TL;DR We all have doubts about ourselves but when we put in the effort to boost our self-esteem, everything else follows – a better version of ourselves and a better life.

Self-esteem is our opinion of ourselves. Sometimes, it may be high or low depending on how we feel about ourselves and our capabilities. There are multiple factors determining how we think about ourselves: the sense of belonging, how secure we are in life, how confident we are with our abilities, and how comfortable we are with ourselves, to name a few things that might affect our self-esteem. 

Low self-esteem may affect our relationships, productivity in our work, and health. It makes us question our value, which is bad for our well-being in the long run. Building self-esteem takes a lot of time and energy, but it will change how you look at yourself. 

Here are some tips to help you boost your self-esteem and change your perspective on yourself.

Be Kind to Yourself

There is no one better to be kind to you than yourself. We are all imperfect and have shortcomings; you are not exempt from them. You just need to accept and try to change to move forward better.

Get to know yourself; this way you will be able to recognize what you are good at and feel confident in your abilities. Doing something you enjoy and are good at will boost your confidence.

There is no need to say negative things about yourself; instead, practice positive talk and action. This will boost your morale and self-esteem. It may take some time, but creating this habit will help you move in the right direction toward becoming a better you.

Build Positive Relationship

Our self-esteem is affected by the people that surround us. There are people we hang out with that drag us down, spend less time with them. And some build our confidence and make us feel better, these are the ones that we need to spend time with. 

Building a positive relationship with the right people that will motivate and believe in you helps boost your self-esteem. It creates a positive environment where you can grow and be yourself. 

Find the Positive In You

The habit of keeping track of our past mistakes and talking negatively about ourselves are the things that destroy our self-esteem. Instead of looking negatively at ourselves, let’s focus on the things that we are good at.

One of the best ways to build your confidence and self-esteem is to find the positives in you. Identify the things that you like about yourself and acknowledge them. These are the characteristics that distinguish you from others. Another one is by accepting compliments; these are what people see and like about you. When you feel down, you can remember these things to build yourself up.

You are your greatest ally, and as long as you know yourself, you will be comfortable whatever the situation is. When you know that you are helpful and would help someone in an instant. This kind of trait is what makes you who you are and what people like and remember about you. So start talking positively about yourself to change your perspective.

Learn to Say NO

Being available to everyone is not good for your well-being; sometimes you just need to say no to take care of yourself. People with low self-esteem usually accept an offer even when they don’t want to. This may cause stress and overburden you to act.

Being assertive will increase your self-esteem. Learning to say no will help you take care of your mental health, which should be one of your priorities. Start saying no to some offers, especially the ones that you don’t like to do. Of course, do it in a polite manner so people can understand.

Challenge Yourself

It is hard to start something new, especially when you are doubting yourself. But taking that leap of faith will make you realize that you are more than what you think. Create small goals that you can achieve; this gives you a sense of achievement. You can work your way up to much bigger goals from there.

Challenging yourself will help you boost your confidence and self-esteem. As you keep relying on yourself to solve problems, this gives you the confidence to trust your decision-making. And if things don’t go as planned, there are lessons to be learned so you can be more prepared in the future.

We all have different ways to boost our self-esteem; we need to take the time and effort to do so. 

It is normal to have doubts, but doubting ourselves regularly can lead to low self-esteem which can cause insecurities, unmotivated, depression, and many other negative feelings.

With the proper guidance and mindset, you can change how you look at yourself. It may not be easy, but it is possible. Start small to gain the confidence to trust yourself. Being confident in your capabilities will open other doors of opportunity for you, and it will give you control over your life. It may have some challenges, but nothing you can’t face to make a better life for yourself.

Visit our website for more articles from Dr. Krysti (Lan Chi) Vo, MD. She is a psychiatrist, speaker, and advisor that specializes in making people a better version of themselves.