions to make sure they performed their personal assignments with a favorable quality. Ultimately, the research data were analyzed by modifying statistical indices and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), using SPSS for Windows 16.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL., USA). Data are expressed as means (± SD) and p < 0.05 is considered statistically significant. The study was approved by the Medical Research Ethics Committee of Islamic Azad University of Sari.

Table 1

Sessions

Session's content

Research tools

Eysenck Self-esteem Scale

This scale includes thirty questions of two characteristic types related to self-esteem, compatible stable type and emotionally instable type. Compatible stable type has been formed by attributes such as self-esteem, happiness, tranquility, and etcetera. The emotionally instability type has been formed by attributes such as inferiority feeling, depression, anxiety, and etcetera. The subjects must try to answer yes or no as much as possible for each question; if it is not possible for them, they must choose the third choice and choose the question mark. In this scale the highest mark for the testing is 30; the higher scores show high self-esteem ( 18). Cronbach's Alpha coefficient in this research was 0.83.

Mental Health Checklist (MHC)

This checklist has been provided by Kumar in order to provide a hand tool to identify people who have poor mental health. The reliability coefficient of this test was 0.83 ( 19). The checklist evaluates six mental conditions and five physical conditions through Likert scale. Score 'A' stands for mental condition score, and score 'B' pertains to physical condition score, and by adding these two scores a total score will be obtained. High scores show poor mental health ( 20). Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the whole questionnaire in this research was 0.72.

Results

The participants in this research were in the age range of 18 to 50 years. The mean (± SD) age of the trial group was 30.36 (± 10.39) and the control group was 31.73(± 9.61) (p > 0.05). There were 1 male and 10 female participated in the trial group, and 1 male and 10 female participated in the control group. Both groups were using drugs (with the mean dose of 110 mg/d of sertraline in 5 patients and mean dose of 40 mg/d of citalopram in 6 patients) at the same time.

Table 2 shows the descriptive data of the variables of self-esteem and mental health which are separated for groups and stages.

Table 2

Trial Group

Control Group

Variables

Pretest

Posttest

Follow up

Pretest

Posttest

Follow-up

Self-esteem

Mean
(± S.D)

Mean
(± S.D)

Mean
(± S.D)

Mean
(± S.D)

Mean
(± S.D)

Mean
(± S.D)

Mental Health

12.31
(± 6.25)

23.77
(± 3.93)

24.72
(± 1.73)

12. 04
(± 2.94)

16.50
(± 2.81)

19.31
(± 3.57)

Self-esteem

31.00
(± 3.79)

18.09
(± 4.01)

15.09
(± 3.50)

33.91
(± 5.37)

27.45
(± 4.61)

30.36
(± 10.39)

Table 3 shows the results of ANCOVA, to compare the posttest scores and follow-up data of the two groups after controlling for the pretest. The analysis of covariance has been planned to assess the effectiveness of the MCT, which was implemented for the improvement of self-esteem and mental health. In the implementation of the pre-intervention self-esteem and mental health test, the patients' scores were used as covariates in this analysis.

Table 3

Variable

Stages

Source

df

Mean Square

F

Sig.

Partial Eta Squared

Self-esteem

Post-test

Pretest

1

062.91

06.99

0.010

0.26

Follow-up

Pretest

1

017.17

02.31

0.140

0.10

Mental Health

Post-test

Pretest

1

119.50

08.93

0.008

0.32

Follow-up

Pretest

1

018.63

01.86

0.180

0.89

The preliminary studies were done to make sure of not offending against normal distribution, homogeneity of variance, homogeneity of regression slopes, and the constancy of the covariate variant measurements. After balancing the pre-intervention (pretest) scores, there was a significant difference between the two intervention groups in the post-intervention scores (posttest and follow-up) of the self-esteem scale (posttest: Partial Eta = 0.62; p < 0.001; F (1, 19) = 31.46, and follow-up: Partial Eta = 0.52; p < 0.001; F (1, 19) = 21.23). These results are also true for the mental health test (follow-up: Partial Eta = 0.68; p < 0.001; F (1, 19) = 41.35, and posttest: Partial Eta = 0.54; p < 0.001; F (1, 19) = 22.79).

Discussion

The patients undergoing MCT intervention showed significantly higher rates of recovery in comparison to the control group. Moreover, in the follow-up period the results remained significant. No studies regarding assessment of the MCT effectiveness in improving self-esteem and mental health were found in our searches however, the most related researches are explained below.

Wells et al., in their research, studied MCT effectiveness on depressed patients (n = 4) through 3 and 6 months of follow-up ( 9). The findings of this research showed a significant decrease in depression symptoms and also continuation of the treatment in the next 3 and 6 months follow-up. In the studies by Wells et al., through using basic multi-line A-B plan, they studied the MCT effectiveness on depressed patients. The treatment was given to the patients during 6-8 sessions. A significant recovery was observed in the patients; the mean score of BDI-II of the pre-test was 23.35, but reached 6.5 after treatment. In addition, in the six months follow-up all the patients fulfilled the standard recovery criteria of the Beck depression scale ( 10). Furthermore, Wells et al. found that under the MCT intervention 66% of patients suffering from major depressive disorder had completely recovered during the six months follow-up ( 9). In another research, which used ATT as the drug supplementary treatment for the depressed patients (n = 15), results showed that this treatment was better than ordinary treatment (anti-depression drugs) ( 21).

In line with the current research, Dowlatshahi performed a research on the effectiveness of MTC in depressed patients (n = 10). The treatment was given during 8 sessions and led to a considerable recovery of patients; the mean percentage of recovery from depression symptoms was 35% in the trial group. In addition, ANCOVA results in this study were significant (p < 0.001) ( 22). Hashemi et al. studied the efficiency of MCT on the recovery of patients with major depressive disorder (n = 3) during 6-8 sessions with 1 and 3 months follow-up. Their findings indicate significant and considerable changes in all three patients' depression symptoms; the mean score of the BDI-II decreased from 23.1 before the treatment to 6.3, 6, and 12.4 immediately after the treatment, and during the one month and three month follow-up, respectively ( 23).

Discrepancies between the results of the current study and other studies in symptom responses to MCT may be due to methodological reasons, various outcome measures, and cultural differences.

The results obtained in this research were encouraging; suggesting MCT as a short-term treatment of severe depression either independently or in combination with pharmacotherapy. We must mention that none of the patients reported that the symptoms became worse during the treatment course; except for one person, who reported that the symptoms worsened during the 3 rd and 4 th sessions, but this person recovered remarkably at the end of the treatment and maintained this state during the follow-up. In conclusion, we can consider MCT as an effective method because of paying attention to some factors in controlling and experiencing negative thoughts such as: why people produce negative thoughts and extend them, focusing on the mental processes of the thinking style, the metacognitions contents not to the negative automatic thoughts contents and schemas, and focusing on the procedural change ( 10, 24).

This research had some limitations which can be mentioned. Because one of the participants did not attend 2 group sessions, these 2 sessions were held individually for him/her. The small sample size (n = 22), the age range of 18-50 years that can limit the generalization of the research findings, short-term follow-up (2 months), and the limited numbers of researches in this field for better comparisons are the other limitations we encountered.

Conclusion

This study, for the first time, showed that depressed patients receiving MCT showed significantly increased self-esteem and mental health in posttest after controlling the pre-test scores, which is in agreement with previous studies supporting the role of MTC in treatment of patients.

Acknowledgments

We are grateful and we do appreciate Dr. Vosuogh, Dr. Manteghie, Dr. Rabbanizade, Dr. Shareh, Dr. HeydariCheroodeh, and other dear individuals, who assisted us. This research was approved by the Islamic Azad University, Sari Branch. The authors had no conflict of interests.

Authors' contributions

RH, BM, and MRFB conceived and designed the research project. VF arranged the therapy sessions by supervision of RH, BM, and MRFB. VF collected the clinical data. VF and MRFB interpreted the clinical data, performed the statistical analyses, and drafted the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Footenote

Declaration of interest: None.

Clinical Trial Registration-URL: http:// www.irct.ir. Unique identifier: TRCT201201162611N3.

Citation: Farahmand V, Hassanzadeh R, Mirzaian B, Fayyazi Bordbar MR, Feizi J. The efficacy of group metacognitive therapy on self-esteem and mental health of patients suffering from major depressive disorder. Iran J Psychiatry Behav Sci 2014; 8(2): 4-10.

