Many people believe that in order to achieve their career and life goals all they have to do is believe in themselves and by doing that, they will go far in life. I completely agree with this sentiment. The important question here is how can you develop that strong ability in moments like this when you can’t find jobs as easily as you used to or when your personal and social relationships are not where you want them to be.
The answer is simple; having confidence in who you are, knowing where you are going in life, and identifying what you can offer to society will give you the confidence to work toward your goals. But how do develop confidence in yourself? By building and “polishing†a stronger self-esteem.
Self-esteem is defined by www.encyclopedia.com as “the evaluative and affective aspects of the self, to how “good” or “bad” we feel about ourselves. It is a consequence of the self’s capacity for reflexivity, that is, the ability to look at oneself and to evaluate what one sees.â€
There are many signs that could indicate that you may have low self-esteem. Some of the signs are:
• Excessive self-consciousness
• Lack of confidence in one’s abilities
• Excessive feelings of guilt/self-blame
• Inability to accept compliments
• Expecting little out of life for yourself
If you can identify some of these signs in your attitude and behavior toward life, you may be suffering from low self-esteem. The good news is that you can build your self-esteem and create a new you.
I invite you to get out of your comfort zone and start working on creating a new attitude and opinion toward yourself that way you can face life with optimism and confidence, which in one way or another will help you achieve all your personal and career goals.
Here are eight (8) tips for building and increase your self-esteem to be able to create a better quality of life for you and for those around you:
1) Create a positive opinion about yourself: Having a positive opinion and attitude toward yourself increases your chances of personal and professional success and at the same time helps you maintain an excellent mental and physical health.
2) Create a list of your accomplishments and evaluate it as often as possible: Making a list of things you have accomplished in your life can help you get a better idea of the areas you have excelled and those in which you still need to develop.
3) Stop comparing yourself to other people: Remember, you may not be better that other people, but other people are not better than you.
4) Don’t take yourself, or life too seriously: Have fun! Life is way to short not to have fun doing the things you enjoy the most. Love, live, and laugh.
5) Spend time investing in your personal growth: Make every life situation a learning experience. It is never too late to learn new skills and to improve those areas in your life that require adjustment.
6) Make it a point to treat yourself well every day: Treating yourself with respect and self-love can help you develop a loving relationship with yourself.
7) Know your strengths and weaknesses and when is time to ask for help: Identifying your strengths and asking for help to improve those weak areas clearly shows that you are mature enough to know when you can and when you can’t accomplish something by yourself.
8) Don’t confuse high self-esteem with arrogance: According to http://www.bodyandthought.com, “one mistake that you can make is to confuse self-esteem with arrogance. This kind of behavior is more often due to low self-esteem leading to the need to be constantly validated by others.â€
Building high self-esteem doesn’t have to be a painful nor an agonizing experience. It involves positive thinking, a strong willingness to create a better you, the desire to find the true meaning of your life, and most of all, the urges to live a life full of love, respect, and success.
Remember; “the most important opinion you have is the one you have of yourself, and the most significant things you say all day are those things you say to yourself.” ~ Unknown Author ~
About the Author:
Marielys Camacho-Reyes is a career/life coach with over 10 years of experience in the human resources and is currently pursuing a master degree in Psychology. If you would like to receive a one-time free coaching session, visit her website at www.mcrcoaching.com
