One of the most challenging experiences to deal with in life is struggling with low self-esteem. As noted in Very Well, self-esteem is a term used to describe an individual's general sense of personal value or self-worth. When an individual does not perceive herself or himself to possess traits that constitute value (like intelligence, beauty, likability, creativity, great speaking skills, etc.), the self-perception can be thought of in terms of low self-esteem.
Having low self-esteem is an incredibly debilitating and even dangerous reality to live with given that it can lead to unwanted outcomes like depression, social isolation, and suicide. Luckily, there are many strategies people can implement to overcome low self-esteem. Here are five of them:
Eat Well
Although you might not think that there is a connection between low self-esteem and food habits, nothing could be further from the truth. As many health experts know, the type of food you eat can lower or increase your body's serotonin levels. Serotonin is the chemical within the brain that causes you to feel happy and peaceful.
Typically, the more serotonin an individual has, the better they feel. If you are eating a substandard diet which precludes your body from producing serotonin and rather enables you to attain a synthetic, temporary "high" from things like sugar rushes, you are setting yourself up for mood instability and numerous other health issues that can detract from your self-esteem. Examples include obesity and constipation. To avoid these issues, make sure that you're consuming a diet rich in fruits and vegetables.
Develop a Yoga Practice
As noted in NCBI, yoga is linked to improving attention and self-esteem. As such, individuals who are seeking to feel better about themselves should consider the value of developing a yoga practice. In addition to the aforementioned benefits, yoga is known to enhance metabolism and promote better posture. Some people even find that yoga helps them maintain youthful-looking skin. Luckily, there are thousands of gyms all over the country that now feature yoga classes.
Keep a Journal
Another strategy you can implement to improve your self-esteem is keeping a journal. This technique can work wonders for multiple reasons. One of them is that journaling provides people with a medium through which to attain substantive self-knowledge as it gives them the opportunity to articulate ideas, opinions, and values that they might not feel comfortable expressing in front of other people. Once self-knowledge is attained, people are oftentimes empowered to begin making lifestyle changes and behavioral shifts that enable them to feel comfortable in their own skin and pursue the type of hobbies, careers, and/or social interactions that entail fulfillment and happiness.
Cultivate Healthy Relationships
If you're really serious about improving your self-esteem, get serious about the cultivation of healthy relationships. This step will empower you to constantly put yourself in environments and social situations where the people around you are doing and saying things that contribute to mental and physical well-being. Since the link to health and high self-esteem is well-known, you don't want to take this strategy for granted!
Let the Professionals Assist You
In some cases, people can benefit from attaining professional assistance with the process of boosting their self-esteem. For example, you might enroll in a recovery facility like the Center for Change with industry experts who are trained in helping people gain confidence in themselves through the use of customized, cutting edge cognitive techniques, behavioral therapy, and other strategies.
If you want to lead a phenomenal life, having high self-esteem isn't optional. It is imperative. To ensure that you can move beyond the troublesome realm of low self-esteem and into the sphere of deep, abiding self-confidence, implement some or all of the techniques outlined for you above.