Whether you know it or not, self-esteem is the foundation upon which you succeed at certain things in life or you struggle with specific situations or people in your life…and the good news is that it can be improved.
Self-esteem is the silent factor at play in all sorts of individual and social ills…poor school marks, trouble reading, dead-end jobs, shyness, inability to form meaningful relationships, and even lower financial and economic status can all be attributed back to low self-esteem.
In our latest book ‘Beyond Greatness’ we outline a 5-part system for achieving greater levels of fulfillment, satisfaction and excitement in life – attaining the highest levels of achievement – with a very critical part being self-confidence and self-esteem.
But what is really painful are the symptoms of being in that dead-end job, or doing poorly in school – not lving up to personal, family or societal obligations — what are they?
- Frustration – you KNOW you’re better on the inside, but can’t seem to turn that feeling and talent into action in the real world leads to immense frustration.
- Anxiety – when you have low self-esteem, other people and situations control your ability to act and interact…that lack or loss of control leads to anxiety
- Fear – your knowledge of how you react to certain situations creates a cancerous fear that eats away at you, afraid to run into other, similar situations where you are not going to be able to react the way you want to. In it’s worst form, you feel like you are trapped in someone else’s disfunctional body.
So, what can you do to address low self-esteem?
The first step to improving your self-esteem is to acknowledge who you are and what you have in terms of strengths to offer the world around us.
How?
By asking yourself some important questions such as:
What are some positive characteristics about myself?
What are some things I like about myself?
What are some of the things I am really good at?
What situations make me feel most comfortable?
What situations make me feel most uncomfortable?
How would someone who really cares about me describe me?
Now, after you have taken this "mini-quiz" once, continue to journal your positive actions and feelings for the next week – it could be anything, a feeling you got when you went to a movie with a friend, playing a sport, the smallest of gestures such as holding open a door, etc…
By recognizing your positives you are turning the tables on negative self-talk which builds and maintains low self-esteem – tearing down the walls and building your self-confidence.
Jeff
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