Every person has a sense of self worth which may or may not be accurate. This self worth or self esteem allows a person to form beliefs and opinions.
High self esteem does not mean pride or inflated ego, but an honest opinion of self. However, low self esteem does hint at closed mindedness, self-hate, self pity and other such negative views.
Understanding Self-Esteem
Some people think of self-esteem as their inner voice (or self-dialogue) – the voice that tells you whether you are good enough to do or achieve something.
Self-esteem is actually about how we value ourselves, and our perceptions about who we are and what we are capable of.
People with good self-esteem generally feel positive about themselves, and about life. This makes them much more resilient, and better able to cope with life’s ups and downs.
Those with poor self-esteem, however, are often much more critical of themselves. They find it harder to bounce back from challenges and setbacks. This may lead them to avoid difficult situations. That can, however, actually decrease their self-esteem still further, because they feel even worse about themselves as a result.
Why Do People Experience Low Self-Esteem?
There are many reasons why someone might have low self-esteem. However, it often starts in childhood, perhaps with a feeling that you were unable to live up to expectations. It can also be the result of adult experiences such as a difficult relationship, either personal or at work. Stressful life events, such as a divorce or bereavement, a negative experience from the past can also have negative effects on your self-esteem.
With hard work and determination, one can change one’s self concept and raise their self esteem. One thing that you must keep in mind is that you are the only one who can help yourself! So if you are ready to make this difficult but beautiful change in your life, here are 5 steps to guide you.
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
I would 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.
Self esteem is very important to be successful in life and to protect yourself from being used and abused. It creates a feel-good factor in us which makes us like ourselves and others like us. Irrespective of how we fare in life, high self esteem always keeps us going. Our self concept must not depend on our success, failure or what people think about us. It depends upon what we think about ourselves. So elevate your self esteem today and feel good about who you are!
