More people than you may think suffer from low self-esteem. And these issues are worse for your health than most people seem to believe. That’s why it’s important that we investigate these sorts of issues, no matter how uncomfortable it can be. Quite often, the people who feel the most uncomfortable when it comes to talking about the issue are the precise people who would benefit most from talking about it!
You may think that it would be pretty clear when someone is dealing with severe problems with their self-esteem. But this isn’t always the case. In fact, it’s rarely all that obvious that someone has a problem with their self-esteem. There are people out there who seem to be confident in many scenarios. But beneath this more confident and brash surface is someone who may have deep-seated problems when it comes to the way in which they view themselves.
Is a problem with self-esteem really that big an issue?
Absolutely. You may think that self-esteem problems can only ever be superficial in nature, but this is wrong. Self-esteem has less to do with how others think of a person and how that person sees themselves. They may think they’re stupid, or clumsy, or annoying to be around, or unattractive, or unfunny. Even when the evidence (such as it may be) makes it clear that they’re not these things, it can be hard to get them to snap out of this negative thinking. It’s linked to high levels of stress and depression – and you should know by now how dangerous those are.
Figure out when you can change – and what you can’t
There are loads of problems that may be affecting your self-esteem. But not all of them should be having this effect. Such problems usually relate to expectations that friends, family, lovers, or even society at large places on you.
When this happens, adjusting how you see the problem can do a lot of good.
The fact is that there are a lot of things that you can’t really change. And when these things affect your self-esteem, it’s often the result of what you think others think of you. That’s why it’s important that you recognise what areas you can’t change – if you can’t change them, then your goal is to stop dwelling on them.
Of course, you shouldn’t fall into the trap of believing you can’t change things that, in reality, you can change. Let’s say your low self-esteem stems from a lack of mathematical skills. Many believe that people are just born good at math. While it’s true that some seem to have a natural way with numbers, good mathematical thinking can actually be taught. This is an example of something you can change.
Exercise is always good
Maybe you’ve heard it many times before: exercise more! Seriously, more exercise can do a lot of good for your self-esteem. I’m not saying that you should be lifting weights and doing crunches (which are dangerous, by the way) until you gave a hundred pounds of muscle and can attract anyone you please. It’s much simpler than that.
Just getting up and out of the house and going for a run on a frequent basis can make you feel a lot more confident about your health. And while you may have heard otherwise, losing weight can also help your self-esteem if that’s the area that’s bothering you. (A worrying amount of people out there try to convince others not to lose weight, and that it’s society that needs to change its attitude. But it doesn’t work that way!) Read more about exercise and self-esteem over at http://www.livestrong.com.
Upgrading your style
Sometimes, giving your style a reboot can also be a great way of boosting your self-esteem. A new haircut is a simple suggestion, but this also has the highest chance of going wrong! So for now you should consider sticking to clothes and accessories. The way you feel about yourself can be improved dramatically if you’re leaving the house and seeing people when you’ve sharpened your style a bit. Look at Pinterest to get some sharp fashion inspiration, and consider looking at some cool urban jewellery.
A new skill
One of the best things you can do to improve your self-esteem? Spend some time trying to learn something new. The benefits of learning new things throughout your life really are tremendous. There’s always something new to learn, so you’re never really out of options! Having new skills and knowledge can help boost your general confidence even if you have other negative triggers!
There are websites out there like udemy.com that can help you achieve more than just new knowledge; you can actually gain usable credentials in new skillsets. You could consider learning guitar, or a new language (this one is very good for self-esteem!), or even something that will alter your career path. Computer science skills can be attained online – you just need to have the time and the will to take the steps forward you need.
Be aware of the people around you
If you’re hanging around with negative people, do you know what will happen? You probably do because you’ve no doubt heard this one before: negativity spreads.You could easily ‘catch; someone’s negative attitude, especially if that attitude is often directed towards you. A cruel cycle can occur, here: such behaviour can contribute to low self-esteem. And it’s precisely that low self-esteem that then causes a person to continue hanging out with people who aren’t very nice to them.
Put focus into hanging out with the more positive people you know. If a supposed friend is being negative about you, then they’re probably not a great friend. You could try talking to them about it – maybe they’re just fooling around and don’t realise how hard it’s hitting you. But if the behaviour continues, consider finding other friends.
