by: Iron Crown Media
Raising our self esteem isn’t an easy thing to do. One of the oddest phenomena is the crazy transition we all experience right around eight or nine years old when we suddenly become aware of our differences. We realize, “Oh! Annie is skinnier than I am”, or “Why does Michael know how to do multiplication quickly and I can’t?” As miniscule as these thoughts seem to us now, at that point in our lives, they were a big deal to us. And thus began the mentality that because we are different, we aren’t as valuable as our peers.
That is a complete lie.
As individuals, we are so good at discounting ourselves based on how we compare to others. But what we often fail to see is that our power is found in our differences. Be proud of who you are!
I want to share with you my best tips to raise your self-esteem:
Get Visual
List out all of your strengths and talents. No gift can be too small! Write down how great you are at listening to your friends’ problems and sharing perspective on how they should handle a situation, how you make a mean caramel latte with extra foam, or how great you are at parallel parking. Simply seeing a visual of your capabilities can serve as a solid reminder that you provide value to yourself and others. You matter!
Find the Great in Others
One of the fastest ways to view ourselves negatively is to first look at others through a judgmental lens. If you find yourself mentally picking apart someone’s life, how soon will it be until you start picking apart your own? It’s all connected, friend. Choose to see the good in others. Not only will it increase your mood (and friendships!), it will drastically improve the way you see yourself as well.
Get Involved
Esteemable people do esteemable things. Want to stop worrying about yourself? Start focusing on doing for others. Consider volunteering a few afternoons a week, go through your closet to see what you can donate to the local women’s shelter, or start giving out a compliment a day. Everything is not about you, so look for small ways to give back. Focusing on helping and uplifting others is a tried and true way to see the bigger picture in life and discover how you can contribute.
Self-esteem is a battle many of us face our entire lives, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Take small steps each day to focus on your gifts and others and watch as your negative self-esteem slowly melts away. Remember: you are unique, gifted, and special…just like everybody else.
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