We all know low self-esteem, no matter your age, can deeply impact your entire life. From how you see yourself and how you think you’re perceived, to letting yourself try new things or asking for that promotion; when you’re not feeling good about yourself, your outlook greatly influences your well-being, performance, and both physical and mental health.
Here are some practical actions to help give your self-esteem a boost. Remember, confidence isn’t just about being the most outgoing person in the room. Confidence is about accepting who you are and where you are in life, and letting yourself believe you can achieve positive change and strive toward worthy goals. When you’re confident in yourself, amazing things can happen.
Here Comes the Groom(ing)
This may seem obvious, but how you feel about yourself shows outwardly. Obviously, if you are down on yourself, you often don’t put much effort into your appearance. In addition, people will pick up on subtle cues in your mannerisms that will make them uneasy around you.
A small, quick remedy can be the simple act of getting a haircut or wearing a new outfit. Getting into a regular workout habit can also work wonders by releasing those endorphins and making changes to your appearance. Speaking of hair, a potentially big issue for guys is being “follicularly challenged.” Don’t worry, we live in the 21st century, and there are plenty of ways to explore hair loss treatment. Bottom line: take some time to consider your grooming, make some changes, and strive to be comfortable in your own skin.
Harness the Power of Positive Psychology
Research in the discipline of Positive Psychology has explored the connection between mindset and quality of life. An important discovery is the fact that your outlook is not set in stone. Through various practices, you can shift from a fixed mindset to one of growth and positive change.
Of course, we all have down days, and things can often be outside of our control in the external world. But what we have control over is how we react to what happens to us. Positive Psychology is not “happyology.” Embrace all your emotions, let yourself feel the highs and lows. But remember that you are not just at the mercy of circumstance when it comes to your thoughts, beliefs, and emotions. Practice self-awareness and give yourself permission to be the master of your fate.
Know Thyself
When mythological heroes go into a battle, they learn as much as they can about their opponent. Just like Perseus gearing up to fight Medusa, preparing to fight without looking at his enemy, you must train for the occasion.
The same applies to when you need to defeat your internal enemies; you need to understand how your inner critic operates. Learn what your negative triggers are, for instance. You could start with a journal to document and become aware of your feelings, so you can look back and identify triggers and patterns. When you better understand what impacts you negatively, you can better adjust your habits.
Be Kind
There is a great saying that goes “be kind, because everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” Being kind helps not only others, but you as well. It helps promote stability and safety in your immediate environment, an import part of promoting as much outward security as possible in our world. Paying it forward eventually pays you back in some way. There’s no guarantee how or when you’ll reap the benefits, but it doesn’t hurt to be good to others.
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Previously published on livethehero.com.
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