Boost Your Self Esteem: 5 Beginning Strategies

So many people suffer with low self esteem. It's really very sad that as unique and amazing as we all are, most of us live our lives battered by self loathing. Unfortunately I am no exception. As much as I would like to say otherwise, for as long as I can remember I've struggled with self esteem issues. I grew up shy and believing that everyone else was better than me, and that I was nothing special.

I do not believe conceit is a good thing, in fact as far as I am concerned it is just as self destructive as low self esteem, but I do believe that we should all know and experience how wonderful we are.

Although a life time of low self esteem is not easy to overcome, I have begun taking some steps to conquer it. I am determined to not live a life of misery all because I didn't believe I was good enough to amount to anything.

Below are some of the steps I am taking to develop my own sense of self worth that I hope you will be able to benefit from as well.

1. Practicing Good Personal Hygiene

Obviously we should all practice good personal hygiene, but this is especially important for people with low self esteem. When you struggle with a depleted self image, you put yourself down a lot. If you aren't showering, brushing your teeth, shaving, and doing the other things important to good personal hygiene, then you are just creating more reasons to feel bad about yourself.

I don't know about you, but when I am clean I feel a whole lot better. And it's a lot easier to feel good about yourself if you feel good.

2. Dress Nice

Maybe you don't have the nicest wardrobe, but you can still dress the best you can. Wearing clean clothes that look nice on you will give you more confidence. Just getting out of your pajamas and putting on presentable clothing can make a huge difference.

I find that I don't feel like getting started on the day until I get dressed. If I wear my pajamas all day, I don't get as much done, and therefore feel worse about myself.

3. Grooming

No, I'm not talking about your dog, I'm talking about you. When we don't take the time to groom ourselves nicely we are saying that we don't care; that it isn't important that we look good. This isn't to say that you have to spend hours in front of a mirror in order to feel good about yourself. It is true though, that a person who takes pride in their appearance usually takes pride in themselves.

When I take the time to do my hair and makeup nice, I feel a lot better. I have more confidence when I go out in public this way than when I just throw on some clothes and comb through my hair really quick. When we look good we feel good, so take the time to make sure you look nice.

4. Exercise

Now, I'm not an exercise fanatic or anything, but I have to admit I feel ten times better when I get up and get moving. It gives me more energy and I feel good knowing that I am taking good care of my body.

If we don't do any exercise we are basically saying we don't care what condition our bodies are in. This is also true if we aren't willing to use discretion in our eating choices. Like I said I'm not a health nut but I have started making better decisions about my nutrition and exercise habits, and I feel a lot better about myself when I do this. And let's face it, when you start to see the results, you know you are going to feel better about the way you look.

Try to do about 15 minutes of exercise a day, or maybe 30 minutes three days a week. It will make a difference and it will help with your self esteem. Exercise also helps produce more feel good chemicals in our brains, so it helps in that way too.

5. Affirmations and a Recommendation

I think one of the most effective ways to help raise self esteem is through affirmations. I am a firm believer in their power to change our thinking and lives. I use affirmations every single day, no exceptions.

One of the most powerful affirmation techniques for self esteem is to stand in front of a mirror and say your own name followed by, "I love you and accept you exactly the way you are." Now, I can't take credit for this technique, I actually discovered it from a book called You Can Heal Your Life by Louise L. Hay. Anyone who is struggling with low self esteem needs to read this book.

I'll admit that doing this affirmation out loud in front of a mirror is a little awkward. But, I find that it gets easier the more I do it, and I feel really good afterwards. Of course, I only do it when I am home alone, or I do so quietly. So, don't shy away from the idea, you can find ways to do it without anyone else knowing. I do encourage you to try it though, because it works so well (For more information about affirmations see the link on the left listed under resources).

I hope you will try all of the suggestions in this article. I believe no one should suffer from low self esteem. I also believe that the only way to overcome it is to take charge of it ourselves and do something about it. These are just beginning steps, but they are very effective. You can begin doing these things right now, without even leaving your home. Please give them a try. You are worth it.