Self-esteem is different from person to person. By learning what self-esteem is, what affects it, and what causes it, we can then learn tips to improve low self-esteem personally. Now we’ve learned what is self-esteem?, this blog post will explore tips to improve self-esteem.
Being kind to yourself – To be kind to yourself you could try to challenge negative and unkind thoughts about yourself. If you find this hard you could try speaking to yourself like you would to a friend. You could also try to say positive things about yourself, you could write them down or you could say them to yourself in the mirror. You can also try getting to know yourself more, e.g. what you like doing, what makes you happy and what are your values. You could then try doing something for yourself, maybe one of the things you realized you like, and makes you happy, e.g. gaming, coloring in, or reading. Comparing yourself to people, especially to people on social media or in online communities, can negatively affect your self-esteem. Stopping yourself from comparing yourself to others may be hard but you could start by limiting your time on social media
Build a support network – Find someone you trust to speak with, who will listen to you and show that you that they care can help. If you don’t feel you can speak to someone you know about your problems, counselling and psychotherapy may be for you.
To build a support network you can try to make connections with people who have similar experiences, who could help. This could be from family or friends, or through local social groups. Also, when possible, focus more on positive relationships - people who make you feel good about yourself.
Counselling and Psychotherapy – Counselling and psychotherapy can help you to explore the way you feel and help to change how you view yourself and others. Counselling and psychotherapy can also help you to cope with experiences which affect how you feel about yourself. If you feel like you are finding it hard to cope and improve your self-esteem you may benefit from counselling and psychotherapy.
Looking after yourself – You can try to look after yourself by making sure you get enough sleep, have a balanced diet, spend time outside or by avoiding drugs and alcohol. To get more tips on how to look after yourself check out my blog Self-care isn’t selfish, it’s essential.
Set yourself a challenge – Setting small goals can make things feel more manageable, in addition to increasing your sense of achievement. You could also try to learn something new. This could be learning a new language, reading something about a new topic, trying a new hobby or doing something creative. You could also volunteer for something you’re passionate about.
Try to focus on the positives – This can be as small as learning to accept compliments. You could even save them and look at them when you are feeling down. You could also write a list of things you like about yourself. If you feel comfortable to, you could even ask people what they like about you. Sometimes people see things that you didn’t think of. Also, celebrating your successes no matter how small. For example, you could treat yourself to a walk or get some fresh air.
If you have any further questions or want to know more about counselling for low self-esteem, please feel free to get in touch.
