In uncertain times.
Finding some useful ways to give yourself a boost in these unpredictable times.
Eight ways to up-lift your self-esteem
1. Honouring and loving yourself: It is impossible to love and honour yourself if you are constantly blaming. Blaming means that you don't take responsibility for your life. When this happens, you are powerless and engage in negative thinking. How do I get out of this trap? Change your negative self-talk. Changing your negative self-talk is a great boost. Give yourself permission to ask for your needs, say no, and see your own inner beauty.
2. Do not judge other people: When you judge others, think that you are better than them, or you use this judgment to feel better - CHANGE YOUR ATTENTION! As the author Wayne Dyer said: “Whenever you have a thought that excludes or judges anyone else, you aren't defining them. You're defining yourself as someone who needs to judge others.”
3. Stop feeling guilty: If you fall off the proverbial bandwagon then don't get wrapped up in the guilt of having fallen off the bandwagon. For example, if you’re tired and want a midday nap, or just relax and do nothing. Remember that guilt has the potential to paralyse you. Even if you were mistaken, assume responsibility and move on.
4. Don't take personally another person’s criticism: Don’t see it as a personal attack against when some people offer their point of view or criticism. Remain positive and take their criticism as positive feedback and see if you could learn from it. Remember, as the author Don Miguel Ruiz said, “It's not important if you reject me, because I don’t reject myself.”
5. Exercising helps boosting self-esteem: When you exercise, you have rewarded yourself by spending quality time with yourself. Your body responds to this reward by being light, flexible and having a lot of energy. Exercise frequently. This does not mean killing yourself at the gym! Even just a 15 minute walk a day is a fantastic start. It is really important to choose an exercise you enjoy doing, instead of forcing yourself to conform to popular beliefs or biased opinions. Choose doing what you like, make it fun and enjoyable.
6. Meditate: Explore the wonders of meditation. When engaging with mindful meditation you begin to connect with yourself. It doesn't matter what meditation you use, where you do it, when you do it, and for how long (as little as 10 minutes a day can produce massive beneficial results) the important issue is to consistently do it and enjoy the art of mindfulness. Meditation will connect you with your source of self-worth and helps to improve your levels of self-confidence.
7. Have a sense of humour: Sounds corny, but relaxing and engaging with these suggested steps with a sense of light-hearted humour will allow you to maintain a relaxed approach towards boosting your self-esteem. We are more open and capable of success (as well as removing that self-imposed pressure and fear of failure), when we see achieving goals and tasks with a sense of fun and laughter. It helps a lot because you won't dwell on self-pity. So, start feeling happy. Learn to laugh at yourself. People that are unable to laugh at themselves is a repercussion of their own insecurities and fears.
8. Celebrate success: Celebrate success every day; even the small ones help your self-confidence. Become conscious of them. To get you started, keep a diary and at the end of the day before you go to bed - write down 5 things that happened to you in that day - in which you want to celebrate and pat yourself on the back for achieving! Keep it by your bedside and so as you wake up the next morning, your 5 achievements will be the first waking moment/thought you have, and you will start a brand new day with a big bright smile on your face! Celebrate - as well - your positive qualities. This habit will keep you motivated. Take a moment and acknowledge every single effort you do.