Increase self-esteem is possible and taking care of it is a necessity for the health of any person. Low self-esteem can lead to anxiety, depression, stress, addictions or behavior problems, among others. That is why it is important to self-evaluate and observe how our self-esteem is and attend to it so that it goes down, with the help of appropriate tools and commitment.
Self-esteem is based on three pillars: Living consciously, having confidence in yourself and accepting yourself. To develop it, all the pillars must be worked. The person with a healthy self-esteem is more confident in their abilities and it is easier for them to face challenges. If you want to preserve, protect or increase self-esteem, we give you 8 actions that you must do every day. Remember that the only person who can improve it is you.
1. Take time for yourself
One of the best ways to get to know and find yourself is to spend time with yourself. It helps to gain clarity, energy and find meaning in our actions. It is essential to increase self-esteem to understand that we deserve to dedicate time daily to be with ourselves for a few reasons: to identify our needs, evaluate the aspects of our life that have value and those that cause us stress, to take care of ourselves and relax, to understand our emotions, to recognize good people and those who do not help us, to understand that there are things that we can change and others that we cannot, etc.
2. Swap the comparison for inspiration
Each person and each life is different. With the comparison we idealize the lives of others, generating very negative and unrealistic feelings. There will always be someone who has something that you do not have and that you want. Focus on yourself, on all those qualities that you have and all that you can contribute to others. Better that the comparison only exists with ourselves in working to learn, value ourselves more, be better people and overcome fears. When we want to look around us, let it be to seek inspiration. Ask yourself what you can learn from these people, what inspires you, and what do you have in common.
3. Learn to say “no”
Stop being hard on yourself. Learn to say no. Because saying so is an act of love and respect for oneself, it is offering information to others about your personality. Sometimes saying no and setting limits is confused with being selfish and we should not make a mistake with that: defending our space, time and personality is to protect self-esteem. It is to inform the people around us that, at a certain moment, we cannot or don’t want to do something, because it goes against our principles or for other reasons that are important to us.
4. Realistic goals
When setting goals, it is essential that they are realistic. This does not mean that they can be ambitious. The important thing is that we always keep in mind our situation and context; because achieving our goals or not will depend on it. Setting unattainable goals end up affecting your mood and enthusiasm for the future. This is due to the fact that goals are set aside because of the frustration of not having achieved those goals, ending in not having any future plans for fear of feeling like a failure again. Goals must be realistic, concrete, taking into account the time to achieve them and the most important thing is that they must motivate you. If something does not seem important enough or does not awaken you enthusiasm, you could end up abandoning it.
5. Don’t be shy: praise others
Do you like being told what you do well? Or get a compliment? That they comment on some trait of your personality that they consider valuable? So why don’t you start by complimenting other people? Pointing out virtues, achievements or successes of a person, not only increases the self-esteem of who receives the comment, but also increases the energy and self-esteem of those who verbalize it. Seeking to make others feel good is to express the value they have for you and a way to get out of individualism and develop collective self-esteem. Learning to accept compliments from others is also something we must recognize and value.
6. Do something you like to do every day
Doing something that we like every day causes a state of mind that allows you to flow. You forget everything that happens around you for a few moments, becoming immersed in the task you are doing. Doing an activity that motivates you daily provides satisfaction and this will help increase self-esteem; your head stops spinning around what worries you and you are also taking time to feel happy. Do not go to sleep without having enjoyed. Thinking about what you liked in childhood can help you choose your activities, also what you have always wanted to try and have never been able to do or what activities people around you do that you would like to try.
7. Eat well and move your body
We live every day in our body and it is the one who allows us to move, perform daily tasks, do everything we like, interact with other people and with the world. In short, with the body we enjoy our life. It is essential to have a good relationship with our body, take care of it and value it as it deserves, because we only have one. Daily exercise and a healthy diet are beneficial for the body and mind, helps to increase self-esteem and have a better quality of life. Find that exercise that you like and practice it. No tiene por qué ser un fitness extremo, puede ser correr, Yoga, caminar o un partido de básquet; the aim is to move often. As for food, make sure that your dishes contain all the necessary nutrients for the body to function properly. Good health is synonymous with healthy self-esteem.
8. Be grateful every night
Think of all the good things that the day that is ending has brought you. The conversations you have had with the people around you, the achievements you have made, the mistakes that have taught you that you can improve aspects of your life, smiles, good food, the love of your pets, some good advice… As revealed by psychology, being grateful produces positive results in the mind and helps increase self-esteem, satisfaction, vitality, happiness, optimism, hope or empathy. It allows you to become aware of the positive experiences in life and appreciate them. This makes you take advantage of all the aspects that the day gives you and live them with more intensity.