References

2. Williams JMG. The Psychological Treatment of Depression. London, UK: Routledge; 1992. pp. 15-65. [ Google Scholar]

13. Wells A. Metacognitive therapy for anxiety and depression. New York, NY: Guilford Press; 2009. pp. 7-292. [ Google Scholar]

18. Biabangard E. [The methods to increase self-esteem in children and adolescents] Tehran, Iran: The institute of Parents and Educators Publications; 1993. pp. 11-67. [ Google Scholar]

19. Kumar P. Mental Health Checklist. Agra, India: National Psychological Corporation; 1992. pp. 7-122. [ Google Scholar]

22. Dowlatshahi M. [Influence metacognition treatment of depression] [Dissertation] Torbat-E-Jam, Iran: Islamic Azad Univ.; 2011. [ Google Scholar]

Articles from Iranian Journal of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences are provided here courtesy of Kowsar Medical Institute

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The Efficacy of Group Metacognitive Therapy on Self-Esteem and Mental Health of Patients Suffering from Major Depressive Disorder

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Vahid Farahmand, MSc, 1 Ramezan Hassanzadeh, PhD, 1 Bahram Mirzaian, PhD, 1 Mohammad Reza Fayyazi Bordbar, PhD, *, 2 and Jaleh Feizi, MSc 3 Objective: The present research aims to analyze the efficacy of group metacognitive therapy (MCT) on self-esteem and mental Health of those who suffer from major depressive disorder.

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Brilliant Ways to Improve Confidence-Colby Berg

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Brilliant Ways to Improve Confidence-Colby Berg

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Confidence has many roots which can affect how strong or weak one's confidence may be. Social surroundings, good physical health, and positive affirmations are key concepts found in confident people. These factors will improve thinking mechanics in the brain. Fear is another factor which inhibits confidence. Confidence is often compared to insecurities and the differing mindsets will make life changing results. Lastly, self-esteem goes hand in hand with confidence, so without one factor the other will likely also be missing.

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Confidence is a feeling of trust in your abilities, qualities, and judgment. The American Psychological Association defines self-confidence as "a belief that one is capable of successfully meeting the demands of a task."

It can refer to a general sense of trust in your ability to control your life, or it might be more situation specific. For example, you might have high self-confidence in a particular area of expertise but feel less confident in other areas. Research suggests that confidence is important to health and psychological well-being.

Having a healthy level of self-confidence can help you become more successful in your personal and professional life. Research has found, for example, that more confident people tend to achieve more academically. Your level of confidence even affects how you present yourself to others.

Ways to Be More Confident

Fortunately, there are several ways you can increase your self-confidence. Whether you lack confidence in one specific area or struggle to feel confident about anything, these nine tips can help you be more confident.

Stop Comparing Yourself to Others

Do you compare how you look to people you follow on Instagram? Or maybe you compare your salary to what your friend earns. Social comparison theory explains that making comparisons is natural. But it isn't likely to help boost your self-confidence. It may even have the opposite effect.

A 2018 study published in Personality and Individual Differences found a direct link between envy and the way we feel about ourselves. Specifically, researchers noted that when people compare themselves to others, they experience envy. And the more envy they have, the worse they feel about themselves.

How do you build self-confidence when you notice that you are drawing comparisons? First, remind yourself that doing so isn't helpful. Everyone is running their own race and life isn't a competition.

If you're feeling envious of someone else's life, it's also helpful to remember your own strengths and successes. Keep a gratitude journal to better recall the areas in life where you are blessed. This can help you focus on your own life versus focusing on the lives of others.

Surround Yourself With Positive People

Take a moment and think about how your friends make you feel. Do they lift you up, or do they bring you down? Are they constantly judging you, or do they accept you for who you are?

The people you spend time with can influence your thoughts and attitudes about yourself, perhaps more than you realize. So, pay attention to how others make you feel. If you feel bad about yourself after hanging out with a particular person, it may be time to say goodbye.

Instead, surround yourself with people who love you and want the best for you. Seek out others who are positive and can help build your confidence. Self-confidence and a positive attitude go hand-in-hand.

Take Care of Your Body

This tip for how to be more confident is based on the idea that it's hard to feel good about yourself if you're abusing your body. When you practice self-care, you know you're doing something positive for your mind, body, and spirit-and you'll naturally feel more confident as a result.

Here are a few self-care practices linked to higher levels of self-confidence:

Diet: Healthy eating comes with many benefits, including higher levels of confidence and self-esteem. When you fuel your body with nutrient-dense foods, you feel healthier, stronger, and more energized, which can result in feeling better about yourself.

Exercise: Studies consistently show that physical exercise boosts self-confidence. For instance, a 2016 study found that regular physical activity improved participants' body image. And when their body image improved, they felt more confident.

Meditation:More than just a relaxation practice, meditation can help boost self-confidence in several ways. For one, it helps you to recognize and accept yourself. Meditation also teaches you to stop negative self-talk and disconnect from unhelpful mental chatter interfering with your confidence.

Sleep: Skimping on sleep can take a toll on your emotions. Conversely, good-quality sleep has been linked with positive personality traits, including optimism and self-esteem.

Be Kind to Yourself

Self-compassion involves treating yourself with kindness when you make a mistake, fail, or experience a setback. It allows you to become more emotionally flexible and helps you better navigate challenging emotions, enhancing your connection to yourself and others.

A 2015 study connects self-compassion with self-confidence. So the next time you're in a challenging situation, recognize that being imperfect or falling short at times is a part of being human. Do your best to navigate these experiences with compassion toward yourself.

Practice Positive Self-Talk

Negative self-talk can limit your abilities and lessen your self-confidence by convincing your subconscious that you "can't handle" something or that it is "too hard" and you "shouldn't even try." Self-talk that is optimistic, on the other hand, can foster self-compassion and help you overcome self-doubt and take on new challenges.

The next time you begin to think that you have no business speaking up in a meeting or that you are too out of shape to work out, remind yourself that your thoughts aren't always accurate. Then find a way to turn those thoughts around into more positive self-talk.

Here are a few examples of ways to challenge pessimistic self-talk and reframe your thoughts into a more positive way of thinking, increasing your self-confidence along the way:

"I can't handle this" or "This is impossible" becomes "I can do this" or "All I have to do is try."

"I can't do anything right" becomes "I can do better next time" or "At least I learned something."

"I hate public speaking" becomes "I don't like public speaking" and "Everyone has strengths and weaknesses."

Face Your Fears

Stop putting things off until you feel more self-confident-like asking someone on a date or applying for a promotion. One of the best ways to build your confidence in these situations is by facing your fears head-on.

Practice facing some of your fears that stem from a lack of self-confidence. If you're afraid you'll embarrass yourself or think that you're going to mess up, try anyway. A little self-doubt can even help improve performance. Tell yourself it's just an experiment and see what happens.

You might learn that being a little anxious or making a few mistakes isn't as bad as you thought. And each time you move forward, you gain more confidence in yourself. In the end, this can help prevent you from taking risks that will result in major negative consequences.

Do Things You're Good At

What happens when you do things that you are good at? Your self-confidence starts to soar. Your strengths become even stronger, which helps improve your belief in yourself. Taking this approach also has another benefit: it can increase how satisfied you are with your life.

One study found that believing in your ability to build on your personal strengths is moderately related to life satisfaction levels. This starts with identifying what those strengths are. Then, work to make them stronger by engaging with them regularly.

If you're good at a certain sport, for instance, make it a point to train or play at least once a week. If you're good at a particular task at work, try to do that task more often. Building on your strengths can also help you build your self-confidence.

Know When to Say No

While doing things you're good at can give your self-confidence a boost, it's equally important to recognize situations that can cause your confidence to plummet. Maybe you find that every time you participate in a certain activity, you feel worse about yourself instead of better.

Saying no to activities that tend to zap your self-confidence is okay. Certainly, you don't want to avoid doing anything that makes you feel uncomfortable because discomfort is often part of the personal growth process. At the same time, there's nothing wrong with knowing your boundaries and sticking to them.

Setting social and emotional boundaries enables you to feel safer psychologically. It can also help you feel more in control. Self-confidence is, in part, feeling like you have control over your life. Boundaries help establish this feeling of control.

