Before we get into the six ways to grow your self-esteem, let me ask you one seemingly random question.
(But it’s not random; I promise.)
The question is simple.
The only rule here is that you answer it with yes or no right away, without thinking.
Ready?
Here’s the question:
Do you like yourself?
See, I told you it was simple.
Now think about the implications of your answer for a moment.
Because your straight answer will tell you if you have healthy self-esteem.
Having healthy self-esteem is super important because it affects our social interactions with others, our perception of how others regard us, and how we live.
When we have healthy self-esteem, we feel good about ourselves.
Our actions and emotions are free from others’ perceptions of us.
We see ourselves as deserving of the respect of others, regardless of what other people may think of us.
We don’t suffer from self-doubt or internal conflict: we recognise our uniqueness, embrace it, and act comfortably around others.
We also become less judgemental, treating and accepting others as unique individuals.
We understand that not everyone will like us, and vice versa, and that’s absolutely fine.
But coming to this realisation isn’t easy if your mind is filled with self-doubt.
So, if your answer is “no” to the above question, you likely suffer from low self-esteem.
Here are six things you can start doing right away that will help you improve your self-image and grow your self-esteem.
Every suggestion below will make you like you and, therefore, make you feel good about yourself, which increases your self-esteem.
So, do all of them below.
You’ll live a stress-free life while making all areas of your life so much better.
6 Simple Ways to Grow Your Self-Esteem
1. Be Presentable
Many people opt to wear the same outfit to avoid decision fatigue and be more productive with their time.
The late Steve Job was one of them. So is Mark Zuckerberg.
What it means to be presentable doesn’t mean to dress to the nines.
When you stand in front of the mirror, be sure to like the person you see—well-groomed and neatly dressed.
When you like what you see in the mirror, you walk and talk in the manner that you like yourself: confident.
You expect others to like what they see as well and to act positively and confidently around others.
2. Avoid Putting You Down
If I am not good to myself, how can I expect anyone else to be good to me?
Maya Angelou
Always treat yourself as someone you’re supposed to look after. Like your sister, brother, niece or nephew.
If you treat yourself negatively, you’re practically cornering yourself into becoming a pitiful person. That’s no way of treating a person, let alone the most precious person, that is, you.
Otherwise, your social interactions with others become stifling and awkward as you presume others to perceive things the same way you do.
Only when you think highly of yourself can you expect others to do the same.
3. Don’t be a People-Pleaser
Know when to say “yes” or “no”, be firm about it, and practise it regularly.
You can’t be everything to everyone.
If you constantly try to make others happy at the expense of your own needs, you’ll feel like a puppet, controlled and pulled in all directions.
You’ll be unhappy with yourself and become depressed, and your self-esteem will plummet.
When you’re firm and decisive about what you want or don’t want, you free up tons of physical and mental space and take back control of your life.
It makes you happy and makes you like you!
4. Take Action Towards Your Goals
Your action toward your goals sets momentum.
It inspires you to take further action. And each positive step you take towards your goals amplifies progress, therefore, you learn to prioritise your time and tasks.
Nothing beats a sense of fulfilment and the satisfying feeling of a day well spent.
It makes you feel good, appreciate you, and like you.
The more action you take, the higher your opinion of you, which raises your self-esteem.
5. Look After Your Body
Sleep well, exercise regularly, and eat healthy.
If you feel tired and weak, your performance at work will decline. You’re prone to making mistakes. Colleagues notice it. So is your demanding and grumpy boss!
You feel physically and mentally stressed out.
When you take care of your body with the right nutrition and sound sleep, you win half the battle as you start off the day feeling good about yourself.
Maintaining a healthy fitness level keeps your self-esteem steady.
6. Appreciate Constructive Criticism
Take constructive criticism as a learning opportunity.
Criticism entails negativity, so it’s hard to see a positive side.
Train your mind to assess the situation and see if the criticism is sound.
When you’re totally honest with yourself, you can assess your performance from other people’s point of view with a clear head instead of being defensive.
Take responsibility and use it as a learning curve.
A responsible act earns respect from yourself, which increases your self-esteem.
Final Thoughts
When you adopt the six ways to grow your self-esteem in this post and master them, you start building the best relationship with yourself.
Your self-respect grows. Your self-esteem becomes healthy. You are comfortable being you; you become more understanding towards others and live harmoniously, accepting uniqueness, quirks, and flaws.
You’ll have a healthy perspective on people and the world around you.
♣ If you struggle with low confidence, you might need to change the stories you tell yourself. What to Say When You Talk to Your Self will help you improve the way you talk to yourself and grow your self-esteem. It literally changed my life!
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