A few days ago, I attended a webinar on women’s physical and emotional wellbeing hosted by a notable organization. Since many professionals were invited to speak on the issue, I got the chance to understand women’s wellbeing from various perspectives.
For me, the most interesting and enlightening talk was that of a Psychology Professor who was researching women’s self-esteem issues. During her talk, she explained that women suffer from self-esteem issues more than men because of social conditioning.
On that day, she gave everyone a take-home task to observe women’s apologetic behavior in various gatherings. Surprisingly, she was right. I noticed how women behave and say sorry, even for small things. Moreover, they also speak more tactfully so as not to cause any conflict.
This made me think, do men also say sorry this often? The answer was “no.” This is not stereotyping, but it is a fact that women do over-apologize. Researchers believe that this behavior is directly related to self-esteem issues ingrained in women through social conditioning in most societies. Researchers also believe that self-esteem issues can be addressed with coherent strategies.
I started researching more on this subject and came across several books. In the end, I found several useful strategies to overcome low self-esteem. Let me share the gist of my research today so that you can learn about the 5 useful steps of improving your self-esteem.
They are:
1. Be Yourself
All of us are so lost in the trends of society that we have forgotten our real worth. We have molded our personalities to fit social expectations and to pose the desired outward image. Whether to feign financial stability or to appease the people who surround us, we have crafted a personality that’s far from what we actually are.
To be ourselves, we should first know ourselves. Take out some time and answer the following questions
- Who you are and what you want in life?
- The personality you have developed today is for your own self or others?
- What are the things that can make you happy?
- What are the things that you dislike, but you still do?
Once you have identified your own self, you need to sieve the people around you. Get rid of those who are a source of discomfort for you. Instead, surround yourself with people having similar interests and passion.
Now, how will you know you are on the right track? When you are true to your own self, you will not need to make many efforts to stay happy. In simpler terms, you do not have to wear a mask that makes others happy. You will start staying more happy than usual and experience a feeling of satisfaction.
2. Self-Care and Positivity
You need to practice a healthy routine to boost your self-esteem. Your brain should know that you are healthy enough to go on the right–thinking pattern. For this, you need to take out time for yourself. No matter how busy you are, never compromise on your health.
If you love an early-morning walk, walk daily. Eat healthy and nutritious meals to keep yourself energized. Similarly, take a good night’s sleep. Forget all worries and say good-bye to stress when it is your bedtime. In short, give yourself a good treat every day.
In the same way, think positively. Failures are likely to happen in everyone’s life. They are a part of success. Never let failure affect your mood negatively. Dig out the positive things from your failure. For instance, if your cake does not turn out soft even after the third try, take it as an opportunity of researching more. Think that you are at least trying, and you must be learning something new every time.
3. Give Respect to Yourself
Do not take yourself for granted and show respect to your own self. At times, we keep on criticizing ourselves even for the minute things that happened in life. You are not the cause of every failure. Even if you have faced multiple failures, give yourself a tap on the back; you have at least tried and gained experience. Similarly, never change yourself to make others happy. You cannot be changed for others. If others are not happy with you, they do not deserve to be friends with you.
4. Learn to Deal with Anxiety
You will get various challenges in life that might be tough to do. Refrain from saying a straight “no.” Have some confidence in yourself and your abilities. Do not let anxiety overpower you. Think of the ways through which you can achieve the goal. Give it a try and try your luck, even if you aren’t able to do it long-term, you will at least get some experience. Set a rule for yourself; instead of running away from things, you will make a plan to try everything, no matter how difficult it is.
If your anxiety is still troubling you, learn to cope with it. For example, you can take up exercise, you can make a pros and cons list, or you can even start cleaning your house as the mundane task helps calm the mind down. If these tips aren’t helping, then discuss your problems with a friend or go to a therapist.
5. Accept Your Weaknesses
None of us are perfect. Weaknesses are a reality, and we cannot run away from them. Jot down your weaknesses on a piece of paper and create a strategy to deal with it. Even if you do not remove it completely, you will minimize it up to some extent.
Final Thoughts
Lower self-esteem is a common issue in women around the globe. However, dealing with it is quite simple. With fewer changes in your lifestyle, you can experience a big transformation. Start working form today and aim high to improve your self-esteem. Be yourself, love yourself, show some respect to your soul, and try to overcome your weaknesses.
Do not forget to share the results of these useful strategies!
Photo by Candice Picard on Unsplash
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.
