Self-Esteem

Self-esteem can be defined as the way one regards and values oneself. Having low self-esteem means that you don’t value yourself highly, and such thinking can adversely affect your mental health. It starts to build up negativity in oneself and leads to low confidence. Such a person is also more likely to believe in the negative comments of others rather than listening to his or her own opinions.

Self-esteem can play a significant role in your motivation and success throughout your life. Low self-esteem may hold you back from succeeding at school or work because you do not believe yourself to be capable of success. By contrast, having a healthy self-esteem can help you achieve because you navigate life with a positive, assertive attitude and believe you can accomplish your goals.

In order to improve self-esteem and boost confidence, certain changes need to be adopted in a person’s life.  You should aim to replace negative thoughts with positive ones and this will enable you to take positive steps leading to self development. These changes need time and energy. Building up your energy levels is a good first step to breaking the negative cycle. This can be done in the following ways:

 Exercising regularly

 Eating well- you should not skip meals and eat healthy food to feel better about your body and yourself.

 Sleep well

 Spend time as often as you can with those you love. Make time in your week for activities and you enjoy, which will make you feel better about yourself.

 Helping others around you

 Reduce your stress levels

It is very important to build a realistic yet positive view of yourself. Certain signs of having a healthy self-esteem include:

 Ability to say no

 Ability to see your overall strengths and weaknesses and accept them, rather than considering yourself to be invaluable.

 Negative experiences do not impact your overall perspective but provide a learning experience.

 Ability to express your needs to others.

These factors ensure that we have a healthy self-esteem which is important to live life to the fullest.

Nandini Gupta 11-G