Healthy Habits to Improve Your Self-Esteem – Part 2
“In this article, you will read about habits you can develop to avoid feeling trapped in low self-esteem.
Celebrate small wins
We often chase accomplishments without taking a moment to appreciate how far we have come. This can leave us feeling overwhelmed and can hamper our self-esteem because we feel like we are not in control of our situation. According to research, celebrating small wins improves morale and resilience and fills us with a sense of positivity. As challenging as it is, we need to remind ourselves of the importance of breaking big goals into small manageable tasks and reward ourselves for achieving mini-milestones. This will help us keep track of our progress and motivate us to keep pursuing our big-picture goals.
Replace your inner critic with positive affirmations
When you notice your self-esteem slipping, try replacing negative self-talk with supportive mantras, such as:
- “Focusing on progress is better than focusing on perfectionism.”
- “I am resilient. I can get through this challenging situation.”
- “It’s okay to err. My mistakes don’t define me. I will continue to learn and grow.”
Distance yourself from social media
A study published in the European Scientific Journal found that spending an hour on social media each day was associated with significant declines in self-esteem. You’ll find that distancing from social media helps you break the cycle of comparing yourself to others and gives you more time to focus on the things that truly make you happy.”
Read the whole article at Psychology Today
#Self-esteem #Confidence #MentalHealth
💬 What is one thing you can implement to boost your self-esteem?
Did you like this topic? Then you might also enjoy reading the post “Healthy Habits to Improve Your Self-Esteem – Part 1”
@globalBraid3744
Such nice tips filled with all things self compassion. Thanks for sharing, Braid. ❤
One thing mhmmm, not letting the inner critic take over for a longer time. It's a constant battle Haha. 😛
How about youu?
@Sunisshiningandsoareyou
I can relate! I sometimes feel that my inner critic is working full-time :D
One thing I can do is acknowledge my accomplishments and not dismiss everything as only luck.
@globalBraid3744 Aw haha :') I hope it can catch a break soon, and so do you! ❤
Yes to celebrating your accomplishments as your own and taking the credit!
@Sunisshiningandsoareyou
Thank you, Sun :) I hope the same for you too! What strategy do you use to keep your inner critic under control?
@globalBraid3744 Ofcourse, Braid!❤
Andddd, strategy, mhmm, easy peasy, I ignore it. (Or try to lol)😛
I've heard of this technique to sort of "question your inner critic" for what it tells you and why. A lot of times our inner critic isn't even our own xD it's what we've internalized after hearing from the outside world. :')
For real, baby us didn't know what is "acceptable" or isn't, people around taught us. Kid us didn't know "it's embarrassing to fumble in front of an audience while talking", people around us made us feel like it was the worst thing to do ever and so on. And sometimes there's no "basis" or "foundation" to what we think/ how we feel, no "backing" or evidence for a particular thought if we really dig deep.
So questioning helps in getting closer to that "foundation", where did a certain belief first came, what fueled it so much that it became part of our inner dialog, why does it impact us so much, how does it impact us etc. starting from here, we can rationalize and "humanize" our experiences. In general, to try to find less reasons to dislike ourselves or find faults within us, and instead be more validating, kind and patient with ourselves.
Avoid any potential triggers, be mindful to sort of have a "safety kit" ready when the inner critic throws us off, so we don't falter as much and/ or can remind ourselves that it's okay to falter also.
Counter-thoughts is a helpful tool also, I feel. For every "I did xyz thing wrong" there should be a log for "I did abc thing right". Our brain usually only clings to the things we "failed" at or missed, it's important we remind it of all the things we accomplished and/ or atleast tried for.
Another ofcourse, self-compassion, always part of the "safety-kit" to hold onto. ❤
@Sunisshiningandsoareyou
This sentence really stands out to me: A lot of times our inner critic isn't even our own - it's what we've internalized after hearing from the outside world. It is very true! We were learning about schema therapy and I think it could also be very useful for dealing with the inner critic.
I feel that self-knowledge and understanding is the key and I appreciate you wrote in more detail about how to achieve that through questioning oneself. Once we understand we can come up with strategies to manage it (the safety kit that you mentioned) :)
