Feeling good about yourself
Here are some simple ideas that will help you to boost your self-esteem and feel good about yourself ….
1. Praise yourself
In times of stress, take a break and have a positive conversation with yourself about all the things that are going well in your life – or review some of your past achievements and congratulate yourself on what you have done. Tell yourself how lucky you are and nurture your self-esteem by recognising all of the great qualities within yourself. And stop comparing yourself to other people – life doesn’t need to be a competition where you judge yourself to be “better or worse” than others
Oh and by the way, remember to graciously accept any compliments and praise from others. If someone says you’re looking good, or the cake you made tasted terrific – make sure you don’t dismiss what they’ve said with some self-depreciating critical comment. Instead, smile appreciatively and say “Thank you”. Learning to truly accept positive feedback gives your self-esteem a boost for sure!
2. Smile at yourself in the mirror
Whenever you pass by a mirror, look into it and flash yourself a lovely big smile. As strange as this may seem at first, eventually it’ll make you feel good within yourself. And while you’re smiling at yourself, say inside “Hey, I’m looking good!” or other positive compliments. Do this often enough and your sub-conscious will start believing it and your self-esteem will become truly robust
3. Listen to your inner voice
Nobody knows you better than you know yourself. So if your body, mind or gut feeling is trying to tell you something, then take notice of it, and learn to trust yourself. Whilst it can of course be helpful to sometimes seek the wise counsel of others whom we respect, at the end of the day we must live with the consequences of any decisions that we make. So by all means consider the suggestions of others, but never worry about having to please or appease them. Listen to your inner voice and gut feeling, and use it to guide your steps.
4. Be kind to yourself
This may sound corny, but when you wake up, give yourself a great big hug. And do it again when it’s time for sleep. You’ve heard it said before, how can you expect others to like you if you don’t like yourself? So boost your self-esteem by treating yourself with at least the same kindness, patience and warmth that you show to others whom you care about
5. Remove yourself from negatives
If something feels like it’s dragging you down, then change it or get rid of it. If it’s clutter, then tidy up. If it’s a friend who seems full of negativity and complaining about stuff, then politely explain that you don’t feel up to talking right now. If it’s your kids acting up, then just leave the room for a while. You don’t have to put up with the crap that you have tolerated in the past! A robust self-esteem means that feeling that you deserve to be happy.
Self-esteem and self-confidence often accompany each other. Here’s a short video offering some tips on developing the clear intention to become more confident.
To boost your self-esteem – stop worrying about what others think
In the following video clip, there are some more ideas on ways of boosting your self-esteem. Some of them are a bit wacky, but one of the messages is to stop being afraid of being seen as silly by other people. Do things that you like doing and that make you feel happy within yourself – no matter whether others think it’s ridiculous or not!
Check out our other self-improvement resources at Personal Development