Are you confident in your abilities, or do you feel that your self-confidence is lacking? You know you need to boost your self-esteem, but doing such a task seems monumental. It’s hard to overcome all the thoughts and feelings that make you feel defeated.
If you could only look at yourself the way others see you, your picture would be quite different. Having low self-esteem is a vicious cycle that goes around and around. If you don’t jump off the merry-go-round, you will continue this pattern for life.
Thankfully, you can send your esteem soaring and boost your confidence with a little self-maintenance.
Understanding Low Self-Esteem
Your self-esteem goes in cycles. For instance, someone comments that they don’t like your shirt or hair, and then you feel bad about yourself. It’s not uncommon for you to ruminate about that issue and bring other things into your thoughts too.
You start going through a mental list of all the things that are wrong with you. Have you ever heard of the term self-fulfilling prophecy? If you keep telling yourself how worthless you are, then soon, you will start believing it.
Does this cycle all sound too familiar? Having low self-esteem can have a significant impact on your life.
People who suffer from esteem issues often deal with problems like:
•Anxiety
•Agoraphobia and social withdrawal
•Self-harm
•Eating disorders
•Fear of trying anything new
• You’re fearful of trusting your opinions
•Constantly worrying about what others think of you
Does any of these things sound familiar to you? If so, then it’s time for you to make some profound changes in how you view yourself.
Building Self-Esteem and Confidence
Do you want to improve your self-esteem instantly? You should know that it’s a process that isn’t going to happen overnight. However, practice makes perfect, and the more you practice these little tricks, the better the results.
1. Stop Ruminating and Put Your Focus Elsewhere
People stuck in the low self-esteem cycle can’t see beyond their issues to the world around them. Rather than focusing on all the things wrong in your life, put your focus elsewhere. Other people in the world are suffering just as much, if not more, than you.
Do something different that puts kindness back into the world. Shifting your focus will help you to stop ruminating about your problems and give back to others. Remember that positive actions will help you to generate positive thoughts.
2. Take Care of You
Did you know that what’s on the inside always rolls to the outside? How many times do people tell you that you don’t look like you’re feeling well today? There is a mind-body-spirit connection within each human, and they all reflect off one another.
If you want to improve your low self-esteem, you can start by taking better care of yourself. It’s the little things that will make the most significant impact. You could get a new hairstyle, buy some new clothes, or do something to enhance your appearance.
When you look good, then you will feel good too. When you love yourself first, then everything else in your life will fall into place.
3. Do Something to Break The Cycle
If you want to break free from the merry-go-round of low self-esteem, then you need to jump. It’s time for you to get away and have some fun. When you do things that are out of the ordinary, then you can change your whole outlook.
Why not take a weekend to visit family or friends that cheer you up? Instead of your usual lunch spot, why not try that new café down the street? Better yet, why not ask someone to go with you that you would never have asked before?
When you break the cycle, you can refresh your mind and thwart those negative thought patterns. So take a deep breath! Your imagination only limits you, so you must learn to think outside the box. Remember, you are only one decision away from an entirely different life, so what’s holding you back?
4. Focus on Your Accomplishments
While you tend to ruminate about all the bad things and horrible decisions you’ve made, it’s time to look at the good. Grab a journal and start writing all the accomplishments in your life. When you tally up the results, the positive will always outweigh the negative.
Now, examine your mindset each time you did something extraordinary. Indeed, you will find that you can accomplish more when you are positive. If you want to build your esteem, then you must focus on all the good things that you’ve done in your life.
5. Share Your Talents with The World
Each person has unique gifts and talents that they can share with the world. Perhaps you make the best brownies around, but no one will know unless you share that knowledge. Your cooking abilities may be something that you take for granted that someone else would love to know how to do.
Why not teach someone your skills? It doesn’t have to be baking; it can be something like changing the oil in a car or showing someone how to knit. You have so many gifts and talents that are hidden behind an exterior of pain, so it’s time to bring those things out of the darkness and let your light shine.
6. Create A New Vision
Do you feel that all the problems you have are your fault? Low self-esteem will make you think all kinds of silly things, but you must remember that most of your thoughts aren’t based on truth. It would help if you observed your surroundings and see what is causing you so much stress?
Is your job too demanding for you to handle? Do you have a neighbor in your apartment complex that is making life miserable? Maybe your stuck in a city or area that you don’t like.
It’s time for you to come up with a new game plan for your life. Have you ever used a vision board? These boards can help you look at where you’ve been and where you’re going.
You can examine all the bad things in your life and make a conscious plan to move forward. Plus, seeing the goals being met one-by-one is an excellent way to motivate yourself.
7. Learn to Simplify Things
Your inward man reflects on the outside, and the same can be said about your home. The type of person who lives in that dwelling will be apparent to those around you. What do those passing by think about your space?
If they drive by and see that the lawn is well manicured with no weed in sight, they will think this person has it together. Now, what do they feel when they drive by a property being overrun by hoarding? The person who is prone to hoarding has an anxiety disorder.
Remember, what’s on the inside is coming to the outside. Hoarders are afraid to let things go because their anxiety won’t allow them. It’s time for you to simplify your life and possessions.
While you may not be a hoarder, you still hold onto things you need to let go of. Stuff can weigh you down.
Start by donating clothes to a charity that you haven’t worn in years. Clean out closets, the garage, basement, and any other areas you’ve allowed clutter to accumulate. Your possessions can hold you back, and it’s time to get rid of a lot of junk that triggers your anxiety.
8. Check Some Things Off Your Bucket List
Do you have a bucket list of things you want to do? Why not make time to check a few of those things off your list? If you keep telling yourself you don’t have the time or money, you won’t accomplish one thing.
Stop making excuses for the things that can bring you pleasure in life so you can stay home and sulk in the misery of low self-esteem. It’s time for you to start living.
9. Replace Destructive Habits with Positive Ones
Did you know that many people use shopping and spending money to cope with their unhealthy thought processes? What indulgences do you have when your anxiety is at its worst?
Do you eat unhealthy foods in massive amounts or spend money you don’t have to spend? It’s time to take inventory of your destructive habits and replace them with positive ones.
10. Get Moving
Stop having a pity party and waiting for the sky to fall. You can boost your feel-good brain chemicals by exercise. Just 20 minutes, three times a week will make a dramatic impact on your life.
Many people who suffer from esteem issues have depression as an underlying complication. You can help to turn these negative emotions around by using exercise as your medicine.
Final Thoughts on Recovering from Low Self-Esteem
It’s easy to get stuck in a pattern of self-destructive thoughts when it seems everything in your life is going wrong. You have the power to take control of things and turn your bad into good. Stop ruminating on all the things that you’ve failed at, and start celebrating your successes.
You can turn your low self-esteem around with positive self-talk and a few of the items from this list. After all, you’re worth the effort.
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