How to improve self esteem
What do you think of yourself? Are you generally positive when you think about valuing yourself or do you find negative things to say. This is self esteem – how do you value yourself?
During this brief article I will explain how you may recognize you have low self esteem, the impact it can have and how you can move away from feeling low towards a more positive reference. Now and always, be kind to yourself. You are enough.
Impact of low self esteem
If you have low self esteem it can have an impact on many if not all aspects of your life. It’s an area of mental health for a reason. If you are operating from a place of low self esteem you may feel as though you are sometimes/often/always in a negative mindset.
You may find yourself referring to your own worth in low, undervalued terms. I am not good enough, not clever enough, I’m not worth it etc. This could be phrases you would find yourself using or thinking or both.
Symptoms of low self esteem
Perhaps the easiest sign of low self-esteem that you can identify for yourself is your self-talk. Internal dialogue that may include various versions of “I am not enough”.
If you often find yourself belittling what you have done or not being able to congratulate yourself for a job well done, this could all be a sign of low self esteem.
If when considering an intimate relationship you think everyone is “out of my league” this could be a sign of low self esteem.
If in work where you are employed in a job or perhaps you are running your own business and there is an opportunity for a promotion or to win new clients or be more visible and you tell yourself you will never get it, others are better, you don’t deserve it – this could be low self esteem.
How to improve self esteem
To improve your self esteem you can try various approaches. You can try each of them individually or concurrently. Just trying is already a step in the right direction towards improved self esteem
Catch your self-talk. A great starting point (as with many things) is to recognize you want to improve your self esteem. If you notice yourself using similar phraseology as has been mentioned in this article, you can start to take action to rectify it.
Understand the history – where did the low self esteem start. This will quite possibly be the early influences in your life, parents, siblings, teachers. It can also be from more recent set backs to do with relationships or work for example. When you understand where your low self esteem originated it is a great base from which to make a change, especially if you choose to work with a coach.
Work with a coach. Pick a coach you feel comfortable with and his identified as someone that can help with low self esteem. Naturally I hope you make an inquiry with me. But honestly, it’s far more important that you move forwards in a way that suits you. A coach can hold up the mirror of reflection, help you reframe your current thinking and encourage you to pick a new path forwards that empowers you far more than your current predicament.
Find what you like to do. Positivity and an improvement in self esteem can be helped along by making sure you do things you like to do. I would propose that if that can include something to do with movement, all the better. Dancing, Fitness, Sports etc. Get moving and enjoy the process. If you are not into physical activity – find or rekindle other things you like to do. Reading, watching comedy shows, cooking. All the better if you do it hanging out with positive people…..
Hang out with positive people. Identify people in your life that are positive. Spend time with them. Just make sure they are not the type of people that make themselves shine brighter by blowing out your candle. Be positive together.
Write down what you are good at. Even if you start with very small things like watering your plants or washing the dishes. Make a list of what you are good at.
If you are interested in a coaching session please do use the contact us form or request the pre-coaching questionnaire. Just filling that in will already give you food for thought and a move towards improving your self esteem. You are enough.
You many like to read a bit more about working with a professional life coach