Self-esteem

Self-esteem is the way that you value and think about yourself. It can affect how you feel and behave.

Self-esteem can be influenced by:

●      The beliefs that you hold about yourself.

●      Your expectations of yourself.

●      Your strengths and weaknesses.

●      Other people in your life, especially those you value, as you may place more importance on their views.

What low self-esteem feels like

If you have low self-esteem you may:

●      Constantly blame yourself.

●      Lack confidence.

●      Feel worthless.

●      Feel like you’re not good enough.

●      Try to be perfect all of the time.

●      Focus on your weaknesses.

●      Overlook your strengths and achievements.

●      Hold negative thoughts and beliefs about yourself.

Here are some tips to help you boost your self-esteem:

Share your feelings with someone you trust

Bottling up negative thoughts and emotions can cause them to build up over time. Talking to someone can help you recognise negative thoughts about yourself.

Recognise the effect of others

Other people can affect the way that you view or feel about yourself. It’s important to recognise when this is happening.

Surround yourself with people who make you feel good about yourself and have a positive influence on your wellbeing.

If you find that someone is making negative comments or they make you feel bad about yourself, tell them how this makes you feel. If they still continue, tell a trusted adult. Think about whether they’re a good friend to you.

Make time for self-care

Self-care is what we do to look after our wellbeing. This can include anything from daily tasks like having a shower, to taking time to do things we enjoy. If you’re experiencing low self-esteem, you may not feel like you want to do the things that you normally like. It’s especially important now to put time aside to do self-care tasks such as: take a bath, read a book or spend some time with your loved ones.

Keep a gratitude journal

If you have low self-esteem, you may expect that nothing will go right. This habit can lead you to ignore all of the good things that are happening in your life. Reminding yourself of the things you’re grateful for everyday, can:

●      Help improve your self-esteem.

●      Refocus your attention on the positive things in your life.

Take a moment to note down:

●      Something positive about yourself.

●      One thing that went well today.

●      One thing that you’re grateful for.

●      Something you’re excited about.