When you look at your image in a mirror, what is the first thought that pops up in your mind? How do you feel when you see yourself standing right in front of you? Do you feel confident, or does your mind perceive a negative image about yourself? That particular “feeling” is what I call self-esteem, a feeling we can improve by using everyday self-esteem activities and that’s exactly what we would be talking about!
I’m indeed not a saint or some scientist so that this article would be merely based on my perceptions and learning. Hence, my concepts related to self-esteem might differ from yours, and that’s absolutely okay. We all interpret the term differently and have different ideas related to it. Let us understand this term from my point of view. I would begin by explaining what does the word “self-esteem” exactly implies?
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What is self-esteem actually?
Apparently, how you see yourself, the adjectives you use to define your traits, and how your mind perceives you as a person is called your self-esteem. Hence, in simple terms, this is basically a connection between your mind and your overall personality. It frequently alludes to an individual’s feeling of worth and level of fulfillment with themselves.
As a general rule, self-esteem implies various things to assorted individuals. To some, it implies feeling better and cherishing yourself unequivocally. To others, it is a personal feeling which defines their self-confidence, their self-worth, and respect.
Since it is exclusively linked to yourself, it significantly affects your day-to-day behaviors. Subsequently, one must have high self-esteem since it paves their way towards internal satisfaction, genuine happiness, and achievements throughout their everyday lives.
Why should we strengthen our self-esteem?
A person with low self-esteem might often avoid meetings or crowded areas. They lack the confidence to speak up, and they might spend their whole day curling up on their beds, reading a book, or watching a show.
They stay indoors and are always reluctant to step out of their homes. Consequently, they often lag in the race of success as the world spins around confident individuals.
They typically reprimand themselves for their activities and disappointments, lack trust, and generally question their acceptability and self-worth.
For instance, in the clinical field, specialists have a conviction that having constructive self-esteem is exceptionally pivotal for the effective functioning of the human mind and body. As per Máire Ford (2010):
“Low self-esteem doesn’t just impact the way people perceive negative events. It can actually take a toll on health.”
Máire Ford
Low self-esteem also prompts diverse mental conditions, including schizophrenia, sadness, dietary problems, substance abuse, and self-destructive practices.
On the fundamental level, positive self-esteem is depicted by different characteristics, such as individuals who feel good about themselves often express a feeling of utter satisfaction and explicit joy. Brighter self-esteem is tied in with investing heavily in your accomplishments and having an extraordinary degree of honesty with yourselves.
How can we build our self-esteem?
Building up your self-esteem isn’t a difficult job to do. All it requires is your eagerness to do so, your ongoing hard work, and you whispering yourself, “I got this!”
That’s it! It’s that simple.
However, just know that it’s okay to feel low at times, but what’s not okay is not doing anything about it. I had more challenging times, too, when I thought that I’m losing myself, losing my friends, and literally everything else. However, giving up was never an option, and so I worked and worked until the situation turned better, and it really does. Trust me. It does get better.
Let me share some of the necessary steps you could take to build up your self-esteem levels. Well, I used these steps to help myself out of the more challenging times, where I felt like my self-esteem levels were mainly falling. These tips worked amazingly for me, I hope they do for you too!
- Identify and Challenge Your Negative Beliefs
The initial step is to distinguish and challenge your negative convictions about yourself. Notice your musings about yourself. See what your mind whispers when you are all alone or lying idly on your bed. For instance, you may wind up reasoning „I’m not clever enough to do that” or „I have no friends” or maybe “I am so worthless. I don’t deserve anything good!”
At this point, search for proof that repudiates those assertions. Record both explanations and proofs, and continue to glance back at it to advise yourself that your negative convictions are absolutely false.
- Identify your positive parts
Likewise, it is smart to record positive things about yourself, for example, being good at a game or any pleasant stuff that individuals have said about you. Whenever you begin feeling low, glance back at these things, and advise yourself that there is a lot of good about you.
You might often find yourself falling back into old negative propensities; however, you can begin feeling more good about your attributes with regular practices, like everyday self-esteem activities. It would also help assemble your well-being.
- Build Positive Relationships, and Avoid Negative Ones
You will presumably find that some individuals and certain connections cause you to feel in a way that is better than others. They motivate you to be the best version of yourself. They feel delighted over your achievements and are always there for you when you need them. Hold on to such relationships!
On the other hand, some individuals make you feel terrible about yourself, and they harm your mental well-being. They criticize you or joke our your insecurities. Stay a mile away from them!
- Reflect back-see your past achievements
Our brains are weirdly biased. They always recall our negative encounters and fail to remember the positive ones. This can significantly affect our confidence over the long haul, so it’s crucial to be as deliberate as possible with regards to holding on to the positives in our life.
Every time you lay on your bed, or you feel low. Look back. Reflect on what you’ve accomplished. Having your triumphs recorded gives you a psyche proof that you are equipped for achieving. Allude back to it at whatever point you’re battling with your confidence. It works like magic!
Everyday Self-Esteem Activities You Could Do
Well, these are some of the primary self-esteem activities you can incorporate into your everyday routines. They would help you build optimistic self-esteem. These self-esteem activities and tools aren’t much time-consuming, and you can easily make them a part of your busy schedules.
- About Me Worksheet
One useful worksheet that may help you build your confidence is called the “About Me worksheet.” These worksheets encourage individuals to discover their potentials. These help individuals focus on their positive characteristics and achievements instead of continually focusing on the negative ones.
Being focussed on one’s optimistic attributes, these worksheets help people explore their hidden potentials and lay a foundation where they realize that they are full of skills and talents. Self-esteem worksheets further assist individuals in dealing with their weaknesses and suggest ways to improve them magnificently.
- Self-Acceptance Meditation
This self-esteem activities’ objective is for individuals to acclimate themselves with self-acknowledgment, consider their self’s failure to acknowledge themselves genuinely, and set a goal that makes them more self-tolerating.
- Stacking Personal Standards
This tool intends to build an individual’s attention to his norms, the practices they have been holding on to, the stereotypes they have been following. This tool helps people reckon how unnecessary these standards are and how life could get a lot better when they stop practicing them.
- Exploring Domains of Self-Worth
This tool focus on an individual’s day-to-day domains, which become a base of their self-esteem. It helps individuals be content with themselves, their strengths and weaknesses and paves a ladder for them, where they accept themselves just the way they are.
A Good Book Teaches Like No Other
Well, I have always been into books. I have read tons of them, and I would be recommending my favorite one. This one is regarding self-esteem and is a pretty perfect read for someone who wants to comprehend the concept more.
Nathaniel Branden’s lifetime collection of clinical examination and perception is gathered in the book ‘Six Pillars of Self-Esteem.’ The creator has innovatively introduced the advantages of developing self-esteem based on six pillars. The text clarifies that self-esteem is a fundamental prerequisite for a solid body, brain, and character and also recommends simple ways to nurture the same.
Conclusion
Each one of us is brought into the world with limitless potential and equivalent worth as individuals. With a little self-empathy and esteem, there is nothing that we cant achieve.
Whenever you achieve something, celebrate it. Pickup yourself every time you feel low, and don’t let that negativity consume you or harm your self-esteem. Remember, change doesn’t come overnight. It takes days or even months. Don’t look at the smaller picture and feel demotivated. Always take a glimpse over the longer haul. Practice self-esteem activities regularly and try incorporating them into your life.
Eventually, your small acts will turn into a propensity, and you will find that your self-esteem has unobtrusively improved. That’s your success!
What about you? What self-esteem activities do you practice or which tools do you use? Share with us in the comments!
