Building Self EsteemThere's nothing wrong with being proud of what we've done, of what we think we can do, or of who we are and where we come from. The higher your self-esteem, the more you like yourself, the better you get along with others, and the more you accomplish. Small successes give us greater self-confidence, which leads to the pursuit of bigger challenges, and then bigger successes. Margaret Thatcher once said, "I wasn't lucky, I deserved it." This pride is necessary to improve our present situation. So how do we go about building self esteem? Most people increase their self esteem by DOing. They take action over and over again. Then, when evaluating their self-image, they referrence all their success instead of their failures (even though there's almost always more failures). Look for new and significant challenges. Look to do more and open new horizons. Building self esteem is the result of taking challenging actions and emphasising your successes. There might be a degree of security in repeating the same little tasks that you know backwards and forewards, but that doesn't raise your opinion of yourself. It's the unusually difficult task that instills a sense of accomplishment and builds self-esteem. If the challenge is great enough, even failing can leave you with a positive feeling about yourself, as long as you gave it your best shot. Here are two more simple ways to feel good about yourself: 1) Feel good about your appearance. Feeling clean, well-groomed, and not sloppy looking will help you feel more assertive and sure of yourself. Most of the time, you'll know the people you're going to see and know what "appropriate appearance" is. Before you leave the house, you will either feel good about yourself, or not. If not, don't leave until you fix it. Why spend the whole night feeling self-conscious and trying to hide whatever it is that bothers you? 2) Do something nice for somebody else. This is a very effective way of building self esteem, and it's soooo easy. Simple ideas for building self esteem through generosity: --Participate in a community service event. --Join a club or group that does things for charity. --Visit a nursing home and spend time with the residents. --Teach an illiterate person how to read. --Be a big brother or sister. --Give your seat on the train to an elderly person. --Offer directions to tourists. This list could go on and on. Do something nice for somebody and the person who benefits most will be you. Building self esteem and feeling good about yourself comes from within. It comes from correct principles deep in your mind and heart. It comes from living a life of integrity in which our daily habits reflect our deepest values. (A life of integrity is the most fundamental source of personal worth.) You can accomplish these things without fanfare and acknowledgement. Self-satisfaction, not recognition, becomes the motive. Over the next few days make an honest effort to do some of the things described on this page. If you don't act, you won't change. If you do act, you'll be amazed at the results. Then come back and read more... Articles on Building Self EsteemStart A Victory Log by Mike BresciaCreate a victory log of all your past successes - no matter how small. Be mindful of your ability to be successful and you will start to draw even more successes into your life. Be “You-nique”! by Bryan Hall It's good to model the positive habits of others. But to be successful you must make sure everything you model rings true to your own spirit. I'm Not Worthy! (Or Am I Just Using It As An Excuse?) by Gary Vurnum What chance do you have of building self esteem if you aren't even backing the 'team' you play for? How To Escape From "The Box Trap" by Bill Harris Many people feel trapped in their situation and this results in a slew of negative emotions. Learn about building self esteem by destroying all your feelings of helplessness. Forging Your Self Confidence by Brian Tracy The main thing separating you from your hopes and dreams is your belief in your ability to achieve them. Brian Tracy will teach you all about building self esteem. Removing Negative Thoughts by Randy Gage The amount of negative programming that you're bombarded with every day is overwhelming. You must take specific steps to remove your negative thoughts if you hope to be successful. The Secret Of How To Change Your Life by Bill Harris If you want to be successful you must change the way you think. If you keep doing what you've always done, you'll keep getting what you've always gotten. Maintaining A Positive Attitude by Brian Tracy If you visualize a positive outcome and hold the vision of your future success in your mind, you begin to exert a powerful magnetic force that brings your desired goal or outcome into reality. 10 Simple Ways to Honor Your Uniqueness by Julie Jordan Scott Take time to look at yourself, see where your strengths lie and rejoice in them. Honoring yourself can have a profound affect on your achievement by helping you realize that you CAN be successful. Look For Your Abilities Not Your Disabilities by Josh Hinds In our quest to be successful it's so important that we focus on building self esteem. We must develop confidence to take on greater challenges. Choosing Success by Randy Gage In order to be successful you must first eliminate the "victim mentality." Believe that everything in life is pushing you towards success and it will be so. Why Does This Always Happen To ME? by Mike Brescia There's an epidemic in the world today - it consists entirely of "woe-is-me" thoughts. If you want to be successful you must dispel the idea that everyone else has it better than you. The Purpose That Drives Your Life by Randy Gage Resolve right now to make your own happiness the number one motivator for your success. Believe it or not there is virtue in selfishness.
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