The next time someone suggests doing something that you know will lower your self-confidence, respectfully decline. You don't have to avoid that activity forever either. Once you learn how to be more confident, you may feel strong enough to try it again-without hurting the confidence you have in yourself.

Set Realistic Goals

Pursuing your goals often involves failing several times until you figure out what works. This can make you wonder if you have what it takes to succeed. It can also leave you questioning how to be more confident while still achieving your dreams. The answer lies in setting realistic goals.

Setting high-reaching goals and failing to achieve them has been found to damage confidence levels. Conversely, realistic goals are achievable. And the more you achieve your goals, the greater your confidence in yourself and your abilities.

To set realistic goals, write down what you want to achieve. Next, ask yourself what chance you have of attaining it. (Be honest!) If the answer is slim to none, the goal may be a bit too lofty. Dial it back so it is more realistic and more achievable.

This may require doing a bit of research on your part. For instance, if you have a goal to lose weight, experts recommend losing one to two pounds per week for healthy, long-term weight loss. Knowing this helps you set a goal in line with this guideline, boosting your self-confidence when you hit it.

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Confidence vs. Insecurity

When learning how to be more confident, it can be helpful to understand how someone with self-confidence is different from someone who is more insecure. Here are just some of the differences between the two.

Benefits of Confidence

Being confident in yourself just feels good. That said, having self-confidence can also bring many additional benefits at home, at work, and within your relationships. Here's a look at a few of the positive effects of learning how to be confident:

Better performance: Rather than waste time and energy worrying that you aren't good enough, you can devote your energy to your efforts. Ultimately, you'll perform better when you have more self-confidence.

Healthier relationships: Having self-confidence not only impacts how you feel about yourself, but it helps you better understand and love others. It also gives you the strength to walk away from a relationship if you're not getting what you want or deserve.

Openness to try new things: When you believe in yourself, you're more willing to try new things. Whether you apply for a promotion or sign up for a cooking class, putting yourself out there is a lot easier when you have confidence in yourself and your abilities.

Resilience: Believing in yourself can enhance your resilience or ability to bounce back from any challenges or adversities you face in life.

Recap

A Word From Verywell

Everyone struggles with confidence issues at one time or another. Fortunately, there are several things that you can do to boost self-confidence. In many cases, learning how to act confident can actually help you feel more confident.

Sometimes low self-confidence is a sign of a mental health condition such as depression or anxiety. If your self-confidence interferes with your work, social life, or education, consider talking to a mental health professional. A therapist can help you better understand the issue, recommend treatment, and work with you to develop skills to build your self-confidence.

Frequently Asked Questions

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How to Be More Confident: 9 Tips That Work

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Confidence is important for mental well-being and can boost resilience and motivation while lowering anxiety. Here are nine tips for how to be more confident.

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What is Low Self Esteem & How to Raise It

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What is Low Self Esteem & How to Raise It

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Kimauni Fulford

People can work to build self esteem by isolating their negative thoughts and writing out traits they posses that contradict that thought pattern. Noting other positive characteristics and the praises of those around works to build self esteem as well. 5 positives is the target range for a self-esteem boost!

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We all have times when we lack confidence and do not feel good about ourselves.
But when low self-esteem becomes a long-term problem, it can have a harmful effect on our mental health and our day-to-day lives.

What is self-esteem?

Self-esteem is the opinion we have of ourselves.

When we have healthy self-esteem, we tend to feel positive about ourselves and about life in general. It makes us better able to deal with life's ups and downs.

When our self-esteem is low, we tend to see ourselves and our life in a more negative and critical light. We also feel less able to take on the challenges that life throws at us.

What causes low self-esteem?

Low self-esteem often begins in childhood. Our teachers, friends, siblings, parents, and even the media send us positive and negative messages about ourselves.

For some reason, the message that you are not good enough is the one that stays with you.

Perhaps you found it difficult to live up to other people's expectations of you, or to your own expectations.

Stress and difficult life events, such as serious illness or a bereavement, can have a negative effect on self-esteem.

Personality can also play a part. Some people are just more prone to negative thinking, while others set impossibly high standards for themselves.

How does low self-esteem affect us?

If you have low self-esteem or confidence, you may hide yourself away from social situations, stop trying new things, and avoid things you find challenging.

In the short term, avoiding challenging and difficult situations might make you feel safe.

In the longer term, this can backfire because it reinforces your underlying doubts and fears. It teaches you the unhelpful rule that the only way to cope is by avoiding things.

Living with low self-esteem can harm your mental health and lead to problems such as depression and anxiety.

You may also develop unhelpful habits, such as smoking and drinking too much, as a way of coping.

How to have healthy self-esteem

To boost your self-esteem, you need to identify the negative beliefs you have about yourself, then challenge them.

You may tell yourself you're "too stupid" to apply for a new job, for example, or that "nobody cares" about you.

Start to note these negative thoughts and write them on a piece of paper or in a diary. Ask yourself when you first started to think these thoughts.

Next, start to write some evidence that challenges these negative beliefs, such as, "I'm really good at cryptic crosswords" or "My sister calls for a chat every week".

Write down other positive things about yourself, such as "I'm thoughtful" or "I'm a great cook" or "I'm someone that others trust".

Also write some good things that other people say about you.

Aim to have at least 5 positive things on your list and add to it regularly. Then put your list somewhere you can see it. That way, you can keep reminding yourself that you're OK.

You might have low confidence now because of what happened when you were growing up, but we can grow and develop new ways of seeing ourselves at any age.

Other ways to improve low self-esteem

Here are some other simple techniques that may help you feel better about yourself.

Recognise what you're good at

We're all good at something, whether it's cooking, singing, doing puzzles or being a friend. We also tend to enjoy doing the things we're good at, which can help boost your mood.

Build positive relationships

If you find certain people tend to bring you down, try to spend less time with them, or tell them how you feel about their words or actions.

Try to build relationships with people who are positive and who appreciate you.

Be kind to yourself

Being kind to yourself means being gentle to yourself at times when you feel like being self-critical.

Think what you'd say to a friend in a similar situation. We often give far better advice to others than we do to ourselves.

Learn to be assertive

Being assertive is about respecting other people's opinions and needs, and expecting the same from them.

One trick is to look at other people who act assertively and copy what they do.

It's not about pretending you're someone you're not. It's picking up hints and tips from people you admire and letting the real you come out.

Start saying "no"

People with low self-esteem often feel they have to say yes to other people, even when they do not really want to.

The risk is that you become overburdened, resentful, angry and depressed.

For the most part, saying no does not upset relationships. It can be helpful to keep saying no, but in different ways, until they get the message.

Give yourself a challenge

We all feel nervous or afraid to do things at times. But people with healthy self-esteem do not let these feelings stop them trying new things or taking on challenges.

Set yourself a goal, such as joining an exercise class or going to a social occasion. Achieving your goals will help to increase your self-esteem.

Where to find help for low self-esteem

Talking therapies like counselling or cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can help.

You can refer yourself for talking therapies on the NHS.

If you prefer, you can talk to a GP first and they can refer you.

You could also find a private therapist. Make sure they're registered with a professional body.

Visit healthtalk.org to hear young people talking about their experiences of low self-esteem

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Find out why some people have low self-esteem and how it can affect your mental health. Plus, simple tips on how to give your confidence a boost.

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This website includes 10 different ways you can improve your self esteem by simply doing and focusing on simple little tasks. Such as things to think about ensuring yourself of safety and ways to think about good possibilities. It also includes little physical activities you can do like taking deep breaths and participating in a superhero pose. There are other ways that this site suggests to help improve your confidence, and I suggest you read them because they are pretty interesting.

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You're vulnerable. Scared. What if you don't take that job? What if that guy/girl doesn't like you? You wish you could just own your power and ask for that raise, but the idea makes you cringe. You need a self-confidence boost. But how do you build self confidence when you feel fat/inexperienced/lacking credentials/whatever your critical self tells you?

1. Think: "It's safe for me to..."

You lack confidence because of fear. You might be scared of success or failure. Beat that fear by thinking that "it's safe."

"It's safe for me to get that promotion. It's safe for me to ask for it. It's safe to..."

"It's safe for me to lose 20 pounds. It's safe for me to fit in my old jeans. It's safe for me to be thin, even though everyone in my family is fat."

"It's safe for me to ask that girl/guy out. It's safe to be social. It's safe to..."

