Many of us understand the value of improving our feelings of self-worth. When our self-esteem is higher, we not only feel better about ourselves, but we are also more resilient as well. Low self-esteem can negatively affect virtually every facet of your life, including your relationships, your job, and your health. Real happiness comes from being content with, and proud of yourself. There are a few ways we can help improve our confidence and find out what really makes us happy.
- Stop worrying – Most thoughts, emotions, and anxiousness caused by worry are negative, imagining worst-case scenarios, anticipated threats, or scenarios that reflect our own lack of self-worth. Start by acknowledging the presence of such thoughts in the mind, as uncomfortable as that may be. Stop questioning every decision you make and be confident about why you are making your decisions.
- Forget about what other people think – The need to impress, please, and compare ourselves to other people is one of the most common causes of self-loathing. Accept who you are and be confident in that what makes you who you are, is why you are unique.
- Surround yourself with positivity – Try to limit the time you spend around people who have a negative effect on your mood and spend time with people that lift up your mood and make you feel good. Another good idea is to make a list of sayings or quotes that make you feel encouraged or inspired and keep them where you can read them each day.
- Learn to accept compliments – Often when our self-worth is low, we find it harder to accept a compliment. Take your time to let the compliment sink in, and then respond in a simple way like “thank you” or “that’s very kind of you”. Learning to accept compliments may not happen overnight, but the mental health benefits of giving and receiving positive feedback can exponentially improve your relationships with others and yourself.
- Do a social media detox – We are constantly bombarded with images of people living the so called perfect life. Often, we don’t realise that the perfect life we are seeing, isn’t actually what is going on behind the scenes. Yet we compare it with our worst moments and so the spiral begins. Remember, what you see on social media isn’t always what is made out to be. If you find yourself constantly flicking through these apps and comparing your life, then deleting them from your phone for a week or two could be just what you need to feel refreshed.
- Embrace your unique qualities and talents – Everyone is different and that is why life is so exciting. If we were all the same, it would be dull. Figure out what it is that makes you unique and sets you apart from others and build on that.