Is Low Self-Esteem Stifling Your Potential and Destroying Your Life?

Shanna-Kay Stephens

August 24, 2021

Self-esteem is one of the most important things you can cultivate to feel content and succeed in life. Many people base their sense of self-worth around how they live up to expectations, both their own and other people’s. They think making lots of money, getting a hot partner or owning better clothes than other people bring value.

The problem with this mindset is that you feel great when you’re on top, but when things go wrong, you feel awful. True self-esteem comes from within and doesn’t go up and down depending on the challenges you encounter each day. Read on to find out if you have low self-esteem and discover steps you can take to improve it.

Do I Have Low Self-Esteem?

Self-esteem is about how much you value yourself. It’s reflected constantly in how you talk to yourself, how quickly you pick yourself up after a setback and how you present yourself to others. Some signs of low self-esteem include:

You often think about things you could have done differently in the past
You see your passions as silly or a waste of time
You criticise other people a lot
You don’t understand or enforce healthy boundaries
Your sense of wellbeing comes from other people
You don’t like compliments

How to Improve Self-Esteem

The key to improving self-esteem is changing your mindset. Stop seeing setbacks as proof that you’re a failure, and start seeing them as learning opportunities. Let’s take a look at some of the most effective ways to nurture your self-esteem:

Set Goals

Many people with low-self esteem lack direction. They might be in a job they’ve fallen into or stick around in an unfulfilling relationship. Setting goals gives you a path to follow and something to work towards.

Focus on Your Strengths

Perception of self is everything when it comes to self-esteem. Lots of people with low self-esteem are more preoccupied with what they can’t do as opposed to what they can do. By focusing on your strengths, honing your skills and being authentic with yourself, you can build self-worth.

Compare Yourself to Yourself

Keep in mind that everyone looks outwards and sees what other people have as more desirable than what they’ve got. As the age-old saying goes, the grass is always greener on the other side, but our perception of what other people have could be entirely inaccurate. The only certainty you have lies in comparing yourself to who you used to be.

By exclusively using yourself as a point of comparison, you can gain an accurate picture of progress and authentically increase self-worth.

Earn Credibility With Yourself

Much of how you perceive yourself is tied into the actions you take on a daily basis, which are often the result of years of habit. It’s possible to break free from the ways you’ve got set in and start building self-worth, but you’ll have to step out of your comfort zone. Doing things you find challenging is the best way to earn credibility with yourself and build self-esteem.

Get Help for Low Self-Esteem Today

You have the capability to accept yourself and your body, but you have to take it step by step. Too many people rush into making a million changes at once, and then feel bad about themselves when they inevitably can’t sustain them. Book an appointment today and get gentle, professional guidance for this important journey.

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