Self-Esteem means an individual’s viewpoint towards oneself. Self – Esteem as a concept is very subjective. The way an individual views their self-esteem varies from one person to another. In simple terms, it basically means how much you appreciate and value yourself. Self- esteem being a personality trait tends to be little stable but can be improved with little positive changes everyday.

Self-esteem is built over the years and the main component that shapes who we are today is childhood experiences.The way parents interact with their children is also very essential. Thus, some responsibility lies in the hand of the parent to provide their children with an environment in which they can flourish.

Ways to increase your own self-esteem :

1. Be Aware
It essential for you know when you say “NO” and take your own stand. When you take your own stand it gives you confidence to make your own life decisions which in turn will increase your self-esteem. It is also essential that you take decisions based on your awareness and be ready to accept things along the way. You might take a decision which turns out to be wrong and you’ll have to deal with the situation which in turn will increase self confidence.

2. Focus on Achievement
Don’t waste your time thinking about your regrets rather focus on the great things you have achieved in your life. Think about the things that you excel in rather than your flaws. No individual is perfect and can’t be perfect in everything that they do. Many times in life, things don’t go according to our plan and the goals set are not achieved. It is essential that during such times you maintain optimistic yet practical view of situation. Learning from mistakes will help you take better decisions and also make you feel more hopeful.

3. Practice Self-Affirmation
It is essential to tell yourself everyday that you’re a good person. It is important to believe and practice that you can handle all the challenges that life throws at you. You need to always do the best that you can and put your best foot forward. Remind yourself these things everyday and you feel positive about your abilities.

4. Face your Fear
Many times you feel stagnant and start to doubt yourself. That happens because your fear the change, your self esteem wont get better by doing monotonous work. Try to learn new skills and work on things that you would like to change about yourself.

5. Consider Failure as a Step Towards Growth
Consider failure to be a part of your life and as an opportunity that helps you grow and become a better version of yourself.It adds value in your learning process. Many times when things get rough we let it affect our self-esteem and thus our belief about ourselves gets shaky. Thus, don’t let tough times define who you are. Consider them as a ladder to reach your goal.

6. Be Creative
Being creative revives the brain, and makes you feel good. This will help you feel much better about yourself and also provides an outlet to your energies making you feel more motivated.

7. Don’t Let Other’s Overpower You
We tend to contain ourselves because we want to be accepted by others. But it is essential that you don’t let the opinion of others bother you. Make a firm decision to not dwell on other people’s opinion, start finding a way out on the basis of what you feel is correct and what you want.

8. Read Something Inspirational/ Watch TedTalk
A great way to gain more self-esteem is to surround ourselves with positivity. Read books or watch videos that makes you feel positive about yourself and lifts you up. When you make this your routine you will soon watch yourself evolving and believing in yourself.

9. Let Go of Negative People
Life in today’s time is anyway too busy so make sure that you spend your spare time with people who see the best in you and always motivate to move forward in life. If you have people who constantly put you down and who have nothing positive to say then believing in self become tough. When you let go of such negative people and replace them with supportive positive friends, it will not only boost your self esteem but your overall quality of life.

10. Exercise
Exercising doesn’t only take care of your physical heath but also your mental health. Exercise helps you to stay positive and gives the strength to deal with the situations. It flows positivity in your system and you feel good about yourself by keeping you healthy and physically fit.

Conclusion
Don’t let yourself get into the cycle of negativity. The worse you feel about yourself, the motivation you’ll have. So it is very essential to ensure that you believe in your capabilities and yourself even if people around you don’t believe in you.

Dr Nisha Khanna as a Counselling Psychologist/ Marriage and Family Therapist proffers online, telephonically and face to face Counselling Services. If you are living in Delhi, India or any other part of the World, you can approach us through any of these mediums. For further details visit Bye Tense, or call us at +91-9312730331