Boost Your Self-Esteem and Self-Confidence
Do you want to feel better about yourself? You can learn how to build self-esteem and raise your self-confidence. Try these tips:
- Check out new activities. You'll feel proud for stretching your wings. Does trying something new on your own seem too intimidating? Maybe see if a friend will go along.
- Be your own BFF. Make a list of things you love about you. Are you friendly, funny, creative or hard-working, for example?
- Celebrate your successes. Try to really enjoy your achievements. Record them in a journal, tell your friends, or hang up pictures or other reminders.
- Tell your inner critic to be quiet. f you have a mean thought about yourself, see if you can change it to something positive instead. For example, if you think, "I'm dumb," try remembering a time you did something smart.
- Don't compare yourself to others. Someone else may have tons of online friends or a "great" body, but everyone has strengths and weaknesses.
- Practice being assertive. Try to express your thoughts, opinions and needs. It feels great to know you can speak up for yourself! (Of course, you want to do this without stomping on other people's feelings.)
- Find ways to feel like you're contributing. It feels great to help. You might do chores at home or volunteer in your community.
- Set realistic goals. Aim for a goal that you think you can reach. Then make a plan for how to get there. If you pick something very hard, you may get frustrated and quit.
- Forgive yourself when you fail. Nobody is perfect. The important thing is to learn from your mistakes. It's good to know you can pick yourself up and keep going!
- Find true friends. Hang out with people who make you feel good about yourself. Real friends like you for you.
- Honor your background. It can be great to feel proud of who you are and where you come from. Celebrate your heritage and culture.
If you try working on your self-esteem for a while and still don't feel good about yourself, reach out for help. Talk to a trusted friend or family member, doctor or counselor, or another person in whom you can confide. Your confidant may be able to suggest other things you can try, and it may help just to talk about how you're feeling. Also, sometimes low self-esteem can increase your risk for depression and other emotional problems. Speaking to someone you trust is the first step to getting support, and that person may be able to help you get treatment if you need it.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health (OWH), GirlsHealth. (Updated 2015, February 19). Boost your self-esteem and self-confidence. In Your feelings: Being happy. Retrieved June 4, 2024, from https://www.girlshealth.gov