Top 10 Ways to Deal with Low Self-Esteem

 

When you look in the mirror, what do you see?

For some, looking at the mirror means noticing all the flaws that you think others may have a problem with.
Perhaps they have been told since they were young that they are not pretty enough, or smart enough, or will not amount to anything.
A single flaw is magnified in the critical eye of those who were close.

Low self-esteem usually results from trauma suffered during childhood.

Maybe it was a parent who told you that you aren't good enough. Maybe it was a classmate who made fun of you for not being fashionable enough or even good-looking.
Maybe it was a teacher you looked up to who is disappointed in your academics.

At this point, some may feel that they have let down the people who are important to us, and therefore, there must be something wrong that they did.

And that's how low-self esteem issues are born.

But this doesn't have to last forever. There's still a way to deal with these issues and live a positive life.

Here are the Top 10 Ways to Deal with Low Self-Esteem Issues.

1) Identify why you have low self-esteem and work on it. First things first, what is it that is making you feel inadequate? Do you feel like you're not pretty enough? Too fat? Top skinny? Not smart? Not successful?

Remember that beauty standards have been created and are not the norm. What one finds beautiful, another may not.

Be more accepting of yourself because this is what you are.
Where weight issues are concerned, our bodies go through several changes and sometimes even react to certain foods, causing bloating. Certain diseases can make you lose weight.

Make sure you have no underlying health problem and then indulge in some exercise. Not only will it help you stay healthy, but exercising lets you relax and helps release endorphins in your body, which makes you feel happy. 

If you feel you lack knowledge, there are several courses out there and videos that can help you learn new things.

Always remember to accept and love yourself. Know your strengths and weaknesses and work on them rather than let it get you down.

2) Tell yourself you are worth it. There may be a lot of people in your environment who will tell you that you can't do it. That you are incapable of handling a single task. 

 Regardless of what people say, always believe that you aren't exactly what their criticisms imply.
There are some who offer constructive criticisms that can help your growth and those who just like to criticize. Learn to identify which people want to help you and who simply wants to bring you down.

3) Surround yourself with positivity.
There are so many things to love and do...for yourself. Wake up each morning with a smile even though you don't feel like it.
Look up some motivational quotes online and print it out and post it where you can see them every day.

See if you can volunteer at charity events.
Help people when you can. Their appreciation will make you feel good about yourself.

Read motivational books. Listen to good music.
Try to connect with people, even if it is online. There may be someone out there who will motivate you and support you.

4) Find yourself by learning something new. There is always something to learn. Learn a new skill. Completing your course or being able to self-learn a skill will boost your confidence.

The Internet is a wealth of knowledge, and there are thousands of videos and websites that can help you learn something new.
Even if you learned how to boil an egg properly, take that as a success.

Continue to add new skills so you can find another way to be proud of your accomplishments.

5) Meditate and relax your mind. Be at one with yourself. There are exercises that can help you relax your mind and redirect your focus.

6) Stop comparing yourself with others. If you find yourself comparing your looks and your life with someone else, or worse, with a celebrity, you need to stop doing so.

Everyone has their own struggles that we know nothing about and a lot to overcome. Often, we base our assumptions on the happy photos we see of our friends, peers, and celebrities.
If you can, learn more about the person you keep comparing yourself with and understand that each of us has our own road to travel.

Better yet, tell yourself firmly to focus more on yourself than others. You are the hero of your story, after all, and you should be getting the main role. Not anyone else.

7) Silence the negative thoughts in your mind.
We can be our own enemy sometimes. Telling yourself that you look bad or you're stupid is self-destructive.

But these thoughts do happen to pop up in your mind.
There may be thoughts about people not caring about you or that you will never achieve success.

If you feel that these thoughts keep playing in your mind, immediately tell yourself to stop thinking about it. At this point, regain control of your mind by reminding yourself of the good things in your life.

Remind yourself that there is at least one person who cares about you. Or maybe a pet cares about you. Or YOU care about YOURSELF. Your opinions should matter the most to you.

8) Stop replaying mistakes in your mind.
Remember what you did in middle school? That one thing you did that got you in trouble with the principal? Remember... remember...
Actually, don't!

We all make mistakes at some point in our lives and end up giving ourselves a hard time. While it is good that you have a conscience that can determine whether your actions were good or bad, living in the past is never a good idea.

If those memories come crawling in, learn from your mistakes and move on.

Torturing yourself with those memories that make you feel bad about yourself is harming you.

Tell yourself that you are a person who made that mistake, but you have learned from it and now a better person because of it.

9) Seek help for depression and anxiety. If you feel that your emotions are on the low consistently, it is time to seek help.
There is nothing wrong with seeking therapy to help yourself move forward. A therapist can help you sort out the issues that have led to low self-esteem issues.

It is time to heal, and therapy might just be the thing to do that.

10) Pamper yourself. Why wait for someone to do something for you. Make your own adventure and take yourself out for a date.
Go shopping and get a new outfit. Eat your favourite snacks. Take a bubble bath. Do nothing the whole weekend except watch your favourite movies and munch on your favourite snacks.
The more you give yourself priority, the more your mind will learn that you are important.

This can help you with your low self-esteem.