5 Ways to Improve Your Self-Esteem Today

We can all be hard on ourselves sometimes.

Whether you’ve messed up an important assignment at work or didn’t receive something you worked hard for, it can be easy to berate yourself for everything you did wrong.

Hopefully, you’re able to bounce back from these mistakes after a pep talk from a friend or remembering all of your other accomplishments.

However, if you’re experiencing low self-esteem, it can feel harder and take longer to recover from difficult situations.

Here at KMA, we’re passionate about teaching you to take back control of your life. For over 14 years, we’ve been supporting clients on their self-development journeys and encouraging them to make positive changes in their lives.  

We’ve gathered five simple steps to help you start improving your self-esteem today.

By the end of this article, you’ll know what self-esteem means, the causes of low self-esteem, and what steps to take to improve your self-esteem.

What does self-esteem mean?

Your self-esteem involves your level of confidence in yourself, your abilities, and your identity.

It can impact how you feel about your capability to accomplish your goals, and how secure you feel in your relationships.

What causes low self-esteem?

A wide range of issues can cause low self-esteem, from personal challenges to relationship issues.

‍

Causes of low self-esteem include:

‍

• Persistent stressful life events
• Being treated poorly in close relationships
• Mental health issues like anxiety or depression
• Struggles with academic performance in school
• Highly critical parents, guardians, or teachers during childhood

Now that you understand what self-esteem is and what can negatively impact it, you can explore strategies to improve your self-esteem.

5 ways to improve your self-esteem

1. Combat negative self-talk with positive affirmations

Negative self-talk includes telling yourself you can’t do things, insulting yourself, and criticizing yourself for making mistakes.

Negative self-talk can have many detrimental effects on your mental health, but luckily you can change it using positive affirmations.

Saying positive affirmations to yourself in the mirror might feel uncomfortable or even embarrassing at first. But with practice, they can truly help you feel more confident!

Some positive affirmations include:

‍

• My emotions matter
• I am loved for who I am
• I am stronger than I think
• My friends and family enjoy spending time with me
• I am grateful for everything I’ve accomplished so far

2. Incorporate physical activity

Even if you’re not someone who loves exercise, incorporating movement into your daily routine can be extremely beneficial for your self-esteem.

Exercising improves self-esteem by:

‍

• Reducing your stress
• Improving your mental health
• Improving your cognitive function
• Providing a sense of accomplishment

You don’t have to go on a run every day to see these results. Activities like pilates, yoga, dance classes, or going on a walk can all have mental health benefits.

‍

3. Surround yourself with people who value you

Surrounding yourself with people who see your value can also help you start to see it. Spending time with people who make you feel valued and confident can help you to feel that way about yourself.

Take some time to explore the relationships in your life and examine if there’s anyone who makes you feel worse after you’re around them.

It can be helpful to set healthy boundaries with these people to protect your time and energy.

4. Acknowledge how much you’ve accomplished

When you aren’t feeling great about yourself, it can be hard to remember all of the amazing things you’ve already done in your life.

Creating an inventory of the things you’re proud of can be a great way to remember what you’re capable of doing.

Take note of what you’re proud of, and thank yourself for being who you are.

5. Seek support for underlying issues

The above tips are a great place to start, but you may need a bit of extra help to improve your self-esteem.

If your self-esteem issues are impacted by struggles with anxiety or depression, it can be especially helpful to seek out counselling for self-esteem.

‍

Counselling for self-esteem can:

‍

• Empower you to take control of your feelings
• Support the development of positive self-talk
• Help you change negative thought patterns
• Promote healthier patterns of living

Next Steps for Improving Your Self-Esteem

After reading this article, you now have an understanding of the meaning of self-esteem, what causes low self-esteem, and five quick steps to improve your self-esteem.

Here at KMA, we’re passionate about empowering our clients to live their most confident lives.

Our counselling for self-esteem begins with a 50-minute introductory session to match you with the best therapist for you. We’ll support you with weekly sessions to help you reach your goals and develop self-confidence.

Register online or contact us to book your introductory session today.

If you’re not yet ready to book your first session, read these articles for more information:

‍

• If you’re experiencing low self-esteem caused by depression, read: How to Find a Therapist for Depression in Toronto
• If you’re experiencing low self-esteem due to anxiety, read: The 5 Best Types of Therapy for Anxiety‍
• To learn more about whether therapy is a good choice for you, read: Will Psychotherapy Help Me?