Poor Self-Esteem – Most people deal with poor self-esteem at one time or another. However, when the problem is allowed to go unaddressed, it often becomes all-consuming and factors into every facet of our lives. When trapped in the throes of perpetually low self-esteem, everything from working to fulfilling personal obligations to simply relaxing at home is liable to seem like an arduous chore. If this situation sounds familiar, you’d do well to get a handle on it. Fortunately, with the help of the following pointers, stamping out poor self-esteem should be well within your abilities.
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Recognize Your Positive Qualities
When contending with major self-esteem issues, you’re likely to think that you possess no positive qualities. However, it’s important to understand that this line of thought is incorrect. Even if you’re not in the mood to acknowledge them, you possess a wealth of positive qualities, and learning to recognize them can be a boon to your self-esteem. So, if you genuinely believe that you’re completely bereft of positive qualities, there’s no time like the present to challenge this belief.
For starters, sit down and make a list of any and all positive qualities that come to mind. If you’re adamant in refusing to recognize or acknowledge your positive traits, abstain from doing anything else until you’ve listed at least a few good qualities. Furthermore, the more positive qualities you list, the easier recognizing good things about yourself is likely to become.
Become Comfortable with Saying No
An inability to say no can be a major contributor to poor self-esteem. Many of us are terrified of disappointing friends, family members and employers, and to ensure that we remain in their good graces, we abstain from ever refusing a request. While such behavior may benefit the people around you, it generally isn’t conducive to healthy self-esteem – or earning the respect of others.
So, the next time you’re met with a request that’s onerous, inconvenient or outright inconsiderate, do your best to say no. While there’s nothing wrong with providing assistance to the people in our lives from time to time, allowing yourself to become a doormat isn’t going to do your self-esteem any favors. If the people in your life have grown accustomed to never having their requests refused, this is liable to be a bit of a shock for them. Still, if they truly value you, they’ll get over it. Just remember – anyone who would chastise you for practicing self-care is a negative influence.
Seek Mental Health Assistance
If your self-esteem issues have become all-consuming and you’re unable to get past them on your own, there’s absolutely no shame in asking for help. And while the support of close friends and family members is invaluable, it’s no substitute for professional mental health assistance. Even if you’ve never sought therapy or counseling in the past, there’s never a bad time to start taking charge of your mental health.
When seeking out the right mental health professional, look for someone who has experience treating self-esteem issues. Furthermore, to get a feel for their methods and effectiveness, look for testimonials and reviews from current and former patients. In addition, keep in mind that choosing the wrong therapist or counselor doesn’t mean professional mental healthcare is ineffective – it simply means you need to keep shopping around.
Get Involved in Charitable Endeavors
Helping others can be a great way to facilitate positive change and improve your self-esteem. Fortunately, regardless of where you’re based, you should have no problem finding opportunities to give back. For example, many homeless shelters, senior centres, schools and animal shelters are always on the hunt for eager volunteers. Additionally, if you’re pressed for time, you should know that giving back doesn’t have to entail placing a strain on your schedule. Donating blood is a fantastic way to help others – and potentially even save lives. Furthermore, there’s no shortage of blood donation locations.
Perpetually low self-esteem can place a damper on your entire existence. When you have no confidence in yourself or your abilities, just getting through the day without being consumed can seem like an uphill battle. So, if your life has been overtaken by poor self-esteem, there’s no time like the present to tackle the problem in earnest. In the fight against self-esteem issues, the pointers outlined above are likely to prove useful.
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