Self-esteem is a person’s overall subjective evaluation of their own worth. It is the decision made about oneself as an object. It involves how much a person values, approves of, likes, and respects themselves.
Self-esteem is important because it heavily influences a person’s choices and actions. People with high self-esteem tend to feel confident and secure and are more likely to take risks and pursue their goals. On the other hand, people with low self-esteem may feel insecure and hesitate to take risks. That’s why it’s essential to find ways to boost your self-esteem.
Building Awareness of Emotions
One way to boost your self-esteem is to become more aware of your emotions. Emotions are our internal responses to events and experiences in our lives. They can be positive, such as happiness, love, and pride, or negative, such as anger, sadness, and fear.
Becoming aware of your emotions can help you to understand yourself better and to manage them healthily. For example, if you are feeling angry, you may need to take some time to calm down before responding to the situation. If you are feeling sad, you may need to talk to someone about what is going on in your life.
Becoming aware of your emotions can also help you to see the positive aspects of your life more clearly. For example, if you are feeling happy, you may want to take the time to enjoy the moment. If you are feeling proud, you may want to take the time to reflect on your accomplishments.
Challenging Your Negative Thoughts
If you have low self-esteem, you likely have a lot of negative thoughts about yourself. These thoughts may be based on past experiences or things others have said to you. Regardless of their origin, negative thoughts can significantly impact your self-esteem.
Fortunately, you can learn to challenge your negative thoughts. This means recognizing when you’re having negative thoughts and then questioning them. For example, if you have the thought, “I’m not good enough,” you can ask yourself, “Why do I believe that?” or “What evidence do I have to support that thought?”
Asking yourself questions like these can help you to see that your negative thoughts may not be accurate. Additionally, it can help you develop more positive and realistic thoughts.
Treating Yourself with Compassion
When it comes to boosting your self-esteem, one of the most important things you can do is treat yourself with compassion. We are often our worst critics, beating ourselves up for every little mistake or imperfection. This can lead to a downward spiral of negative self-talk and low self-esteem.
Compassion, on the other hand, is a much kinder and more gentle way of relating to ourselves. It involves recognizing our own humanity and accepting that we are imperfect beings. Instead of criticizing ourselves, we can treat ourselves with understanding and kindness.
There are several ways you can start treating yourself with more compassion. One is to practice self-compassion meditation. This involves focusing on kind and caring thoughts towards yourself, which can be a powerful way to boost your self-esteem.
Another way to show yourself compassion is to make an effort to do things that make you happy. This could involve taking time out for yourself to do something you enjoy or making an effort to connect with loved ones and friends. When we make an effort to do things that make us happy, we send a message to ourselves that we are worth taking care of.
Finally, it is also important to be gentle with yourself when you make mistakes. We all make them, and it is important to remember that mistakes are part of being human. Instead of beating yourself up, try to learn from your mistakes and move on.
Final Thoughts
Self-esteem is an essential factor in our lives. It can affect our mood, the way we see ourselves, and how we interact with others. That’s why it’s essential to find ways to boost our self-esteem. While it may be a long journey, it’s certainly worth it in the end.
Start your journey toward self-love with the help of the West End Counselling Centre. We are a ,therapist in Vancouver that provides in-person and online counselling for anxiety, relationships, depression, self-esteem, trauma, family, and more. Our team believes in transparency, honesty, and building trust to guide you through in a way that allows you to be seen and cared for. Book a free consultation now!