Ta-dah! Already feel better, huh?

2. Ask yourself: "What if...?"

When you're insecure, you might find it hard to even think of the possibility of success. Yet if you can't imagine it, you won't be able to reach it.

However, you can open the window of imagination by asking yourself "what if?"

"What if I can actually get that new job?"

"What if I lose 20 pounds?"

"What if that new boy/girl likes me?"

By asking "what if," you by-pass the blockage of fear, and gradually start imagining how life will be when you get what you want. It's an immediate confidence booster.

3. Take a deep breath.

Taking deep breaths works. You know it, I know it, everyone knows it. Right when you hands are sweating, just before you ask for that raise, take a deep breath, shake your hair and do it!

4. Prepare and practice.

Preparation is 80% of success. When you find that insecurity holds you back, it might be high time for you to prepare more.

Afraid of your job interview? Practice interviewing with a friend. Over and over. Again and again.

Afraid to go on one more diet? Before starting anything, review the possibilities available, imagine how each diet would feel. Once you find a diet/process that feels okay with you, then you are ready to start doing. By the way, I didn't say preparation would be easy. It's not. That's why it's 80% of success!

Afraid of dating? Read a dating book. Build up your confidence by saying "hi" to strangers. Next time you see your cute neighbor, smile.

The better prepared you are, the more confident you'll feel, the less you will worry about "the next step," and the more "in the moment" you will be.

Now, you are not supposed to prepare indefinitely; preparation can easily become procrastination if you do too much of it. At some point, you will have read enough books, done enough research, watched enough videos. You will be ready to start applying your knowledge. Just start.

5. Take your superman posture.

Did you know that your posture affects how you feel? Well, it does. Power postures increase testosterone among other hormones, says Harvard researcher.

So stand up straight. Imagine you are superman for a second. How would your posture be, if you indeed were superman? Yup, that's right. Hold it. Hormones kick in, and the confidence goes up. Nice!

6. Do the things you know you should do, but don't.

Postponing what you want to do only makes you think you are a loser. What does this do to your confidence?

So next time you're thinking, e.g., "I know I should get back to exercise," pause. The more you don't go back to exercise, the more you'll have proof to distrust yourself and your abilities.

I know it's not really rational to think bad of ourselves just because we don't follow through with something, but believe me, at moments of low confidence, rationality is not our strong point.

So if exercise is the case, just do 3 repetitions of squats right away. Or, enroll in Exercise Bliss. Or, call your gym and book your membership.

If cleaning your garage is on your to-do list, then throw away just one thing, right now. Or, schedule one hour of de-cluttering. Just stop reading this article right now and do it.

If you want to start your own business, then check out Appsumo's make your first dollar. Or, ask three people today, whether they would buy your product/service - and if yes, ask for money and promise to deliver it to them in a week or two. Get into action!

The moment you take this one tiny step, you'll immediately feel happy with yourself. You'll replace feeling guilty, with self-satisfaction.

You don't need to go to the end to be happy-you just need to take one step. That's how you build self confidence in you and your abilities.

7. Dress appropriately.

Fake it till you make it, ever heard of that? That's exactly what happens when you dress the part. Combine it with your power posture and you are unstoppable!

8. Visualize it. Feel it.

Your confidence will reach its best, when success is "the next logical step." When you reach this place that getting what you want feels as natural as the next logical step, then success is yours.

But how do you reach "the next logical step" level? It's a combination of preparation, thinking "it's safe," asking "what if," and then once imagining success starts feeling normal, visualizing and feeling your success. Feeling as if you already have what you want.

Warning: If you try to visualize but fail, then that means you are one step earlier, at the preparation stage. Say to yourself that "it's safe." Ask "What if." With every step you take you, build more and more confidence.

9. Let it go.

So you have prepared. You know exactly how to ace that job interview. You've practiced it 1000 times.

Now it's time to let it go. Thinking about it even more will only cause you unnecessary stress. Take a deep breath, and do something else. Your time to shine is on its way.

10. List your past successes.

Sometimes when we suffer an attack from ourselves - you know, when that voice in our heads goes wild telling us we'll never succeed - it's super helpful if we're already prepared with counter-arguments. That's why listing your past successes can make a difference in whether your own self-critic wins or just stops talking.

"People won't like you because you are fat!"

"But my girlfriend does like me, even though I am fat!"

Or...

"You don't meet all the requirements to apply for that job. You'll waste your time applying for it!"

"That's not true. I did A and B in my last job. I managed X and Y. I did this and that...blah blah. I could do Z for this company. They'll be thrilled to have me!"

Got it?

Your past successes are the best ammunition against your own self-critic. Buuut, you must already have this list, before the critic strikes! Again, preparation is 80% of success.

And now, you are good to go! You are unstoppable. The world is at your feet.
Photo Credit: josephleenovak

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10 Ways You Can Do To Build Self Confidence Instantly

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You're vulnerable. Scared. What if you don't take that job? What if that guy/girl doesn't like you? You wish you could just own your power and ask for that raise, but the idea makes you cringe. You need a self-confidence boost. But how do you build self confidence when you feel fat/inexperienced/lacking credentials/whatever your critical self tells you?

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A Guided Meditation for visualizing confidence

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A Guided Meditation for visualizing confidence

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improve your self-esteem though the practice of visualizing confidence by meditation. the bottom part of this webpage guides the reader though the art of visualizing situations with the most positive outcomes. using a technique of Dissociated State Rehearsal or practicing in your mind so you become accustomed to the feeling of the situation. this method prepares your mindset for the moment to come and establishes confidence of having experienced situations before hand with preparedness of a successful mindset. -Wyatt Bibby

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You've had the experience of feeling good- really good-about yourself at least once in your life. Maybe it was something you accomplished after dedicating a lot of resources, like time, energy, and money. Or perhaps it was just a moment in time where you shined brighter ever before. Whatever that moment was, you will always remember the feeling you had, and there's a pretty high likelihood that you would like to operate from that place as often as possible.

How to Build Confidence

Confidence is a positive state of mind centered around one's power or abilities to be the person you want to be, to do the things you want to do, and to have what you want to have in your life. When your self-confidence is soaring, you experience emotions like happiness, joy, and inspiration that make you feel good. You feel clear, congruent, and as if you can take on the world. And yet, there are times in your life when you just don't feel confident and your self-esteem wanes. In some cases, something happened that caused you to feel "less-than" and you can feel burdened with beliefs that you are incapable of being, doing, or having what you want. It's important to remember that it's not uncommon to wonder how to be more confident in yourself.

It's also important that you learn how to tap into your inner strength on those days because your confidence affects your performance in any area of life and, likewise, your performance affects your confidence. The two are interconnected and go hand-in-hand. The downside to experiencing low self-esteem can present as both negative emotions and limiting beliefs, something that can be easily remedied through applying mindfulness-based lifestyle practices like meditation and goal-setting.

Problems with Low Self-Confidence

Low self-confidence can affect you in many ways. Some of the common issues that crop up are feelings of inadequacy, believing you're not smart enough, you're not good enough, or you're unworthy. Sometimes it can lead to negative thoughts that you don't belong here (or anywhere) and, in some more extreme cases, it can lead to depression, anxiety, or taking action that ends in tragedy.

Signs of Low Self-Confidence

You or someone you care about may be experiencing low self-confidence if there is a strong presence of shame in the emotional body. According to Brené Brown, a research professor, author, and beloved public speaker on the topic, shame is an unspoken epidemic in society that leads to many forms of broken behavior. Other signs that may indicate a lack in confidence is an inability to set and enforce healthy boundaries, social withdrawal, and being fixated on putting others down.

You've been there at one point or another and for some, perhaps, more than others. At the end of the day, you were born whole and perfect. You come in with unique talents and special gifts that only you express in your individuated fashion. Your goal is to discover what those positive attributes are and to share those strengths with the world. To do that, you need to have the ability to anchor into your self-confidence and focus on how to build self-esteem. Fortunately, there are several tools and techniques that can help you find and stay connected with this inner aspect.

Let's explore this three-part exercise that includes using guided meditation (or visualization) to get you feeling more confident.

Define Confidence for You

It's helpful to understand that words mean different things to different people. What confidence means to one person may look and feel partially or entirely different to another. So, let's start with a short journaling exercise where you will discover your own definition of confidence.

