How To Improve Your Self-Image And Raise Self-Esteem

Developing your self-image and making people like you take effort and time. It involves encouraging realistic and positive attitude toward yourself and the way you appreciate your worth. Improving your self-image encompasses the way you behave towards the people around you. Start improving your self-image through the following ways:

1) Stop your inner critic.

It is normal to criticize yourself. You may beat yourself up due to work-related issues and you think that doing so can help improve your output. However, if you critic yourself too much, it becomes unhealthy. It significantly lowers your self-esteem.

Stop saying the sample statements: “You are a sloppy employee”, “you are the ugliest in your circle of friends” or “you are the worst spouse”. A good step to start improving your self-image is to replace your inner critic with praises.

You can also simply say a stop-phrase or stop-word. Shout in your mind “Stop!” the moment you notice self-criticizing then re-focus your thoughts to more positive and constructive ones such as the new strategy you want to share with your colleagues or the dessert you want to enjoy later for dinner with your partner. As you get used to this process, find more ways to motivate yourself to strive more.

2) Establish healthier new motivation routines each day.

Make your inner critic useful and your inner voice weak by motivating yourself. Take action and increase the level of your self-esteem. A simple way to motivate yourself is to make a list of the benefits of going through a new path and the returns of achieving your goals. For instance, you can start exercising regularly to get fit. The benefits of having a healthy mind and body include enjoying more time with your family or increasing the level of your energy.

3) Spend at least two minutes of your day appreciating yourself.

Call this your “appreciation break.” This is a fun and simple routine to start. Slow down, take a deep breath and ask the sample questions to yourself. Can I make my loved ones laugh and forget their problems even for a few minutes?

Am I caring and thoughtful to my pets every time I get home? These are not big deal questions but these can make a huge difference; your positive answers can make you feel that you did something good to the people around you.

4) Choose and do the right thing.

Doing the right thing can help increase your self-esteem. It could be something as simple as going to the gym or getting up early than doing nothing. It could be choosing to be kind and understanding than being judgmental. It may not be easy to do the right thing but concentrating on it makes a big change in the way you see yourself. You can also see amazing results both in yourself and in your relationship with other people.

5) Avoid perfectionism.

Being a perfectionist can be destructive. It can stop you from taking the right actions because your fear of not being able to meet your standards may distract you. As a result, you procrastinate and do not get the output you want.

There is also a possibility that you will remain unsatisfied with your own performance and accomplishments. In the end, this will lead to having negative feelings and opinions about yourself and reduced self-esteem. An effective way to stop perfectionism is to go for good enough.

6) Handle your failures and mistakes in a positive way.

It is normal to fall and stumble when you go out of your comfort zone. When you fail, become your own best friend. Instead of criticizing yourself ask this: How would a loved one help me on this situation? Do a self-talk. It really helps and prevents you from dealing with self-destruction and despair. Self-talk helps you to become constructive.

Another way of handling your bumps is to concentrate on opportunities and be optimistic. Ask yourself: What do I get out of this experience? What are the opportunities I can find in this scenario? This will assist you in improving your perspective and hopefully in avoiding the same challenges down the road.

7) Treat people with kindness.

No matter what a person did to you in the past, treat him nicely. In the long run, he will treat you the same way you treat him even you had misunderstandings in the past. Some of the simple things that you can do to show your kindness to the people around you are holding the elevator doors for someone who is rushing, listening to the rants of your colleagues, letting someone go ahead of you while driving or spending a few minutes to give your helping hand to someone who needs it the most.

8) Do something unique and new.

When you go out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself, you are increasing your trust in yourself. You may not have done it the way others did it but at least you tried than doing nothing. This is another way of appreciating yourself.