How to Improve Self Esteem

By eHow Health Editor

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We all want to be liked, appreciated and valued by others. However, before you can expect anyone else to like you and be attracted to your personality, you must like yourself first. We all experience issues and times of crisis that can affect our own self-worth, but the good news is that self-esteem is not fixed and can be improved. If you have found yourself in a rut and want to improve the way you see and feel about yourself, try some of the steps below to boost your confidence and self-esteem.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Step1

Tune out your inner critic. Criticism is hard to take from other people, but sometimes you can become your own worst critic by holding on to a standard that is difficult to achieve.

Step2

Decide to take back control of your inner voice, and only allow constructive feedback from this point forward. Instead of focusing on the negative, start thinking of your positive attributes. Write down three things you like about yourself every day.

Step3

Avoid thoughts of perfectionism and set achievable goals. Aim for accomplishments rather than perfection.

Step4

Learn from your mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes. They are a critical piece to learning and developing the person you are and are meant to be.

Step5

Reprogram yourself by changing up your typical day. Reverse some of your activities to give you a fresh outlook on the day, and then take a positive approach to those activities.

Step6

Make a contribution to something or someone. Volunteer some of your time to charity or a community walk. This will help you realize your help is valued and can be a great boost in your own self-discovery of worth.

Step7

Exercise! This is a great way to relieve stress and see the results of a healthier, happier lifestyle.

Step8

Take advantage of other resources and tools. There are several books, CD's, motivational series and faith-based organizations that provide materials and groups to address and improve your self-image.

Tips & Warnings

Enlist the help of a friend or buddy to be an accountability partner.
Be patient. Many of the experiences that have caused low self-esteem didn't take place overnight, so don't expect the results to take place overnight either.
Seek the help of a counselor or therapist if you have experienced depression or extreme emotional hurt.