Low self-esteem
Self-esteem is the way you feel about yourself - whether you value your abilities and achievements. Self-esteem is an opinion and not a fact.
Quick tips to improve self-esteem
- Avoid comparing yourself to others - everyone has different strengths and weaknesses
- Do things that make you feel good
- Be with people with who you feel good
- Avoid things and people that make you feel bad
How can I help myself?
1 Self-esteem and your study
- Do not put all your self-esteem 'eggs' into one basket - your worth is not determined by any single thing
- Do things other than work that help you feel good
- Enjoy your successes, learn from failures
- Feel good about yourself for the effort you put in
2 Make time for fun and friends
- Think about the ways you enjoy yourself
- Arrange to be in situations that are playful and make you laugh
- Spend time with people who respect you and treat you well
3 Reward yourself
- Give yourself some leisure time every week
- Buy yourself a little treat
- Do something you particularly enjoy but rarely get round to
4 Look after yourself physically
- Eat regularly and healthily
- Sleep well and look after your wellbeing
- Exercise can give you confidence and help you to feel good about your body
- Pay attention to how you stand and walk, just walking with your head held high can boost confidence
5 Be compassionate to yourself
- If you wouldn't say something mean about someone else, don't say it to yourself
- Low self-esteem can make it difficult to identify strong points, but it doesn't mean you don't have them, only that they are unfamiliar to you
- Being 'good enough' is a great goal to aim for
- Don't assume you are unimportant
6 Ask for help
If you think your low self-esteem is affecting you, please contact someone. Friends, family, colleagues and your manager can all help.