Self belief can come and go. It’s hard to stay on top of things mentally at times. Life can be hard and we have an onsluaght of challenges daily. We compare ourselves to others, we see phot-shopped images daily of beautiful, impossibly perfect women. We forget though that the image we see is the best one out of hundreds. We see the perfect image and we compare it to our bleary eyed panda-look in the mornings. Our self belief can certainly take a bashing.
Shut the nonsense out
One of the key things you can do to preserve your self belief is to stay centered. When we comapre ourselves we create a ‘leak’ in our self belief ‘tank’. If you are having a wobbly when it comes to your self belief, shut social media out for a while. Reduce your exposure to anything that you feel redices your self belief for a short time.
Concentrate on your strengths
Start a positive data-log. Buy yourself a pretty journal and write in there daily. What do you like about yourself? What have you done in the past that you are proud of? It’s important to build a list of your positive attributes. Focus on these.
Affirmations and positive statements
Leave post-its around your home – write happy statements on there that inspire you. Some examples: “You are enough”; or “Failure isn’t making mistakes, it’s not trying at all” or “Don’t care about what others think – care more about what you think”…personalise these statements for what works for you. Put the post-its where you will see them regularly – where you brush your teeth or next to the kettle.
Self care
Ensure you pamper yourself often – get your hair done, or your nails. Go for a massage. Engage in activities that nourish you and lift your spirits. Self care boosts oxytocin and helps us feel happier within ourselves.
Your opinion about yourself is the most important opinion as you are the one that has to live with your attitudes and beliefs. Self compassion is crucial – treat yourself as you would a best friend. Individuals with self compassion are more likely to try new things because they aren’t too hard on themselves and their self esteem isn’t affected if they fail. Be kind to yourself, care less about what others think. Like yourself regardless.
Mandy X
Author: Mandy Kloppers
Mandy is a qualified therapist who treats depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, trauma, and many other types of mental health issues. She provides online therapy around the world for those needing support and also provides relationship counselling.
