Everyone deserves to feel good about themselves. But sometimes it isn’t as easy as waking up and deciding to have good self-esteem. Even some of the people among us who seem most confident actually struggle with self-esteem. It’s a very common issue. Luckily, there are some tried and true methods for increasing your own view of yourself. Here are our tips for boosting your self-esteem.
Do Something You’re Good at
One of the best ways to feel confident about yourself is to do something that you’re good at. Are you great at making people laugh? Hang out with some friends, crack some jokes, and feel great about your sense of humor! Are you good at knitting? Start a little project just for yourself. It doesn’t even have to be anything special. Maybe you just think you’re especially good at laying in bed and reading a book. Take a day and give yourself the gift of reading in bed! You’ll feel much better about yourself if you do something that feels like it suits you.
Get Some Physical Exercise in
There are few ways of boosting self-esteem that work as well as just getting some exercise. Even if you don’t feel like you’re very athletic, exercising causes chemical reactions in your body that make you feel happy, confident, and satisfied. Those who aren’t used to working out should still feel like this method is for them too. Conquering something you don’t normally do will show you that you’re capable of anything. You don’t need to be an Olympic athlete to reap the benefits of moving your body, so just go for it! Lift some weights, go for a run, or do some cartwheels in your backyard. It will really help you feel better.
Eat Well
Diet can have a wide array of effects on mental health, and self-esteem is one of them. If you are feeling down in the dumps and not like your normal self, a new diet can really improve things. Eating healthy food will make you feel better in almost every way, and it will remind you to respect your body and take yourself seriously. Shifting your diet can also introduce you to lots of new things, such as recipes and restaurants, and that will always help with self-esteem. Breaking out of your normal cycle can work wonders for how you feel about yourself.
Try Something New
A lot of self-esteem issues arise from feeling like you aren’t capable. If you aren’t confident in your abilities, you probably aren’t going to feel good about yourself. To increase your confidence and demonstrate that you really are capable of great things, try out something new. Feel free to go the extreme route (think skydiving) if that’s your style, but anything can work here. A new recipe, a new walk around the neighborhood, or learning a new language can all show you that you can do anything you set your mind to. And don’t worry about failure: it simply means that you put yourself out there, which is something that you didn’t do before.
Get at the Root of the Issue
Sometimes self-esteem problems can’t be fixed by a little boost. There are some people who struggle with deeper issues that are trickier to untangle. If it feels like you’ve tried everything else that can help, it might be time to look inside yourself and figure out why you lack self-esteem. Did something painful happen in your past? Did someone tell you that you are no good? These are issues that you can talk through with a friend - or, better yet, with a licensed professional. There’s no shame in taking your health seriously and bettering yourself. In fact, it’s something to celebrate.
