Building your self esteem is a life long process. There are many factors in life that can affect your self image. It is important to have a healthy self esteem to succeed in all aspects of life. To build self esteem, here is advice you can follow.
Make lists: One of the most effective ways to build self esteem is by making lists that contain positive reinforcement about your sense of self. It is helpful to read them over from time to time to feel better about yourself. Having a journal is helpful for this type of exercise.
What to Make Lists of: Just as important as making lists, is making significant points that will help boost self confidence.
1. Think of several of your strengths such as being personable, reliable, brave, or being creative.
2. List several traits you admire about yourself. Are you a good parent, do you possess spirituality, or do you make a good effort at your job?
3. Think of key achievements in your life such as graduating from high school or college, landing a successful career, or becoming a wonderful homemaker.
4. List several accomplishments completed throughout life such as learning how to ride a bike, advancing in a degree, or learning a new art or craft.
5. Think of at least 10 ways to treat yourself that are free and do not include food. It could be going for a nature hike or bike ride, playing with your children at the park, or talking with a friend.
6. Then think of 5-10 ways to make yourself laugh, help others, and that makes you feel good about yourself.
Reinforce a Constructive Image
Here is an exercise you can do to build self esteem. You will need paper, a timer, and a pencil. You will set the timer for 10 minutes. Then you need to think about any positive things you can think of yourself such as a talent or achievement. Everything needs to be positive, though. The thoughts do not need to be organized; they just need to come out on paper as you think of them. Once the 10 minutes are up, you need to read over the list and do this several times a day to reinforce how wonderful a person you are. It is even more effective if read aloud.
Building Optimistic Affirmations
An affirmation is a statement that you make about yourself to feel better about your self image. These need to be statements that describe how you would like to feel about yourself over a matter of time. They should not describe how you currently feel about yourself. Here are some examples of positive affirmations you can say to yourself:
1. I will take care of myself by eating correctly, exercising, doing activities I enjoy, staying in good health, and taking care of myself hygienically.
2. I will spend quality time and surround myself with people who treat me well and help me feel good about my own self.
3. I am a great person who deserves to be here and there are people who like and care about me.
If you make your own list like the one above and keep it in an accessible place like a wallet or purse, it will be easier to take out and read from time to time. It is best to make copies and keep them in different places that are easy to find. Once you feel confident enough, you may want to share this list with others, although it is perfectly fine not to. As these are read to oneself over and aver again, they will become more believable.
Positive Reception Exercise
Another helpful exercise is the positive reception exercise. On a piece of paper you will write, "I like (name) because." You will give this paper to friends and family and have them write what they like about you. The point is to not object to anything being written about yourself, just to gladly accept the praise. Again, these are statements you will need to read over and over again and keep in a place where they can be pulled out and looked at frequently.
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