“How Can I Boost My Self-Esteem?” 10 Tips to Be Your Most-Confident-You
“Be confident!” “Love yourself!” “Embrace who you are!”
We’re often encouraged to feel good about ourselves, as confidence is important for our well-being. However, achieving high self-esteem can be easier said than done. Despite what beer commercials and perfume ads might want us to believe, you can’t buy self-esteem by the ounce. True confidence can only be grown with the right outlook, behaviors, and support.
So what steps can you take to become your most-confident-you?
1. Prioritize self-image
With busy lives and countless obligations, it can be hard to prioritize your emotional health. Realize that strengthening your self-esteem is just as important to daily life as brushing your teeth or eating your veggies. Low self-esteem can place a negative lens over how you view the world and lead to challenges including:
Low motivation
Withdrawal and depression
Trouble building relationships
Fear of failure or embarrassment, keeping you back from pursuing your goals
2. Flip your negative thoughts
When you’re struggling with self-image, it can be easy to develop patterns of negative thinking. Use the following tricks to break your bad-thinking cycles:
THE POSITIVE REDIRECT:
When you start focusing on your flaws, stop and point out at least 3 things you like about yourself.
THE LOVED-ONE-LENS:
Imagine that your negative thought was being experienced by a friend or family member – would you want them to view themselves that way?THE COMPARISON CRUSHER:
Quit comparing yourself to others by remembering that even “perfect people” have flaws, insecurities, and problems - even if they’re hidden.THE VICTORY VISUALIZER:
If your confidence is being shaken by a nerve-wracking situation like surgery or a job interview, picture a previous time where you overcame something you thought was impossible. Reflect on how you felt afterward and picture yourself bringing that same confidence to conquer your new challenge.
3. Dive into a new hobby
Taking up a new hobby is a great way to boost your self-esteem, as it emphasizes the importance of spending time on your happiness. Whether it’s playing an instrument, learning a new language, trying an exciting sport, or taking up the latest crafting craze, your confidence will build as you discover new skills and abilities.
4. Stay in supportive circles
Do your best to surround yourself with people who are uplifting and encouraging. If you have certain friends, relatives, or co-workers who have a habit of putting you down, limit interactions with them and spend more time with those who support you.
5. Get excited about goals
Few things can lift your self-esteem like achieving a hard-earned goal. Get excited about goal-setting by writing down goals and your plans to achieve them. Set goals in a variety of areas – career, relationships, purchases, travel – the sky’s the limit. Aim to make your goals realistic but a bit challenging to make their attainment oh-so-sweet.
Click here for our secrets on effective goal-setting
6. Find value in helping others
When we get stuck fixating on our flaws and limitations, it can help to shift the focus off of ourselves and onto others. Think of populations you have a heart for: veterans, at-risk kids, animals, etc. Look into volunteer opportunities to support the causes you’re most passionate about. As you witness your actions improving the lives of others, you’ll strengthen your sense of purpose, value, and self-esteem.
7. Practice assertiveness
Those with low self-esteem are often at risk of being taken advantage of, as their lack of confidence can lead to being overly passive. Rehearse assertive responses so that when you feel someone is crossing a line, you’ll be ready to set boundaries and make your needs a priority.
Are self-esteem issues holding you back from living your best life? Click below to schedule your free 15-minute consultation to learn how our diagnostic testing services can help.
8. Be a confident example
When it comes to building confidence, sometimes it helps to “fake it til you make it.” Avoid talking negatively about yourself; this will not only reduce your risk of low self-esteem, but it will also set a positive example to your loved ones. When you complain about your flaws or inadequacies, you make those around you question their own self-image. Be the person that makes everyone feel confident by showing what it looks like to love and accept yourself.
9. Get support
Boosting your confidence can be difficult, especially if you’ve spent years battling depression or have been surrounded by unsupportive people. The good news is, our diagnosticians can provide psychological evaluations and guide you toward the next steps to enjoying a confident life.
So you know you need help, but aren’t sure how
to find the right help?
Picking a therapist or type of therapy can be confusing, and “trial and error” with the wrong therapist can cause many families to feel overwhelmed and give up on seeking help.
Our Diagnosticians can provide psychological testing to remove the guess-work and guide you on your best path toward mental wellness.
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How to Cite This Blog Article:
Shinn. M.M. (2019). “How Can I Boost My Self-Esteem?” 10 Tips to Be Your Most-Confident-You. Psychologically Speaking. [Variations Psychology blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.variationspsychology.com/test-blog/how-can-i-boost-my-self-esteem-10-tips-to-be-your-most-confident-you