Begin by finding a comfortable place to rest where you won't be distracted. You'll want to have a clear mind and feel comfortable before you begin journaling.

Start with some slow, deep breathing to get yourself into a calm, centered, and balanced state so that you may focus on journaling.

Bring to mind your idea of confidence. You'll probably find that some form of imagery comes to mind. You might see a picture or a short movie of a time in your life when you felt confident, or it might be of someone else who you see as exuding a strong sense of self-confidence.

Notice all the things you see, take in everything you hear, and connect with the feelings you feel inside.

Now, spend a few minutes journaling whatever came through for you; thoughts, feelings, or imagery. This will reveal what confidence looks, sounds, and feels like for you.

Create a Resource Anchor

Next, you'll use a powerful technique that comes from neuro-linguistic programming called anchoring. Anchoring is an effective tool that helps you access a desired mindset anytime you need to. This can come in quite handy on those days when your self-esteem can use a little boost. For this exercise, you'll create a resource anchor for confidence, which will help you get in touch with your inner self-esteem whenever you want. (Note: please read through this entire process before you begin so you understand each of the steps clearly.)

1. The positive state you will want to anchor for this exercise is confidence. However, you can also ask yourself, "If I could feel any positive and empowering emotions at any time I wanted, what would they be?" Or, another approach is, "How would I like to feel instead (of how I feel now)?"

2. Next, decide on a body part you want to anchor the desired state to. Most often, people will use a knuckle on their hand or an ear lobe. You want to choose a place that isn't always coming into contact with touch because you use touch to activate or "fire off" the anchor.

3. Now, ask yourself, "Can I remember a time when I felt confident, a specific time?" Be sure you remember a specific time.

4. As you remember that time now, step into your body; see what you saw, hear what you heard, and feel the feelings of being totally confident.

5. As soon as you begin to go into the state, meaning you feel totally confident, apply the stimulus by putting your finger on a chosen knuckle or reach up and touch your ear lobe (whichever body part you have chosen to "anchor" this state to). The idea is to do this right when you're at the peak of feeling totally confident.

6. As soon as the state begins to subside remove your finger from your knuckle or ear lobe. Be sure to remove the stimulus prior to the feeling of confidence beginning to dissipate. This is very important.

7. Last, test the anchor to make sure it works. To do this, you need to break state, which is a way of saying reboot your mind. Simply look outside the window or walk into a different room and then come back. Test your anchor of confidence by reapplying the stimulus. Observe how you go into a state of feeling totally confident. *If you need to repeat the process, you can do so.

A Guided Meditation for Visualizing Confidence

Now it's time to bring it all together.

1. Find a comfortable place to sit and minimize any distractions.

2. Close your eyes and begin to take some slow deep breaths, following your inhalation and exhalation, to allow yourself to settle into a peaceful, meditative state.

3. Begin by bringing a real-life situation to mind where you want to be able to step into a state of confidence. Maybe it's a conversation you need to have or a presentation you've been asked to deliver. Perhaps you're wanting to ask someone on a date or set a meaningful goal.

4. As you bring this situation to mind create a picture and then fire off the anchor you previously created. You should feel yourself shifting to an emotional state of feeling totally confident. (If not, simply repeat the anchoring process and test it to be sure it works.)

5. Play out the scenario in your mind in the most positive way you would most like to see it unfold. Follow the movie reel all the way through to completion where you end with the most positive outcome. Take in everything you see, hear, and feel around you. Notice how much confidence you have and how amazing that feeling is.

6. When you're ready, open your eyes and journal for a bit about how this process was for you. Repeat as often as necessary.

In this guided visualization, you are practicing what many successful athletes do before the game. It's called dissociated state rehearsal. It gets your mind into the state you need to be in to accomplish your goals in the moment. The more you practice this in your mind, the better you will become. These methods will help you decipher how to boost your confidence.

The final step in achieving the level of confidence you desire is to go out into the world and do it. Exactly as you've been imagining it in your mind, you must now take physical action to make it your reality.
Tune into the Boost Your Confidence program for more tips to develop trust and faith in yourself, available now in the Chopra App.
*Editor's Note: The information in this article is intended for your educational use only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition and before undertaking any diet, supplement, fitness, or other health programs.

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How to Boost Your Confidence Through Meditation

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You've had the experience of feeling good- really good-about yourself at least once in your life. Maybe it was something you accomplished after dedicating a lot of resources, like time, energy, and money. Or perhaps it was just a moment in time where you shined brighter ever before.

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This website talks about everything self-esteem, from all the ways in which one can improve their self-esteem, point 2 is what spoke to me the most, Identify the positive about yourself. Being good to yourself by knowing what is good about you is very encouraging, positive self talk, self assurance, self love in all the tough times, knowing what you are good at and sticking to it while perfecting it can definitely improve ones self-esteem.
MUKAMA NINSIIMA

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Self-esteem is your opinion of yourself. Learn how to improve your self-esteem by challenging negative thoughts and taking positive action to look after yourself.

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8 Ways to Improve Your Self-Esteem Naturally - Justin Davis

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8 Ways to Improve Your Self-Esteem Naturally - Justin Davis

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High self-esteem is one of the hardest things to achieve but one of the easiest things to lose. You can raise your self-esteem in a lot of ways, but I prefer the natural ways. In this article it gives you a few good ways to do this. My favorite one is way number 4. It talks about accepting you for you. You can spend your time wishing you were someone else, or you can start loving yourself.

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At Get Healthy U, we often hear from many of you who say you struggle with your self-esteem and self-image. We often get emails that say: "I'd feel a lot better about myself if I could just lose this weight or get back in shape." While we know that getting fit can help your self-esteem soar, we also know that how you feel about you is more of an inside job than an outside job.

Once you feel like a million bucks on the inside, it's a whole lot easier to change the outside. So, if this sounds like you ... and you often say negative things about yourself or you just know your self-esteem is in need of repair, here are eight ways to improve your self-esteem naturally.

"You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe deserve your love and affection. " ― Gautama Buddha Click to Tweet

1. Laugh at yourself

Life can be serious enough without your help. Try and lighten the mood sometimes and laugh. If you make a mistake or do something you label as stupid, view it as an opportunity to laugh at yourself or have a good laugh with a friend. As you practice laughing at yourself, you quickly realize it's perfectly okay to be imperfect. We all are. Isn't laughing at yourself a better option than over-analyzing something you said or did? Having the ability to laugh at yourself means you feel pretty good about who you are.

2. Look for the positive

You know you can have a better day when you look for the positive all around you. Just as noticing everything that's going right can improve your mood, so can noticing everything about YOU that you like. We all have strengths, natural skills, and characteristics. What are yours? List your positive attributes and strengths and find ways to use both more. When you spend more of your time using your strengths, it makes you feel good about yourself and who you are. Become a person who freely gives yourself a pat on the back, a compliment, or a word of encouragement when you need it. Treating yourself positively-like you would a best friend-can make all the difference in how you feel about yourself.

3. Make decisions that make you feel good about yourself

All-day every day we make tons of decisions big and small. Choose wisely. If you constantly make decisions that make you feel good about yourself, your self-esteem will rise. Positive decisions make us feel more positive. Spend more time playing you're your kids. Support a friend. Drink more water. Like a friend's Facebook post. Make a healthy meal. Tackle a priority project. Talk favorably about someone when she isn't around. Clean out a closet. Grab a healthy snack. Call someone who needs to talk. Unplug when you need it. Watch how much better you feel about yourself when you make decisions that make you feel good about yourself.

"When you're different, sometimes you don't see the millions of people who accept you for what you are. All you notice is the person who doesn't." - Jodi Picoult Click to Tweet

4. Accept who you are

You can spend your time wishing you were someone else, or comparing yourself to someone else, but where will that get you? Your time can be better-spent liking who you are. Celebrate your strengths. Embrace your perceived flaws. Know that we all have both. Tell your inner critic to hush and show yourself some self-compassion. Once we accept ourselves, we become infinitely more comfortable in our own skin and in our lives. Self-acceptance allows you to enjoy your own journey.

5. Do kind acts for others

If your thoughts are bringing you down, get out of your head and put your mind on someone else. Help someone out. Do an unexpected good deed. Bake for a neighbor. Smile at someone, or open a door. Kind acts for others don't have to be big. You can make someone's day, and your kind act will also make you feel good about yourself. Fill your cup with good deed happiness.

