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The Pursuit of High Self-esteem: Part II
Monday 17th October 2016
Cultivating self-esteem takes some practice; in my last article I went through three ways in which we can begin to challenge our self-esteem: negative comparisons, that critical inner voice and accepting compliments. Here are some more suggestions to try to boost your self-esteem:
Identifying and developing your strengths:
Self-esteem is developed by showing ability and achievement in areas of your life that are important to you. For example, if you pride yourself on being a good swimmer then sign up for races or charity events. To do this you must begin by recognise one (at least) of your enjoyments or shining qualities. Once identified, try to showcase and accentuate these in any given opportunity both in your personal or work life.
Celebrate the small stuff:
Birthdays, graduation, new job, engagement.... We easily celebrate the big stuff but how often do we take time to celebrate the little things? It is these little things that accumulate and make us feel good about ourselves. By not celebrating, we are depriving or punishing ourselves because we are just withholding something good from ourselves. It is important to acknowledge what you have achieved, even if it is something small like clearing out the cupboard or backing up your hard drive which you've been meaning to do for months. So in short, acknowledge and feel good about the small things you do.
Be assertive:
Assertiveness is a core communication skill, which many who have low self-esteem shy away from, practicing more passive responses. One important assertive tool is learning to say no rather than taking too much on or being a people pleaser per se. By saying "no" you can boost your self-esteem and earn others' respect. Being assertive means that you will express yourself effectively and will stand up for your point of view, while also respecting the beliefs of other people.
All these points above aim to improve self-esteem and it requires a bit of effort, but in following this advice it will become second nature to you with time. Ultimately, it is hoped that these self-help practices will offer a noticeable change in how you view yourself but it is common to see a psychologist for some people where extra support is required.
Before leaving our blog, have a look at a motivational video on 'How to develop a mindset for success'