Healthy Ways To Build Your Self-Esteem
Self-esteem is essential to our well-being, as it helps us feel good about ourselves. Unfortunately, it is also extremely fragile. It can be damaged either by negative experiences or by constant comparison to others. In today’s social media-driven world, people’s self-esteem can easily be damaged as they compare themselves to others. If your self-esteem has taken a hit, it’s important to take steps to recover and rebuild it.
What is Self-Esteem?
Self-esteem is made up of a complex interaction between our own thoughts and feelings. It is generated by our self-image and the feedback we get from other people. This interaction starts as soon as we are born and continues throughout our lives.
How to Build Self-Esteem?
There are many ways by which you can healthily build your self-esteem. Some of these are explained below.
Challenge Your Negative Thoughts
Challenging negative thoughts is one of the most important things you can do to build your self-esteem. Your own beliefs fuel these negative thoughts about yourself. This means looking at the evidence for and against those thoughts and questioning their reality. If you believe you are not good enough, ask yourself what evidence you have. Subsequently, think of examples of times you have felt good about yourself.
Set Goals and Work Towards Them
Another important step in building self-esteem is to set goals and work towards achieving them. This helps to give you a sense of control and mastery over your life, which can be very empowering. Setting realistic and achievable goals and breaking them down into small, manageable steps is important. This will give you a sense of progress and momentum, which can help to boost your self-esteem.
Practice Self-Care
Practicing self-care is also an essential component of building self-esteem. This means taking care of your physical and emotional well-being and making time for activities that make you feel good. This might include exercise, meditation, journaling, or spending time with friends and family.
Surround Yourself with Positive and Supportive People
Another key aspect of building self-esteem is surrounding yourself with positive and supportive people. This might mean spending more time with people who uplift and encourage you. You can also join a support group or community to share your experiences with others.
Building Self-Esteem is a Journey
Finally, remember that building self-esteem is a journey, not a destination. It’s important to be patient with yourself and to remember that setbacks are a normal part of the process. With time, patience, and hard work, you can recover from a blow to your self-esteem and build a stronger, more resilient sense of self.
