Cultivate self-esteem

| Self-esteem is the love that each one feels towards himself, it is the feeling of worth and capacity that one attributes to himself; the reflection of confidence, security and respect for oneself. Some have it very high, but many should cultivate it to enjoy a fuller and happier life.

However, a good dose of self esteem It is not something that is achieved in one go and is permanently maintained, but it is a lifelong mission that we must always care for and cultivate.

The level of self esteem It is revealed in the way we think and feel about ourselves, in the way we treat and judge our own behaviors, in the beliefs we have about our abilities and in the way we defend our needs and opinions, among other things.

It is a fundamental aspect, since the way we feel about ourselves significantly affects all the other important aspects of our life, such as, for example, performance at work, relationship with a partner or children, life social or the way to face difficulties or life challenges. A good dose ofe self esteem It is a basic requirement to be able to enjoy and to lead a full and satisfying life.

The development of good self-esteem depends mainly on each one of us, and is not achieved through the approval or love that other people can express to us, or in contrast or comparison with them. Likewise, it is not cultivated through the experience of certain positive experiences or the accumulation of belongings.

A high self-esteem consists of an intimate, unconditional and lasting state, for this reason it is important not to confuse it with the things that happen to us, what others think of us or with those we have and that can help us feel momentarily better.

Keys to cultivating self-esteem

• Recognize yourself as a unique and unrepeatable being
• Accept yourself, sincerely, for who you are and how you are. This is an essential step for proper personal development, as well as to be able to change and improve as much as possible and necessary in life.
• Respect, assert yourself, know how to defend your values ​​and ideals and ask for what you think you deserve or need.
• Take care of yourself physically and emotionally.
• Trust in yourself, in their own capacities, points of view and opinions, in their own capacity to make decisions and in the decision about how to live. It is important to take responsibility for your own actions and the consequences of the decisions made.
• Set realistic, short-term expectations. The person who wants to cultivate their self-esteem must set goals, visualizing how to achieve them and putting new skills or knowledge into practice if necessary.
• Risk, daring to explore new thoughts, behaviors and possibilities. These attitudes can help personal growth, leaving the state of the simple comfort of the known.
• Take a positive attitude, feeling proud of who you are and what you do. To achieve full self-esteem, you must accept your own skills and knowledge and use the talents that each one has intrinsic.
• Focus more on yourself, in evaluating yourself to detect what you want, and what can be improved or cultivated, instead of investing excessive energy in criticizing, envying or judging what others do or how others are.

Go to practice

Cultivating self-esteem can be developed with some practical exercises, such as:

• Treat yourself like you would treat your best friendHow would you react if he told you that he feels bad about himself or feels insecure?
• Watch how you talk to yourself: Do you support yourself? Do you value yourself or, on the contrary, criticize yourself and question your own abilities?
• Develop activities that make you feel good.
• Ask yourself what is there in your life that you like and want to keep and, on the contrary, what things you do not like and could modify or improve.
• Dedicate a daily space to yourself. Indulge yourself. Pamper yourself Do something that is rewarding for you.
• Become aware of your capabilities, skills and strengths.
• At the end of the day think about the positive things you have done.
• Write a diary to know yourself better and detect how you consider yourself.

• Loving ourselves more: accepting ourselves improves all the important aspects of our life (work, partner, children, friends, facing difficulties ...)
• Accepting and trusting yourself are keys to developing self-esteem.
• It is important to take care of yourself outside and inside, attending to your true wants and needs. In the event of any problem, they are made available to you by a wide medical staff of psychology specialists who can help you improve your self-esteem.

Elena Killed

Specialist in Clinical Psychology