Before you start reading this, take a deep breath… And if you don’t take anything away from my little write-up, remember this: You’re very likely not giving yourself enough credit.
Everyone has self-esteem. Our self-esteem consists majorly of the thoughts we hold about ourselves. In almost all that we do, our self-esteem plays a large role. As a result, it is very important that you have healthy self-esteem. Having healthy self-esteem would help you make positive choices in your life. It will also help you through tough times as well as allow you to build and sustain meaningful relationships.
Sadly, not every one of us has high self-esteem. In fact, a huge chunk of our population suffers from what is known as low self-esteem. Low self-esteem is capable of affecting mental health negatively. Anyone with low self-esteem will question a lot of things- decisions, appearance and even, the future. It’s like getting stuck on only the negatives in your life.
However, life is much more than the negatives. In fact, what we consider negatives are just our perceptions of things. And even if they truly are negative, they’re never enough reason to get lost in the puddle. Losing yourself and your self-esteem would make you question whether you’re good enough or not. The answer is Yes, you’re good enough. You’re whole. You’re complete. I know it may not feel like it right now, but there’s much more to you than this. And you cannot allow your thoughts to put you down. It’s time to get up and fight the voice of low self-esteem. Ready to do this?
- Challenge Your Thoughts
Keyword: Challenge.
Dealing with low self-esteem means that your thoughts will be filled with lots of negativity. Replace such thoughts with positive ones. The truth is that no one can counter your thoughts for you; only you can. Positively affirm yourself and remind yourself of how good, how beautiful, and how intelligent you are. Write down your strengths on a sheet of paper, and carry it around. Whenever your thoughts begin to consume and overwhelm you, read through your list to bring yourself back to reality. You are much more than what negative thoughts project you as. You have the power to control your thoughts, and you will do just that.
2. Take Proper Care of Yourself
Do not wallow in shame and self-pity. Rather, get up and take good care of yourself simply because you deserve it. Eat well. Bathe. Dress well. Exercise. Make your hair. Put some perfume on. Whatever makes you happy, go all out and do it. When you exercise regularly, you’ll realize that you ease stress and feel better about yourself. You can decide to jog around your block, do some yoga, join a dance class or simply read a book. Whatever you decide to do, ensure that you’re happy whilst doing it. Remember, no one can take better care of you than yourself.
3. Rest
You. Are. Not. A. Robot. Relax! Take some time out to let go of all the stress plaguing your heart and mind. Constantly feeling stressed can play a huge role in low self-esteem. You begin to feed on negative thoughts, your confidence begins to shrink, you become too tired to engage in exercise or be social. In a nutshell, stress denies you of the things you love to do.
How do you reduce your stress? Spend some time doing something you find relaxing. Whether it’s meditation or singing, just do it as long as it works for you.
4. Set Realistic Goals
On a daily basis, take some time to think about what you’d like to achieve. Afterward, set realistic goals for each day. Keep records of your progress by writing down all that you have accomplished. They do not have to be huge goals. You can set a goal to tidy up your living room or do the dishes. As long as you get it done, it is an accomplishment. One thing you would notice as you begin to practice this is that you feel a great sense of accomplishment when you have ticked off everything on your list for the day.
Hey there! The trick to this is that you do not get overwhelmed by the list. Trust me, there are days when you will be unable to get all you have on your list done, and that’s completely okay. You can make a shorter list the next day and see how you fare.