10 Ways to Boost Your Self-Esteem

Need to boost your self-esteem? Try out these 10 ways!

1. Indulge and treat yourself. Even if it is as simple as drinking your favorite herbal tea or donning a face mask, just do it. When you do nice things for yourself, you are telling your subconscious that you respect you. You consider yourself worthy enough to invest time and effort in and that’s one of the best gifts you could give yourself.

2. Write down what you like about yourself. Write down two to three positive character traits every few days and delve into detail about them. Journal them. Blog them. Write them. Anything. Just make sure to go into detail instead of just listing traits right off the bat.

Of course, list as many as you want, but write about them with as much depth as you can. After all, if it was your family, friend, or s/o making a list about what they like about you, you would want them to be qualitative and genuine, right?

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3. Mirror compliment yourself. Out of all the times you look into a mirror during a day, pick just one time to compliment yourself or motivate yourself.

“I am beautiful.” “I am loved.” “I have the strength to get through this.”

Do this at least once every day. When you tell yourself this enough times, you will actually believe it. If you already believe it, then great! Keep immersing yourself with positive thoughts.

4. Do not compare yourself to others. Whether it be that picture perfect celebrity or the girl you knew in high school, spare yourself the comparison. You are smart enough to know that social media is not reflective of reality. If you want to be inspired by them, by all means, go for it. Use them as a role model and appreciate them — you’ll eventually start seeing your own beauty and self-worth.

5. Set small goals. Even the tiniest of accomplishments can make a vital difference. A sense of accomplishment will motivate you to pursue other endeavors. After you start achieving these smaller goals, challenge yourself. By doing so, you are telling yourself you are capable of success, no matter how big or small.

6. Give your best, but don’t strive for perfection. Perfection isn’t universal. There is no definitive way to be “perfect.” As long as you put forth your best effort, you will be fine. Also, allow room for mistakes. Mistakes are the best way to truly learn. It may sound cliche but humans tend to recall their downfalls more than anything. Remembering a mistake will only make you that much more confident in not repeating it again. Don’t beat yourself up for your mistakes; learn from them instead.

7. Exercise and take care of your health. When you exercise, you release endorphins, which for many, account for feelings of elation and happiness. When you start exercising and eating right, your body reflects that in terms of mood and a healthier appearance (not that appearance is everything).

8. Connect with people. Reconnect with an old friend or talk to a family member about their day. You’d be surprised with the things people are up to in their lives. Be a good listener and try to help them, or maybe even compliment them. By doing this, you are showing that you are a kind, caring person who likes helping and giving back. This will increase your self-worth and make you feel loved and needed.

9. Practice mindfulness. Take out a few minutes during stressful times or right before going to bed to practice breathing. Inhale for five seconds and exhale for seven seconds. This automatically relieves stress and allows oxygen to enter your brain. Imagine then you are a being devoid of a body, just a soul floating around. This will help you detach from worldly things (just for a second, don’t worry) as well as eliminate negative energy. This will also increase awareness of the positivity that surrounds you, eradicating any chance of self-sabotage.

10. Never settle for less. Always try to be kind and respectful towards others. Show them that you are a good person with the best intentions at heart. However, if someone is mistreating you and being unnecessarily rude or inconsiderate of your feelings, walk away. It can be really hard, because it might enrage you and/or deeply upset you, but remember one thing: what other people say about you is reflective of their own shortcomings.

See that the other person isn’t satisfied with themselves in some manner and is reacting under external circumstances. If you have done nothing wrong, just walk away at the right time. The other person (hopefully) will realize their mistake and apologize. If not, just hope that they find a way to be happy with themselves, so they don’t hurt others in the future. You are a kind, amazing, strong person who deserves the best and nothing less.