6. Keep the promises you make

A great way to tank your self-esteem is to break the commitments or promises you make to yourself and others. So just don't do it. Of course, say no when you need to, but if you make a promise, keep it. Your self-esteem will rise every time you do exactly what you commit to doing.

7. Exercise

Exercise is a hands-down win for your self-esteem. Exercise became an important part of my life at an early age when I realized how great I felt about myself after a good workout. Exercise can boost your self-image by improving how you feel about your body and by seeing what your body can do. Exercise can make you feel strong, confident, optimistic, and calm. Plus, exercise gives you energy, alleviates stress, and increases mental clarity. Without a doubt, a sweaty workout releases those feel-good endorphins that make you happy. Exercise that really engages your mind can keep you in the present and prevent you from going negative in your mind. Combine your exercise with nature and you really can get an instant pick-me-up.

8. Invest in your well-being

A quick way to irritable you (who you don't feel good about) is to not get enough sleep. Sleep deprivation can throw you off your mind and body. If you are ever in a funk and you can't snap out of it, see if a good night's sleep does the trick. It's amazing how different you can feel with a restorative night's rest. Your entire outlook can change. "Sleep on it" is excellent advice. Make sure you aim for the recommended seven to eight hours a night. I know it's hard, but it is possible, especially when you try to go to bed a little earlier.

If you feel like your self-esteem is low, don't get stuck thinking your self-esteem will never change or that it's too hard to change. It isn't. Here's a bonus tip: Fake it until you make it. Sometimes just playing the part of confident you can help confident you to blossom.

"Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world." - Lucille Ball Click to Tweet

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8 Ways to Improve Your Self-Esteem Naturally

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At Get Healthy U, we often hear from many of you who say you struggle with your self-esteem and self-image. We often get emails that say: "I'd feel a lot better about myself if I could just lose this weight or get back in shape."

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6 Ways to Boost Your Self - Esteem  Ashley Lawrence

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6 Ways to Boost Your Self - Esteem  Ashley Lawrence

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This website discusses 6 different ways that can help you battle low self-esteem. The one that stuck out for me is to practice self - care. Self care doesn't have to be expensive. One of the examples it the article gave was to read a book. This is a great way to escape or learn something new! For me diving in to a good book was a great way to steer clear from negative thinking.

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Did you know that February is International Boost Self-Esteem Month? Your self-esteem, or how you perceive yourself, is always changing. As you go through life, there will be times when your self-esteem is high and others when it is low. If you're feeling like your self-esteem could use a boost, check out the six tips below!

1. Avoid negative self-talk

We tend to spend so much time thinking about our flaws that we forget about our strengths. This way of thinking can have a negative impact on our self-esteem. So next time you start having negative thoughts, take a moment and recognize what you're doing. Challenge these beliefs by finding evidence against them. This will alter your way of thinking and make you view yourself in a positive light.

2. Stop comparing yourself to others

People do not always show their true selves on social media. So when you're looking at your Instagram feed, try not to compare yourself to others. Clinical psychologist Linda Blair states, "You're comparing yourself with a fantasy, and that will lead to either excessive striving or disappointment." When you catch yourself wishing you were someone else, take a step back and think about everything you have accomplished. Remember, the successes of others don't take away from your own.

3. Accept your flaws

No one's perfect. We all have things we wish we could change about ourselves. To prevent these flaws from having a negative impact on your self-esteem, you should separate your flaws into two categories: flaws that can be worked on and flaws that can't be worked on. Once you've learned to accept yourself for who you are, you will start to find peace within yourself and spend more time focusing on your strengths rather than your weaknesses.

4. Set manageable goals

Blair suggests setting short- to mid-term goals for yourself. This will help you feel a sense of accomplishment once you've done what you've set out to do. If you set lofty goals, you may be unable to achieve them, and this will have a negative impact on your self-esteem.

5. Practice self-care

It is very important to have a self-care routine. Even if you are extremely busy, you should take a few minutes out of your day to engage in activities that promote peace and well-being. This may include taking a walk, reading a good book, or cooking a healthy meal. In addition, you should take care of your physical health by getting an adequate amount of sleep, eating the right foods, and engaging in daily hygiene. Having a self-care routine will have a significant effect on your self-esteem.

6. Exercise

Not only is exercise good for your physical health, but it is also good for your mental health. When you engage in physical activity, your body releases endorphins, which trigger a positive feeling. You don't necessarily have to do an hour-long workout to feel better. You can take a walk around the block or get up and dance to improve your well-being.

Building self-esteem takes time, so be patient with yourself. As long as you try your best, that's all that matters. Let us know if any of these tips worked for you!
By Kate Artmann
The Hoyt Organization

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6 Ways to Boost Your Self-Esteem * 6 Ways to Boost Your Self-Esteem

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Did you know that February is International Boost Self-Esteem Month? Your self-esteem, or how you perceive yourself, is always changing. As you go through life, there will be times when your self-esteem is high and others when it is low. If you're feeling like your self-esteem could use a boost, check out the six tips below!

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19 Simple Ways to Boost Your Self-Esteem Quickly- Cassie Null

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19 Simple Ways to Boost Your Self-Esteem Quickly- Cassie Null

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Self Esteem is a double edged sword. When you have low self esteem you can get into a vicious cycle of a downward path that is very hard to get out of. The less self esteem you have the less motivation you have to find ways to help. This is why it is so important to try and find ways that are simple and effective to help improve your self esteem quickly to start moving in the right direction. For me reading either motivational phrases or listening to short motivational talks helps me push forward through the day with a positive attitude .

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Low self-esteem is unfortunately a self-fulling prophecy. The worse you feel about who you are and what you do, the less motivation you'll have to do what it takes to build your self-esteem.

From there it's easy to spiral down into a cycle of negative and circular thinking, keeping you mired in damaging--and erroneous--beliefs.

How can you stop this vicious cycle and start moving yourself in a more positive direction?

It's a process, and it won't happen overnight, but there are things you can do to get it started and keep it moving. Here are 20 powerful ways to improve your self-esteem quickly in order to start feeling more confident.

1. Master a new skill.

When you become skilled in something that corresponds with your talents and interests, you increase your sense of competency.

2. List your accomplishments.

Think about all the things you've accomplished, then write them down. Make a list of everything you've done that you feel proud of, everything you've done well. Review your list when you need a reminder of your ability to get things done and to do them well.

3. Do something creative.

Creative tasks are a great way to put the flow back into your life. Creativity stimulates the brain, so the more you use it, the greater the benefits. Pull out your old guitar, write a story or poem, take a dance class or sign up for a community theater production. When you add the challenge of trying something new, it helps you even more.

4. Get clear on your values.

Determine what your values are and examine your life to see where you're not living in alignment with what you believe. Then make any necessary changes. The more you know what you stand for, the more confident you will be.

5. Challenge your limiting beliefs.

When you catch yourself thinking negatively about yourself, stop and challenge yourself. Don't let yourself be limited by erroneous beliefs.

6. Stand at edge of your comfort zone.

Stretch yourself and move to the edge of your comfort zone. Get uncomfortable--try something new, meet different people or approach a situation in an unconventional way. Confidence begins at the edge of your comfort zone.

7. Help someone.

Use your talents, skills and abilities to help others. Give someone direct assistance, share helpful resources or teach someone something they want to learn. Offer something you do well as a gift to someone.

8. Heal your past.

Unresolved issues and drama can keep you trapped in low self-esteem. Seek the support of a trained counselor to help you heal the past so you can move onto the future in a confident and self-assured way.

9. Stop worrying about what others think.

When you worry about what others will think of you, you never feel free to be completely yourself. Make a firm decision to stop worrying about what other people think--begin making choices based on what you want, not what you think others want from you.

10. Read something inspirational.

A great way to gain more self-esteem is to read something that lifts you up and makes you feel positive about yourself.

11. Reclaim your integrity.

Define what integrity means for you, and ensure that you're living in accordance with that understanding. If your life isn't aligned with your character, it will drain you and leave you feeling bad about yourself.

12. Let negative people go.

If there are people in your life who are negative--who have nothing positive to say or who put you down or take advantage of you--do the smart thing and let them go. The only way to find your self-esteem is to surround yourself with supportive positive people who admire you and value you.

