February is International Boost your Self-Esteem Month and before I even attempt to boost your self-esteem, I would like to tell you what is self-esteem. Simply put, it is how you worth yourself. Many factors define your self-esteem and according to Very Well Mind these are the following:
- Self-confidence
- Feeling of security
- Identity
- Sense of belonging
- Feeling of competence
But why is self-esteem important? It is important of you wish to take decisions in your life. Decisions related to your relationships, career, or life in general. If you cannot take a decision then you won’t get very far on your own mind. A healthy self-esteem helps you decide which subjects you want to study, what course you want to do, what to say in job interviews, what decision to take in your job. Now, these are examples revolving your job and job only. On the other hand, if you have low self-esteem, you will feel not so confident, less sure of your choices, and get overwhelmed easily when a choice is put forward.
There are also many things that can cause you to have low self-esteem. According to Mind UK difficult or stressful life experiences can often be a factor, such as:
- being bullied or abused
- experiencing prejudice, discrimination or stigma
- losing your job or difficulty finding employment
- problems at work or while studying
- ongoing stress
- physical health problems
- mental health problems
- relationship problems, separation or divorce
- worries about your appearance and body image
- problems with money or housing.
One thing I loved when I was reading up on self-esteem was in psychology today. They said that no one person is more or less worthy than the next. To feel more confident and manage to have a higher self-esteem, it helps to put aside any fears of feeling of worthlessness. To boost self-esteem, one needs to be sure to know the difference between confidence and arrogance. Don’t be afraid of feedbacks but don’t seek approval, be assertive not pushy. Don’t resort to perfection, it is not the answer to anything. Among many other things, don’t fear failure.
I understand that this is a lot of talk and not a lot of ways to improve. But I can only tell you where to improve when it comes to self-esteem, this is a path you need to need to work on your own. Find out your strengths and areas you need to work on – then work on it. Practice discipline, it is very important for being successful doing anything you choose to do. Believe in yourself, you will make mistakes, but you will learn from them and come out stronger.
Jahnvi
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