Low self-esteem affects so many people that psychologists have come up with workarounds. If your self-esteem regularly holds you back, read this article for tips on how to fix it.
Does low self-esteem hold you back from the things you want to do in life? How can you even tell if you have a confidence problem? These are all things you can answer with therapy and research. Generally, those with lo self-worth limit their chances in life. They will not go for the big bucks because they don’t believe in themselves enough to produce the work. They will go through life never asking anyone on a date or taking risks in their personal lives. In short, if you don’t believe in yourself, you can’t expect others to believe in you… and this has a negative impact on everything you try to achieve in life.
What does low self-esteem do to you? It holds you back. Here are the tips your need to get through it, as told by the experts.
The 10 Tricks to Boost Self-Esteem
We consulted with top psychological service providers Reframed Psychological, who specialize in reframing your mental attitudes to help you heal and therefore improve your life. Here are the tips they gave us to help you get ahead. Unsure whether you have low self-esteem? See this past article for more help. An estimated 85% of adults[i] experience low self-esteem, so the chances are high that you do too.
1 – Stop “making do”
Are you the kind of person who lavishes gifts on the people they love, but who is still wearing the same clothes they have had for a decade? If so, this trick is for you. Next time you want to buy something for someone else, check that urge and buy something for yourself, instead. Or both if you can afford it.
2 – Learn how to set boundaries
People always tell you to learn to say “no,” but they don’t tell you this to make your time more important. They teach this in therapy because it is the first essential step to learning how to set effective boundaries. Your time is equally important to other people’s. The next time they ask you to do something you don’t want to, just say no.
3 – Work on building a supportive network
Look at your circle. Anyone who rips you down rather than builds you up has an ulterior motive. If they truly were your friend, they would want you to be happy, not low. Let’s use our next trick to teach you how to spot manipulation.
4 – Learn about transactional analysis and ego states
Transactional analysis could change your life. In this branch of therapy, you can categorize every single interaction you have with other people. This mode of therapy breaks down those interactions and sets clear lines on how to tell if someone is using their wiles to emotionally manipulate you. Once you can spot it, you have full control over whether you allow them to continue.
5 – Pursue what you do well
Everyone does something well. Whether it be gardening, driving, or skydiving – get out and do it. Doing things well helps you reaffirm positive self-belief, so don’t hold back.
6 – Make set hours
If you are the type of person who always finds they have the short end of the stick in the workplace, strengthen those boundaries. Tell your boss you can’t do the overtime, or that you won’t stay beyond your contracted hours.
7 – Practice being assertive
Asserting yourself as having equal rights to those around you will upset some people. The more people you upset, the better it is working. Which leads us to the next point.
8 – Stop concerning yourself over other people’s opinions
If your neighbors judge you because you haven’t done the lawn this year, let them judge you. What other people think of you has zero impact on how you live your life. Let them be jealous. It just means you are on the right track.
9 – Catch those negative thoughts
Do you have an inner monologue which tells you that you are worthless, or that you shouldn’t try? Who put that voice there? You certainly were not born with it. A critical parent, maybe? Either way, stop listening to it. Actively tell it to shut up, out loud if it helps.
10 – Accept yourself
A lot of low self-esteem comes from judging yourself far more harshly than you judge others. Think about it… the person you are chatting up doesn’t know that you stole money off your mum when you were 12. They don’t know you once peed yourself in class. They don’t know any of it. To them, you are equally as important as anyone else who tries to chat them up. Don’t be so hard on yourself. You can’t change the past.
Improving low self-esteem improves your quality of life.
The upshot of all these tricks is that you can use them to improve your quality of life. Your self-worth matters. Don’t let it hold you back.
[i] https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/sustainable-life-satisfaction/201906/the-relationship-yourself