13. Draw a line in the sand.

The best way to find your self-esteem is to create personal boundaries. Know what your boundaries are and how you wish to respond when people cross them. Don't allow others to control you, take advantage of you or manipulate you. To be confident is to maintain firm boundaries.

14. Care about your appearance.

When you look your best, you feel your best. Dress like someone who has confidence and let your self-assurance come through in how you look.

15. Welcome failure as part of growth.

It's a common response to be hard on yourself when you've failed. But if you can shift your thinking to understand that failure is an opportunity to learn, that it plays a necessary role in learning and growth, it can help you keep perspective. Remember too that failure means you're making an effort.

16. Always remain a student.

Think of yourself as a lifelong learner. Approach everything that you do with a student's mentality--what Zen Buddhists call Shoshin or "beginner's mind"--open, eager, unbiased and willing to learn.

17. Face your fear.

Allow yourself to feel afraid but keep going anyway. Self-esteem is often found in the dance between your deepest desires and your greatest fears.

18. Become a mentor.

Be there for someone who needs your guidance, your leadership and your support. Their respect and gratitude--and watching them progress with your help--will add to your self-esteem and self-respect.

19. Define success.

Clarify what success means to you and what it means in terms of your confidence. If you really want to do something you will have to find the self-esteem within yourself to just do it.

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19 Simple Ways to Boost Your Self-Esteem Quickly

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Low self-esteem is unfortunately a self-fulling prophecy. The worse you feel about who you are and what you do, the less motivation you'll have to do what it takes to build your self-esteem. From there it's easy to spiral down into a cycle of negative and circular thinking, keeping you mired in damaging--and erroneous--beliefs.

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Improve Your Self-Esteem for No One Else but YOU! - Courtney Heineman

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Improve Your Self-Esteem for No One Else but YOU! - Courtney Heineman

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Improving your self-esteem is more important than you might think. Improving it the correct way, will set you up for success. Having a good attitude is only half of what you can do to help yourself. Having a good attitude and affirming your going to get where you want to be is how to affirm yourself correctly. Click the link to find out more ways of building self-esteem to be long lasting and proactive. YOU GOT THIS!

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Everyone is in favor of high self-esteem - but cultivating it can be surprisingly tough. Psychologist Guy Winch explains why - and describes smart ways we can help build ourselves up.

Many of us recognize the value of improving our feelings of self-worth. When our self-esteem is higher, we not only feel better about ourselves, we are more resilient as well. Brain scan studies demonstrate that when our self-esteem is higher, we are likely to experience common emotional wounds such as rejection and failure as less painful, and bounce back from them more quickly. When our self-esteem is higher, we are also less vulnerable to anxiety; we release less cortisol into our bloodstream when under stress, and it is less likely to linger in our system.

Part of the problem is that our self-esteem is rather unstable to begin with, as it can fluctuate daily, if not hourly. Further complicating matters, our self-esteem comprises both our global feelings about ourselves as well as how we feel about ourselves in the specific domains of our lives (e.g., as a father, a nurse, an athlete, etc.). The more meaningful a specific domain of self-esteem, the greater the impact it has on our global self-esteem. Having someone wince when they taste the not-so-delicious dinner you prepared will hurt a chef's self-esteem much more than someone for whom cooking is not a significant aspect of their identity.

That said, it is certainly possible to improve our self-esteem if we go about it the right way. Here are five ways to nourish your self-esteem when it is low:

1. Use positive affirmations correctly

2. Identify your competencies and develop them

Self-esteem is built by demonstrating real ability and achievement in areas of our lives that matter to us. If you pride yourself on being a good cook, throw more dinner parties. If you're a good runner, sign up for races and train for them. In short, figure out your core competencies and find opportunities and careers that accentuate them.

3. Learn to accept compliments

4. Eliminate self-criticism and introduce self-compassion

5. Affirm your real worth

The bottom line is improving self-esteem requires a bit of work, as it involves developing and maintaining healthier emotional habits but doing so, and especially doing so correctly, will provide a great emotional and psychological return on your investment.

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Everyone is in favor of high self-esteem - but cultivating it can be a surprisingly perilous quest. Psychologist Guy Winch explains why - and describes smart ways we can help build ours...

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U Matter!!                                                                      Lori Morrison 

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U Matter!!                                                                      Lori Morrison 

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Self-esteem helps us build up a supportive network of friends and deal with the daily setbacks that are a part of life on (and off) campus. It’s never too late to start building healthy, positive self-esteem.
*Positive Thinking
*Learn from mistakes
*Accept yourself
*Practice self care

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Make yourself a priority.
Forgive yourself.
Practice your self-talk.
Celebrate small achievements.

“We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing, at whatever cost, must be attained.” – Marie Curie

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Self-esteem is a popular topic these days, with even parenting guides encouraging parents to start young in encouraging their children's self-esteem.

It's not hard to see why - people with a good sense of self-esteem consistently have better mental health and are happier and more successful.

But what happens when you don't have a high self-esteem? It's not too late.

When you struggle with low self-esteem, improving your sense of self-worth can be a journey that takes both time and dedication.

However, there are things you can do right now to get you started on that journey. Below are 12 simple activities that you can do to boost your self-esteem today.
1. Make Yourself a Priority
From the time we are young, we are taught that putting other's needs before our own is a virtue, while prioritizing your own needs is selfish. However, you can't have a good sense of self-esteem if you don't make your own needs a priority .

So what does prioritizing your own needs look like in the real world? It means meeting your own needs instead of ignoring them for the sake of others.

This can be easier said than done, especially if you are a parent or work in a demanding work environment, but when you recognize that your own needs have value, you begin to realize that you yourself have value.
2. Stop Being a People Pleaser
As Aesop once said, "He who tries to please everybody pleases nobody." This includes yourself - if you spend your whole life trying to please everyone, you won't find personal happiness.

That is because people pleasers have an unfortunate habit of making everyone else a priority over themselves and pretending to be someone other than their authentic selves.

As you can imagine, pretending to activities that you actually can't stand or pretending to possess certain qualities you don't actually have in order to get others to accept you can have a negative effect on your self-esteem.

You are, in essence, telling yourself that you aren't good enough. The next step towards boosting your self-esteem, then, is forgetting what others want you to be and being your own authentic self.
3. Find Yourself
If you've spent your whole life ignoring your own needs and pretending to be someone else in order to please others, you may not know what your authentic self actually is. This is your chance to figure that out!

Turn your gaze inwards and analyze what really drives you and brings you joy. It may feel strange at first, but there is no wrong emotion in this scenario - all are an important step towards authenticity and increased self-esteem.
4. Watch Your Self Talk
Part of developing a healthy self-esteem requires analyzing how you talk to yourself.

We all talk to ourselves in some way, whether out loud or just in our heads, and the language we use can be a significant insight into how we view ourselves. Negative self-talk (i.e. calling yourself ugly or unlikeable) creates a feedback loop where your self-esteem drops, which leads to more negative self-talk, and so on.

The most effective way to break the cycle is to counter that negative self-talk through being kind and positive towards yourself.

Anytime something negative pops into your mind, counteract those thoughts by writing down something positive (i.e. a list of your positive attributes) until positive self-talk becomes a habit.
5. Don't Beat Yourself up over Your Mistakes
As humans, we are frequently harder on ourselves than we are on our loved ones . Unfortunately, many of us view our mistakes as personal or even moral failures.

The thing is, we are all human, and all humans make mistakes. Instead of dwelling on your mistakes as some sort of personal punishment, try to view these mistakes as opportunities to improve yourself. Just by changing your way of thinking, you can boost your self-esteem.
6. Acknowledge Your Successes
On the flip side, you should also recognize your achievements. It is common for many of us to downplay our successes.

We say "It wasn't that big of a deal. Anyone could do it." This leads to feelings that we haven't achieved much with our lives, hurting self-esteem.

If you want to boost your self-esteem, you should celebrate your successes . Think about the person you were just a few years ago, and recognize how much you have grown and changed.

Write your successes down and as time goes on you'll be amazed at how much you have accomplished.
7. Be Grateful
Cultivating a healthy sense of self-esteem also involves the ability to be grateful for what you have. Some individuals tie their entire sense of self-worth in what they have, but someone else will always have more than you do, whether it's more money, better looks, etc.

