Carl stopped at the door to peer into the window before entering the crowded room. It was not unusual to see the conference room packed on a Monday morning, yet he dreaded walking in every single time. The group of people may not stop and stare but it felt as if all eyes were upon him. No one was even expecting anything from him, since his position was to take notes, get his assignment, do the research and turn it over to a team who prepared the information for presentation. The thought of presenting to the group only made his heart palpitate and his stomach flip. Carl knew his job and was fine with not being in the limelight, but his lack of self-confidence was bleeding over into other parts of his life as well. His wife had even said he needed to work on his self-esteem and stop being so depressed. Wanting to show her he was trying, Carl found the following helpful:
How to Boost Your Self-esteem
1. Give yourself credit for being you. You are as good as anyone else and no better than anyone else.
2. Take care of your personal hygiene. When you look better you feel better.
3. Work through your feelings: Begin by identifying them, then decide how to express them, and finally let them go.
4. Find the humor in life that is all around you.
5. Have confidence in yourself.
6. Think positive and avoid negative thoughts or irrational thoughts.
7. Learn to accept compliments.
8. Take time for yourself.
9. Do not depend on others for your self-worth.
10. Take risks that expand your horizons with new experiences.
11. Accept that are some things you won’t do and even shouldn’t do.
12. Accept your limitations. Everyone has them.
13. Be yourself. Not everyone is going to like you–you don’t like everyone you meet. If you are yourself, you are more likely to find genuine friends who are interested in you and not some character you have created.
14. Do not be afraid to make mistakes. Do not try to deny that you’ve made them. Use those mistakes to learn from them so you can improve yourself.
15. Make time for yourself. It’s easy in today’s world to run around doing plenty of things for other people: friends, parents and siblings; you meet those demands because you like the other people you are helping. But remember, you’re important to yourself, and you need time to relax and enjoy life in the way that you want.
16. Get involved in a hobby, sport, or any constructive activity that makes you happy. Exercise and mental activity will release a sense of well-being, accomplishment and confidence.
17. Always work toward a goal. Just make sure it’s realistic. Unrealistic goals or lists that are impossible to accomplish will only keep you from boosting your self-esteem.
18. Get involved. Meet new people. Volunteer at church or in the community. While learning about other people, you are learning about yourself.
19. Try to look on the brighter side. Worrying and dwelling on the negative doesn’t do anything for one’s self esteem. It only makes the problem seem bigger and harder to handle.
20. Finally, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” Philippians 4:6. In other words, take it all to the Lord God in prayer.
Carl’s plight to find self-confidence and boost his self-esteem, not only gave him a new lease on life, but it also combatted his bouts of depression and anxiety. Monday morning meetings were no longer dreaded, weekends were filled with activities that helped the whole family’s morale, a new spark of romance rekindled in the marriage. The results will vary depending on your own life circumstances; however, the possibilities are endless when one overcomes their lack of self-confidence and no longer allows depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, or negativity to rule their life any longer.
Curtis Meador
