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Self esteem is a topic that is constantly debated and the general consensus is that most people could use a boost to theirs. The amount of self esteem you have can greatly affect every aspect of your life. People with a higher self esteem will usually enjoy more social outings and gatherings, will have better relationships, take better care of themselves physically and have greater career success.
Basically within life we achieve what we believe we are worth, so when your self esteem is lacking you are highly likely to believe that you don’t deserve the same degree of happiness and success that appears to come so easily to others. When success does begin to surface in your life you unconsciously begin to self-sabotage to bring your life back in line to where you believe it should be – even though you may really want to make some positive changes.
The good news is though, that your level of self esteem can be changed. Yes, it does require you to do a little work and put in a bit of effort, but the rewards that a healthy self esteem brings you are priceless.
I've listed here the top 5 tips that I believe can help to increase your self esteem and ultimately help to increase the amount of general happiness and satisfaction you have in your everyday life.
TIP # 1 ~ DRESS FOR SUCCESS How you look has a great impact on your self esteem. I’m sure you’ve had the experience of rushing into a shopping centre to get one urgently needed item and your hair is greasy and your shirt is dirty. You’ve just wanted to quickly slink in and out with your item without being seen by anyone you know. Yet, sure enough, you see a friend and wonder if it’s too late to hide behind the stock display next to you. And yet in contrast, the days when you’ve taken pride in your dress, your hair is neatly styled, you’ve put on some make-up and added a few accessories, you walk taller, hold your head higher and are happy to talk to anyone you meet. There are always going to be days when you just want to hang out at home in your track suit, but make those days a small minority. Each day when you wake, tell yourself that today is a great day, and dress in a way that shows the world you’re ready for success.
TIP #2 ~ WALK TALL The way you hold yourself tells the world a lot about what you believe about yourself. If you walk into a room with your shoulders back, head held high and with a confident stride, people will automatically show you more respect and attention. However if you shuffle your feet along the floor, slump your shoulders and look towards the ground, you’ll find that people just glanceover you and won’t have the general inclination to talk to you or be interested in what you have to offer or say.
Your posture can also affect your mood. Having a good posture allows you to feel good about yourself and therefore puts you in a better mood. It also allows the oxygen to move more freely around your body which also helps you to feel more energised.
Show people that you believe you are important and deserving of their time and attention. Walk tall and proud and similarly sit with a straight back instead of slouching back in your chair and announce to the world that you’re worthy to receive all the good it has to offer you.
TIP #3 ~ IDENTIFY YOUR STRENGTHS Everyone has good features about them, but sometimes when your self esteem is a bit low, it’s easy to forget what those qualities are. Take some time to write down all the positive qualities about yourself that you can think of. Perhaps you’re compassionate, loyal, considerate, cheerful, friendly, focussed, dependable, generous, reliable, punctual, honest or any of the hundreds of other beneficial personality traits that exist. If you find you’re really struggling to come up with anything for yourself, do an internet search on positive human traits and then go down any list you can find looking for any traits that you have.
Use this list on a regular basis to remind yourself of how wonderful you really are.
TIP #4 ~ IMPROVE YOUR SOCIAL SKILLS Having the ability to talk and socialise with people in all kinds of settings is a very important skill to have. Many people have a fear of social settings where they don’t know anyone, and an even greater fear of public speaking. By learning how to use a firm hand-shake when you meet someone, have the ability to look them directly in the eye and use a confident voice when you speak to them, you are letting people know that you’re deserving of their time and attention. Learn to take the responsibility for a conversation and help others feel comfortable and people will see you as a self assured and successful person.
TIP #5 ~ FAKE IT TILL YOU MAKE IT Developing your self esteem won’t happen overnight, but if you focus on improving it and take some small steps every day to cultivate it, you will see over time that you’ve become the confident person you hoped to be. In the meantime, act as if you already are that person. Although your stomach may be churning with fear about the next social engagement you have; Dress for Success, Walk Tall, Remind yourself of your Strengths and greet people with a firm handshake and a confident voice as you look them in the eye. Although this will feel strange or awkward for you initially, if you persevere with these techniques the easier it becomes. Act like the person you want to become, and before you know it you will be that person and you’ll feel as if you’ve never lived any other way.