Instead of getting caught up in what you don't have that others do, focus on what it is that you do have. Be grateful. When you focus on being grateful for the things that you do have, you start to feel happier with your life and more self-assured.
8. Nurture a Positive Attitude
A lot of changing your self-talk, emphasizing your successes over your failures, and being grateful has to do with maintaining a positive attitude. Such an outlook can be difficult to cultivate, as our brains naturally tend to dwell on the negative instead of the positive.

The first step towards nurturing a positive attitude is to associate with positive people. Negative people can only bring you down to their level. Positive people can only help you improve.
9. Commit to Your Decisions
Another way to cultivate positivity in your life is to fully commit to your decisions.

Once you have decided on a course of action, don't waste your energy on self-doubt and second-guessing yourself. Use that energy to do the necessary research and work to see your task through.

When you give in to self-doubt and second thoughts, you are telling yourself that you don't view yourself as a competent adult capable of making the right decisions and successfully completing a task.

As such, committing yourself to your decisions boosts your self-esteem by eliminating those doubts and insecurities.
10. Learn How to Say No
Another aspect of making yourself a priority and committing to your decisions is learning how to say no in a decisive yet respectful way. When you learn how to say no, you teach others that your boundaries are to be respected and that you won't be taken advantage of.

One of my favorite quotes from the late Steve Jobs emphasizes the importance of saying no:
"People think focus means saying yes to the thing you've got to focus on. But that's not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully. I'm actually as proud of the things we haven't done as the things I have done. Innovation is saying no to 1,000 things."
Substitute focus for happiness and you've got a winning strategy for life, not just business.

By teaching others to respect your boundaries, you affirm to yourself that you are allowed to have needs and boundaries. You also avoid getting stuck with tasks that drain your energy and sense of positivity.
11. Be Generous to Others
Making your needs a priority and learning how to say no to the things you don't want to do doesn't mean that you have to shut others out in order to build up your own self-esteem.

In truth, humans are social creatures and a lack of meaningful human connections can severely impact your self-esteem.

For many people, helping others gives them a sense of meaning and purpose in life.

If you have the time and the means, give to charity, volunteer your time to a cause you feel passionate about, or even give blood at the local blood bank.
12. Love Yourself
At the end of the day, a person with high self-esteem is a person who loves himself. This doesn't mean loving yourself as Narcissus loved his reflection, but rather loving yourself as a person who has value and worth.

When you love yourself, you lead a healthier life. You take care of your body by exercising regularly, eating the right food , and you take care of your mind with positive talk and a healthy social life.

In short, even if you currently don't have a high sense of self-esteem, there are simple steps that you can take to start developing a strong sense of self-esteem today.

Some of these twelve activities might not be easy at first due to ingrained habits developed over a lifetime, but if you consistently practice these actions every day they will start to become second nature and you will start to see an improvement in your self-esteem.

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12 Simple Activities You Can Do to Start Building Self Esteem Today

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Self-esteem is a popular topic these days, with even parenting guides encouraging parents to start young in encouraging their children's self-esteem. It's not hard to see why - people with a good sense of self-esteem consistently have better mental health and are happier and more successful.

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I got this information from Mayo Clinic online. Steps to improve your self esteem include knowing your negative thoughts, and learning how to channel them. Being aware of what is causing your self esteem issues is one of the first steps in helin solve and self esteem issues one may have.

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Self-esteem: Take steps to feel better about yourself

Harness the power of your thoughts and beliefs to raise your self-esteem. Start with these steps.
By Mayo Clinic Staff
Low self-esteem can affect nearly every aspect of life. It can impact your relationships, job and health. But you can boost your self-esteem by taking cues from mental health counseling.

Consider these steps, based on cognitive behavioral therapy.

1. Recognize situations that affect self-esteem

Think about the situations that seem to deflate your self-esteem. Common triggers might include:

A work or school presentation

A crisis at work or home

A challenge with a spouse, loved one, co-worker or other close contact

A change in roles or life events, such as a job loss or a child leaving home

2. Become aware of thoughts and beliefs

Once you've learned which situations affect your self-esteem, notice your thoughts about them. This includes what you tell yourself (self-talk) and how you view the situations.

Your thoughts and beliefs might be positive, negative or neutral. They might be rational, based on reason or facts. Or they may be irrational, based on false ideas.

Ask yourself if these beliefs are true. Would you say them to a friend? If you wouldn't say them to someone else, don't say them to yourself.

3. Challenge negative thinking

Your initial thoughts might not be the only way to view a situation. Ask yourself whether your view is in line with facts and logic. Or is there another explanation?

Be aware that it can be hard to see flaws in your logic. Long-held thoughts and beliefs can feel factual even if they're opinions.

Also notice if you're having these thought patterns that erode self-esteem:

All-or-nothing thinking. This involves seeing things as either all good or all bad. For example, you may think, "If I don't succeed in this task, I'm a total failure."

Mental filtering. This means you focus and dwell on the negatives. It can distort your view of a person or situation. For example, "I made a mistake on that report and now everyone will realize I'm not up to the job."

Converting positives into negatives. This may involve rejecting your achievements and other positive experiences by insisting that they don't count. For example, "I only did well on that test because it was so easy."

Jumping to negative conclusions. You may tend to reach a negative conclusion with little or no evidence. For example, "My friend hasn't replied to my text, so I must have done something to make her angry."

Mistaking feelings for facts. You may confuse feelings or beliefs with facts. For example, "I feel like a failure, so I must be a failure."

Negative self-talk. You undervalue yourself. You may put yourself down or joke about your faults. For example, you may say, "I don't deserve anything better."

4. Adjust your thoughts and beliefs

Now replace negative or untrue thoughts with positive, accurate thoughts. Try these strategies:

Use hopeful statements. Be kind and encouraging to yourself. Instead of thinking a situation won't go well, focus on the positive. Tell yourself, "Even though it's tough, I can handle this."

Forgive yourself. Everyone makes mistakes. But mistakes aren't permanent reflections on you as a person. They're moments in time. Tell yourself, "I made a mistake, but that doesn't make me a bad person."

Avoid 'should' and 'must' statements. If you find that your thoughts are full of these words, you might be putting too many demands on yourself. Try to remove these words from your thoughts. It may lead to a healthier view of what to expect from yourself.

Focus on the positive. Think about the parts of your life that work well. Remember the skills you've used to cope with challenges.

Consider what you've learned. If it was a negative experience, what changes can you make next time to create a more positive outcome?

Relabel upsetting thoughts. Think of negative thoughts as signals to try new, healthy patterns. Ask yourself, "What can I think and do to make this less stressful?"

Encourage yourself. Give yourself credit for making positive changes. For example, "My presentation might not have been perfect, but my colleagues asked questions and remained engaged. That means I met my goal."

You might also try these steps, based on acceptance and commitment therapy.

1. Spot troubling conditions or situations

Again, think about the conditions or situations that seem to deflate your self-esteem. Then pay attention to your thoughts about them.

2. Step back from your thoughts

Repeat your negative thoughts many times. The goal is to take a step back from automatic thoughts and beliefs and observe them. Instead of trying to change your thoughts, distance yourself from them. Realize that they are nothing more than words.

3. Accept your thoughts

Instead of resisting or being overwhelmed by negative thoughts or feelings, accept them. You don't have to like them. Just allow yourself to feel them.

Negative thoughts don't need to be controlled, changed or acted upon. Aim to lessen their power on your behavior.

These steps might seem awkward at first. But they'll get easier with practice. Recognizing the thoughts and beliefs that affect low self-esteem allows you to change the way you think about them. This will help you accept your value as a person. As your self-esteem increases, your confidence and sense of well-being are likely to soar.

In addition to these suggestions, remember that you're worth special care. Be sure to:

Take care of yourself. Follow good health guidelines. Try to exercise at least 30 minutes a day most days of the week. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Limit sweets, junk food and saturated fats.

Do things you enjoy. Start by making a list of things you like to do. Try to do something from that list every day.

Spend time with people who make you happy. Don't waste time on people who don't treat you well.

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Show references

1. Orth U, et al. Is high self-esteem beneficial? Revisiting a classic question. American Psychologist. 2022; doi:10.1037/amp0000922.

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8. Self-esteem self-help guide. NHS inform. https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/mental-health/mental-health-self-help-guides/self-esteem-self-help-guide. Accessed May 4, 2022.

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Overcome negative self-talk and low self-esteem by using techniques from mental health counseling.