How to Boost Your Self-Esteem When You’re Feeling Discouraged
The past few years have seen struggle, strife and disunity - in families, in communities and even within ourselves. Let this year be the year we reclaim self-care, an intent of nurturing ourselves and each other, and look forward to a season of deep, rejuvenating healing.
February is Boost Your Self-Esteem month, a goal not coming too soon. Our focus this month is to look at ways we can take care of ourselves, starting with self compassion and grace for others.
How do we begin to extend grace, compassion and kindness and boost our self-esteem when we are feeling burnt-out and discouraged?
There are four components of self-esteem we must first nurture - our confidence, identity, a sense of belonging, and self-acceptance.
Stepping Into Our Confidence
Simplified, confidence is a feeling or belief that we can rely on ourselves. It’s founded upon self-trust and self-belief. If we feel shaken, discouraged or simply burnt-out, that feeling of confidence may be quieted.
Here are a few ways you can nurture a feeling of self-confidence, reaffirming the belief that you can, indeed, trust and believe in yourself.
Create a small checklist each day of things you can check off. You don’t need to set large goals or stretch yourself to achieve anything new, but look to what you accomplish each day and the things that are important to you. For example - eating a nourishing breakfast, texting a friend, taking a long shower, cleaning your dishes, etc.
Move your body in ways that fuel you. Love yoga? Take a 15-minute yoga session on Youtube. Want to feel like a kid again? Go swimming! Love being outside? Take a short, refreshing walk.
Discover your core values. What values drive you to do good in the world? What values do you want to be known for, to live your life by? Discovering these can help you live each day with purpose, focus and intent - boosting your confidence in turn!
Renewing Your Sense of Identity
Many philosophers and poets have tried to define identity and map out our path to
discovering it, but a true sense of identity is felt not known or defined in clear terms.
This may frustrate many of us, but it is also an exciting opportunity to adventure within ourselves. Take an art class, pick up journaling, meditate, create, learn - what are ways you can discover more of you? What are some ways you can express what you discover?
Discovering Belonging
We as humans crave a sense of community and fellowship with others who share our values. A sense of belonging is a core human need, as essential to our spirit as nourishment is to our physical self.
How do we discover and create it? We search for ways to include others in our lives, and discover ways we can get involved in movements, projects, events or groups that matter to us.
Search for groups in your local community or virtually, and when you engage, focus on being your authentic self. Put no boundaries or restrictions on how ‘you’ you can be - show up as your fullest self, and be a friend to others.
Reveling in Self-Acceptance
True self-acceptance is all-encompassing. It’s a true practice in intentionally allowing and accepting all of your attributes, even tendencies or characteristics you haven’t embraced in the past. To begin reveling in self-acceptance, it’s important to first practice observing your actions, behaviors, emotions and tendencies without judgment. Simply notice reactions and actions without attaching a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ label on them. Begin to affirm what you appreciate about yourself and start to celebrate even the smallest of joys!
We value a sense of belonging and confidence, so we listen deeply and aim to get to know you as you are. We prioritize nurturing our clients’ self-esteem - meaning, we listen to what’s most important to you and share resources to guide you in your journey. If our approach sounds in alignment with your needs and goals, we would love for you to book a consultation so we can meet you!