Self-esteem is a fundamental aspect of our lives that affects how we think, feel, and behave. It's the value we place on ourselves and how we perceive ourselves in the eyes of others. Having good self-esteem is essential for a healthy life, while low self-esteem can affect our mental and emotional health.
Self-esteem is built throughout our lives, and is influenced by our experiences, relationships, environment, and thoughts. It's important to keep in mind that self-esteem isn't fixed — it can be improved and worked on over time.
How to Improve Self-Esteem?
Improving self-esteem is a process that requires time, patience, and mental practice to shift the perspective through which we see life — that is, making the effort to see the positive side of reality, until it flows naturally and effortlessly.
No extreme is healthy: exaggeratedly high self-esteem can mean a distortion in how the individual perceives themselves. On the other hand, deeply discredited self-esteem can signal a depressive disorder that requires professional help to regain psychological and emotional balance.
Doctor Santiago Rojas, a bioenergetic physician, offers some tips for improving self-esteem:
- Practice self-acceptance: Learn to accept yourself as you are, with your strengths and flaws. Don't compare yourself to others — instead, focus on your own strengths.
- Value your achievements: Learn to value your achievements, no matter how small. Every small achievement is a victory and deserves to be celebrated.
- Change your inner dialogue: Try to become aware of negative thoughts about yourself and replace them with positive ones. Instead of telling yourself you're not good enough, say things like “I am capable and I can do it.”
- Surround yourself with positive people: Surround yourself with people who support and encourage you, and avoid those who make you feel bad about yourself.
- Practice self-compassion: Be kind to yourself, and don't be too hard on yourself when you make mistakes. Learn from your mistakes and move forward.
- Take care of your physical and emotional well-being: Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, and eating well can help you feel better.
We can say that self-esteem is the foundation of our psychological health. If our self-esteem is healthy, we'll be able to interact with the world in a healthy way, assert ourselves in any situation, and defend our rights without becoming upset. With healthy self-esteem, we'll be immune or barely vulnerable to emotional attacks from our surroundings, and we'll act calmly in any situation, accepting ourselves unconditionally, which will leave us satisfied with our reactions and behavior.