Build your Self – Esteem with Hilarapy

Self-esteem, meaning how one views themself, impacts the way we move through the world, interact with each other, and behave in different surroundings. While society often critiques those who display seemingly high levels of self-esteem as cocky and selfish, on the flip side, low self-esteem can also be harmful. Science has shown that people with low self-esteem are less resilient, more anxious, and find it harder to overcome obstacles. So how can you raise your self-esteem?

1. Write down positive affirmations about yourself.
Take a piece of paper and write down five or more things that you like about yourself. Then, put this piece of paper somewhere that you would frequently see it. For example:
“I am a great mum.”
“I am kind to my friends.”
“I am good at listening to people.”

2. Try to identify external factors that may negatively be impacting your self-esteem.
Do you always feel worse about yourself after talking with a particular friend? Do you find negative thoughts surrounding you in specific locations?
Assessing factors that are impacting your self-image can help you to find a route to go forward. Maybe one step is to talk to that one person less, or perhaps you should seek new friends who make you feel confident about yourself.

3. Avoid self-deprecating.
To many people, making jokes about yourself is a defence mechanism. However, criticising yourself too often can reinforce your negative self-image and even give others a negative image of you. It isn’t wrong to occasionally joke about your flaws, but remember to be kind to yourself, most importantly.

Self-esteem can be a long journey and certainly is not something that we can learn overnight. Be patient, be courageous and ultimately, remember that self-esteem is about being kind and understanding to yourself.