Low self-esteem can make life a lot less pleasurable.  It affects our confidence and our general outlook on life.  But what we may not realize is that building our self-esteem is up to us.

It’s easy to blame others for our self-esteem problems.  But while it’s true that the way that others treat us can have an effect on our self-esteem, we can find it within ourselves to rise above it.  They do call it “self” esteem for a reason, after all.

The best thing we can do when other people are negatively affecting our self-esteem is to stay away from them.  But doing that requires some self-esteem on our part, because we must feel that we are worthy of being treated well.  It can be a vicious cycle if we let it.

How Can I Improve My Self-Esteem ?

Those with very low self-esteem often do not feel motivated to change.  But improving your self-esteem requires some changes in your way of thinking.  Even a small step in the right direction is a start.

One way to get started working on your self-esteem is to make a list of the things you like about yourself.  It’s easy to say that there is nothing you like about yourself, but if you think about it, you’re bound to come up with something.  Are you good at tennis?  Do you make great lasagna?  Are you good at crafts?  If you try, you can probably come up with several things that you like about yourself.

Negativity toward one’s self is a big component of low self-esteem, but your list of things you like about yourself can help combat it.  Whenever you catch yourself thinking negative thoughts, take a look at your list or try to remember the things you wrote.  Making a habit of this will eventually result in more positive thoughts coming naturally.

Other Self-Esteem Boosters

Mastering new things can work wonders for our self-esteem.  Taking up a new hobby or enrolling in classes at the local college will give you less time to focus on the negative things you see in yourself.  These things will also give you a sense of accomplishment, which is great for your self-esteem.

Taking care of ourselves is also good for self-esteem.  Eating right, exercising, and getting enough sleep all help to boost our mood, improve our immune systems, get our bodies in better shape, and allow us to think more clearly.  They also make it easier for us to fight off stress.  These factors are all conducive to higher self-esteem.

Taking responsibility for our own self-esteem is the key to raising it.  If you feel good about yourself from within, it won’t make as much of a difference if others are negative toward you.  And that is what self-esteem is all about.