Discover 5 ways to boost your self-esteem!
Being more confident is a goal shared by many of us. Learning to love the skin we’re in, embracing our flaws and imperfections, standing tall and walking proud… well, it’s not always that easy, is it? Changing the way we perceive ourselves isn’t something that simply happens overnight – there’s no magic switch to flick to feel more confident. But there are steps you can take to boost your self-esteem and we’re here to show you how!
1. CHALLENGE YOURSELF
Healthy self-esteem starts at home… with YOU! Have a think about all the negative things you often think about yourself and write them down. Now it’s time to challenge these negative beliefs! Take each point, one by one, and think of evidence that directly contradicts this negative thought. For example:
Negative thought: “I’m too short to get a boyf/girlf.”
Contradicting evidence: “That’s not true – lots of ‘shorter’ people have found love! And most people really don’t care about height.”
Now let’s jot down some positive things you love about yourself. Do this often to remind yourself just how awesome you truly are! Once you get into the habit of regularly challenging your own negative self-beliefs, you’ll notice you start to do it automatically in your head, without having to write it down.
2. LEARN TO SAY “NO”
People with low self-esteem tend to be people-pleasers, putting others above themselves. It’s time to start putting YOU first! It’s OK to say “no” from time to time – you are not on this planet solely to make life easier for others. You might be worried that saying “no” will lose you friends or put a strain on relationships but good friends and loved ones will accept your decision, especially if you are polite yet forceful. Be clear as to the reasons why you’re saying “no” and people will respect that.
3. ACCEPT COMPLIMENTS
Many of us are guilty of batting away compliments because we feel embarrassed. Learn to accept kind words – someone has taken the time to verbalise something positive about you and that’s a lovely gesture. Try to resist the temptation to minimise their words (hands up those of us who use the standard reply of: “Says you!/What, this old thing?”).
Instead, say, “Thank you! That’s a really nice thing to say.” Return the compliment, by all means, but make sure you’re being honest. People can sniff out a bogus compliment from miles away and it can be hurtful when someone says something ‘fake’ nice to you.
4. SET YOURSELF A CHALLENGE
There’s nothing like overcoming a challenge to give yourself a serious boost of self-confidence! Set yourself a mini challenge – we promise the taste of success will increase your self-esteem. It doesn’t have to be anything huge, like jumping out of a plane – it could be to join a gym, to pass your driving test, join a club, run ‘x’ amount of miles in a month… the possibilities are endless!
5. SURROUND YOURSELF WITH POSITIVITY
Positive vibes only! Hanging out with positive, kind people who care about us makes it so much easier to be confident in our skin. Being around people who are judgemental and negative has the opposite effect – they bring you down and make you feel uncomfortable and paranoid, afraid to be your true self. Ditch those types of people and seek out those who want to see you shine.
Looking for more ways to boost your confidence? We’ve got your back! Click here and get ready to send your self-esteem soaring!
