16 Mar How to Improve Your Self Esteem

Mental health has historically been misunderstood and stigmatized, but now it is being discussed more openly, and it’s clear to see how many people struggle with some kind of mental health issue more than once in their lives. Struggles with self-esteem are one of the most common problems that people have to deal with at one time or another, as the pressure in society to look a certain way, reach certain ‘successful’ milestones, or do something that is considered meaningful can be great. Feeling inadequate for one or all of these reasons can lead to further problems, such as struggles with anxiety and depression. If you or someone you know is struggling with low self-esteem, below are a few things to try to help boost their confidence.

Talking Therapies

A good place to start if you’re suffering from low self-esteem is talking to a professional counselor. It can be very difficult when you don’t feel good enough, and often you can start to be self-deprecating, which can then impact your relationships with others and your professional life. Rather than missing out on opportunities to be happy because you don’t think you deserve it, talk to someone about how you’re feeling and figure out what is causing you to feel this way. Once you know the root cause of your low self-esteem, you can then start to rebuild your confidence and change your perception of yourself.

Positive Affirmations

This might be difficult to do at first but try to write a list of at least five things you do like yourself. Each morning read out the list to yourself and read them out loud again at night before you go to bed. If you need to do this at other points in the day to stop you from feeling stressed, anxious, or bad about yourself, then do so. After a few weeks, see if there is anything else you can think of to add to your list and start to focus on what you do like about yourself rather than what you don’t.

Cosmetic Treatments

If your low self-esteem is because you’re unhappy with the way you look, considering cosmetic treatments might be an option. While these are not a suitable route for everyone, if you can’t get past a physical trait that you don’t like about yourself to the point where it’s making you not want to go out into the world seriously upsetting you, this should be explored. Things like Botox, rhinoplasty, breast enlargement or reduction, etc., can all alter your appearance and for some people, this has boosted their self-esteem. Always have a consultation and do plenty of research on the surgery you’re interested in before you make a decision.

Try New Things

If you have low self-esteem you might be reluctant to try new things for fear it will make you feel worse, but this could have the opposite effect. You never know what new hobbies and talents you’ll discover and taking the steps to expand your horizons and allowing yourself the opportunity to grow and even meet new people could do a lot for your self-esteem. You don’t have to take on a lot at once, but even something as simple as experimenting with a new hairstyle could make you feel more confident.

It’s important to feel good about yourself more often than not, so if you have been struggling with this lately, try a few of these tips to see if they can help you find yourself.

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Last Updated on December 29, 2022 by Marie Benz MD FAAD