The Influence Of Self Esteem
Do you find yourself doubting your abilities and talents? Do you feel like your friends or family are disappointed in you, even though they haven’s said so? You could be struggling with low self-esteem.
Many of us struggle with low self-esteem from time to time, but sometimes the low feeling about ourselves can stay for long periods. Our “inner voice” can tear us down and make us feel like we are constantly inadequate and can never measure up to what we think we “should be.”
Learning how to workshop your “inner voice” to be more positive can be tricky. But we have some tips that you can use to help quell negative thinking and develop high self-esteem.
What are the Symptoms of Low Self-Esteem?
Low self-esteem is a feeling of insecurity that is associated with negative thoughts about oneself. This can show up in many ways; a few of the common ones include:
Social Withdrawal
You may find yourself avoiding your friends and family. Declining events or outings may seem like the only way to prevent the anxiety of being judged or “messing up.”
Sensitivity to Criticism
If you have low self-esteem, you may find that any criticism you receive (either from yourself or others) can be exceedingly hurtful. You may see it as reinforcing your flaws.
Physical Symptoms
Low self-esteem can manifest physically as well. You may find that you have a hard time sleeping, have chronic headaches, or fatigue.
Improving Self-Esteem Through Self Validation
It might be easy for us to think highly of others, but we can be much harsher when it comes to ourselves. That’s why we encourage you to try practicing self-validation. In self-validation, we accept our own internal experiences, including our thoughts and feelings. We can self-validate by:
- Self-encouragement
- Acknowledging our strengths and achievements
- Acknowledging and accepting our feelings
- Being kind to ourselves
- Accepting our limitations or mistakes
The best way to learn to validate ourselves and accept our feelings and thoughts is by practicing. You may find this difficult if you have suppressed or hindered your feelings in the past. Nevertheless, the more we validate ourselves and welcome our range of emotions, the more kind we are to ourselves.
Takeaway
If you have low self-esteem, it is essential to know that there is help out there for you. There are many ways that you can learn to love yourself better – from self-validation to reading books about how important your thoughts can be. You deserve the best version of yourself!
