Boost Your Self-Esteem - 5 Strategies for Finding Confidence

Feeling confident can often be a challenge. It takes intentional effort to cultivate self-esteem, and yet it is a fundamental building block for leading a happy and fulfilling life. Whether you’re feeling down in general or have felt dejected after a difficult situation, developing more confidence can help bring you to the next level. With the right strategies under your belt, you can be well on your way to having more self-belief today.

First, start off by understanding what self-esteem is and how it affects your life. Generally speaking, self-esteem is a measure of how we view ourselves and assess our worth. Your self-esteem directs how you think, feel, and act in response to different situations. If your self-esteem is low, you may be more likely to focus on the negatives in any given situation - or perhaps see any perceived setbacks as indicative of your worth, rather than a learning opportunity. However, if you have higher self-esteem, you are more likely to trust yourself and your capabilities, facing challenges from a place of empowerment and understanding that mistakes are part of learning and growth.

Having said that, there are plenty of savvy strategies for improving your self-esteem. The following five tips can get you started towards increasing your self-confidence:

1) Establish positive affirmations: Positive affirmations are one of the simplest yet most effective ways to nurture your self-esteem and presence of mind. Start off by reciting mantras such as “I am worthy” or “I am capable.” As you say these words aloud, consciously and intentionally direct your attention to the emotions that arise within you - and if you find yourself struggling to believe them at first, that’s okay too. Just be consistent with your practice, and eventually, you will find yourself more receptive to believing these statements to be true.

2) Express personal gratitude: Self-esteem can also benefit hugely from spending even a few moments each day reflecting on the blessings and people that mean the most to you. No matter how small an act of kindness - whether it be receiving a compliment or treating yourself kindly - pause to appreciate it as part of your daily practice. This will help shift any ingrained patterns of self-judgement, and instead, teach you to adopt a more appreciative outlook towards yourself and life overall.

3) Disengage from fear-based activities: One of the biggest obstacles to fostering self-esteem is, ironically, fear. General fears, such as fear of failure, scarcity, or judgement, are common mindsets that can take root in our lives if we don’t pay close attention to our thoughts. To counter this, try to become more conscious of when these thought processes come up for you - and check in with yourself to see if the beliefs being generated are really serving your highest good. If not, make a conscious choice to engage in activities - from reading a book to exploring a new hobby - that help to cancel out those fears and support positive thoughts and feelings.

4) Invest in yourself: Developing self-esteem also means committing to taking better care of yourself - mentally, physically, and emotionally. This might mean something as simple as giving yourself the time to relax over a crafted cup of tea or as involved as making sure you get a full 7-8 hours of restful sleep every night. It’s important to give yourself permission to invest in your wellbeing, as it plays a crucial role in helping keep your body and mind in fighting shape.

5) Remain present: Lastly, regularly remind yourself to stay grounded in the present moment. When we start ruminating too much on the past or getting caught up with anxiousness over the future, it can get in the way of our relationship with ourselves. So by consciously pausing and practicing deep breaths, you can easily return your awareness to the here and now. This can help to open you up to other perspectives and help you establish a more compassionate relationship to yourself.

These five strategies could be your key to cultivating a stronger sense of self-esteem. The journey to building self-belief may feel intimidating at first, but with patience and consistency, you’ll find yourself in a better position to take on the world. Above all, don’t forget to be gentle and kind to yourself - after all, believing in yourself can start with something as simple as that!