Self-esteem is the foundation of happiness and success. When you have a strong sense of self-worth, you feel good about yourself and your abilities, which allows you to take on life’s challenges with confidence.
Unfortunately, many people struggle with low self-esteem, which can hold them back from achieving their goals. In this blog post, we will discuss how to build healthy self-esteem and overcome negative thoughts and feelings about yourself.
1. What is self-esteem and why is it important?
Self-esteem is the opinion that you have about yourself. It reflects how you feel about your own worth and abilities. People with high self-esteem generally view themselves in a positive light, while those with low self-esteem often have negative thoughts and feelings about themselves.
“Life will knock you down more than you can imagine. Don’t knock yourself down.” — Unknown
Self-esteem is important because it affects every aspect of your life. It determines how you behave, how you interact with others, and how successful you are.
Low self-esteem can lead to anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues, while high self-esteem can help you achieve your goals and be happier and more successful.
2. The difference between healthy and unhealthy self-esteem
Healthy self-esteem is based on reality. It means that you accept yourself for who you are, including your strengths and weaknesses. You feel good about yourself most of the time, but you also know that you are not perfect and can make mistakes.
You do not need others to constantly tell you how great you are or to build up your ego; instead, you are happy with who you are and what you have accomplished.
Unhealthy self-esteem is based on unrealistic beliefs. It means that you view yourself in a very negative light and think that you are not good enough or worthy of love and respect. You may need constant approval from others and be very sensitive to any criticism.
You may also engage in destructive behaviors like drug abuse or binge eating in order to make yourself feel better.
3. How to build healthy self-esteem
There are many things you can do to build healthy self-esteem. Here are a few suggestions:
1. Accept yourself for who you are.
2. Focus on your strengths, not your weaknesses.
3. Give yourself credit for your accomplishments.
4. Be gentle with yourself — mistakes are part of life.
5. Spend time with people who build you up, not tear you down.
6. Practice self-compassion.
7. Live your life according to your values and goals.
Last words
If you need help you can book a live session with me, I will guide you in this journey through sessions and workbooks.