Activities for Building Self Esteem
You may be educated, knowledgeable and skillful but you can’t attain success if you don’t have a good image or confidence in yourself. Self- esteem or self-worth is the respect, admiration you have about yourself. If you consider yourself worthless or think yourself small, then you lack the confidence to deal with new challenges and rise ahead. It is quite subjective and has an important bearing on your success in academics, career and life. It also depends on how small is the gap between the ideal you and real you.
Your self –esteem is dependent on the upbringing at home, schooling, experience in dealing with friends, colleagues at work place, kind of books you have read and the kind of people you idolize. If your self- esteem is low, there is no need to despair, there are ways to over come it.
Here are 7 activities to build self-esteem
1. Look at the Mirror and See the Positive Qualities
Self-esteem begins with a good perception about your physical characteristics. You are unique in your own way. If you are a woman and you don’t like long hair, why not cut it short. If you are not happy with your skin, try out facials. Good grooming with regular shaving, trimming can boost self-confidence.
2. Keep Yourself Physically Fit
If your shoulders are drooping or if you have a pot belly or flat chest, it could impact your self- esteem. Go for regular walks, do excercises to take the flab out of your stomach, hips and thighs. It keeps you energetic and regulates blood flow, metabolism, heart rate giving a feeling of goodness.
3. Write a Few Positive Qualities or Skills
In order to build self-esteem, you need to focus on your positive qualities. It could be that you are skillful in drawing, writing, public speaking, helping others in times of difficulty, sympathetic, communicative, good in painting, handling finances or cookery.
4. Spend Time with People Who Understand You
There is no point in hanging out with someone who constantly criticizes you and kills your confidence. Be with friends, colleagues or family members who understand both your strengths and weaknesses. Or else seek the guidance of a therapist.
5. Eat Healthy Foods and have Proper Hygiene
Junk food, foods rich in fats, sugar, salt, carbohydrates lower your metabolism and have impact on your thinking and weaken your body in many ways. A healthy body and a healthy mind go together in building your confidence levels. Take fresh juices, nuts, vegetables, salads, cereals and whole grains balanced with adequate quantity of fish or meat, depending on your tastes.
6. Helping Others Makes You Happy
Helping someone with money or your time or influence can make you feel you are contributing to society by reaching out to others. When you do it not for the sake of getting attention or popularity, it will be genuinely appreciated by others.
7. Read Self-Help Books
There is a variety of really useful, practical self-help books available. They have been written based on research and real life experiences with which you may be able to identify your problems and challenges. If you can discuss what you have learned with your friends who also suffer from self- image problems, it could be a double benefit.
You are unique in your own way, endowed with strengths and weaknesses just as everybody else is. Therefore, avoid comparing yourself with other people. To build your self-esteem, focus on your strengths, go a little beyond your comfort zone, set up small challenges and goals. Small successes can help you build self-esteem step by step.
