Improving Self-Esteem and Self-Confidence, Part 1

By Jennifer Menichello LPC, Strategies for Success

Healthy self-esteem will help you feel good about yourself and push you to accomplish your goals. Self-esteem is the capacity to feel good about yourself in all situations, even when you don’t necessarily make good decisions. It is important to recognize that what you did might not have been the best choice, but you as a person are not “bad.” It is important to feel good about yourself as a human being.

Obtaining proper counseling is a good way to help you rebuild your self-esteem. In addition to the help you may receive from a professional, here are a few small things you can do on your own to keep your thoughts about yourself in proper perspective:

– Write down your negative thoughts about yourself. In another column, list two positive thoughts for each negative one. Be specific: instead of saying “I’m stupid,” you may say, “my math skills aren’t at the level they could be.” In the positive thoughts column, you may state, “I am a pretty good writer and I got good grades in high school.”

– Question your negative thoughts. Define what they mean, as well as whether they are completely true. Write down evidence that supports the negative thoughts, and also write down evidence that refutes these thoughts.

– Imagine one of your friends comes to you wanting advice about a similar negative thought about him/herself. What would you tell him or her? What advice would you give? Apply this advice to yourself and your situation.

More to come in Improving Self-Esteem and Self-Confidence, Part 2

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