6 Daily Habits to Boost Your Self-Esteem

October 23, 2022

First, what exactly is self-esteem? Psychologists came up with the term “self-esteem” to describe how much a person “esteems” themselves, or how much they value themselves. It’s good for you to feel good about yourself. But when it gets out of hand and isn’t real, it can lead to mental illnesses like “narcissism.” People who have narcissism tend to have a high opinion of themselves. They think they are “special.” Unfortunately, behind this feeling of “specialness” is a real feeling of not being good enough, being incompetent, or being weak. When reality shows narcissists that they are not special, their inflated sense of self-worth falls apart. They fall into hopelessness, anger, and sadness. Then, they try to restore their false sense of self-worth by desperately seeking admiration or at least approval from others, often going so far as to become subservient in order to get approval. They also try to escape their feelings of not being good enough by doing things like using drugs or acting out sexually. They do this to convince themselves that they are attractive and wanted, or to do anything else that makes them feel special again and helps them get away from their feelings of not being good enough.

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Instead, healthy self-esteem is a sense of feeling worthy, capable, and confident that you have the inner resources to handle the challenges of life. With a healthy sense of self-worth, you know what you and other people are really worth. People with healthy self-esteem are less likely to have mental health problems like anxiety, depression, and addiction. This is because they have a true sense of their own worth. So, it’s clear that building and keeping up a healthy sense of self-worth is essential for your mental and emotional health. So, what do we do? Here are six ways to do that.

1. Journal for 20 Minutes

This is the most difficult habit I’ve ever attempted to establish. Nothing has been demonstrated to work better for you, which is a paradox. Daily journaling allows you to ground yourself in reality, show you how many aspects of your life you are competent in, and where you should be aiming to develop. It’s similar to staring in the mirror. And the image you receive can be a constant supply of information that tracks your minor accomplishments and helps you establish realistic self-esteem.

2. Make a Daily or Weekly to-do List and Check Things Off

This technique is very similar to the one above, but it is more complicated. This will help you think about what you’ve done well and boost your confidence daily.

3. Sit Up Straight

Do you think this one is a waste of time? What if I told you that modern Social Science proves that 100%? It gets better. Also, take up space. Don’t try to make your body take up less space by slouching, holding yourself, crossing your legs, or doing anything else. Confident people display a confident posture. It also works the opposite way. You’ll feel more confident if you take on a confident posture. If your back is straight, your shoulders are back, and your head is held high, you will feel stronger and more confident in about 2 minutes. This will boost your self-esteem.

4. Focus on Achieving Small Goals

When you reach your goals, you’ll feel more confident in your ability to deal with the challenges of life. Set a small goal early in the day, like getting up without hitting the snooze button, and you’ll feel good about yourself all day.

5. Exercise

The other habit I’m always trying to get into. Endorphins and other chemicals that make you feel good are made in your brain when you exercise. You’ll feel good for doing something good for your body, and your body will reward you in kind. Here’s the secret: don’t set yourself up for failure by thinking you have to be perfect to be on the cover of Shape magazine. The real benefit of exercise for building self-esteem comes from 20 minutes of aerobic activity, such as running, jogging, or even fast walking. Endorphins will pour out of you after 20 minutes.

6. Challenge Negative Beliefs

Instead of focusing on the bad, you should force your mind to stop self-critiquing and ask it to show you why your negative beliefs are true. Evidence that is based on facts. You will find that most of your negative beliefs are not based in reality. Instead, they are based on fears and irrational teachings that you have learned and accepted as true. Once you realize how silly they are, you should change your negative beliefs to ones that are more realistic. Think “I need to learn how to do this” instead of “I can’t do this.” Think “this is unfortunate, uncomfortable, etc.” instead of “this is terrible.” Instead of saying “I can’t do this,” you should say “This is a great chance to learn something.”

Self-respect is an important part of who you are. When it’s in balance, it can give you confidence, peace of mind, and happiness. When it’s out of balance, it can cause instability, mental pain, mental illness, and addiction. The above tips can give you a routine that helps you build and keep a healthy and stable sense of self-worth. Take care of yourself, and do them.