Having healthy self-esteem is really important as it helps you make positive choices in your everyday life, gives you the courage to be your own person, have good relationships and helps you deal with difficult situations. Do you feel low on confidence and self-esteem today? There are 10 simple ways to help you increase your self-esteem and build confidence in yourself.

1. CHALLENGE BAD THOUGHTS ABOUT YOURSELF

Replace them with more positive thoughts which celebrate things you’re good at. You can do this by writing down a list of at least three things you do well. Remember this list when you start feeling low, this will help bring yourself back to reality.

2. TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF

Eating well and exercising boosts endorphins, the body’s natural opiates, which make you feel good on the inside and stimulates a more positive mood. When you exercise, you’ll ease stress and feel better about yourself. Having a cheesy dance in your bedroom or going for a jog around the block are great ways to boost your self-esteem.

3. RELAX

The constant feeling of stress can play a huge role in low self-esteem. It makes you feel negative thoughts more often, it reduces your confidence, and you’ll probably feel too tired to exercise, be social or do a lot of the things you love. Reducing your stress by taking time out to do something you find relaxing is a great starting point to making yourself feel better.

4. SET GOALS

Take the time every day to think about what you’d like to achieve. Then set yourself realistic goals for each day and keep track of your progress by writing down all your accomplishments. This can be as simple as finishing off a piece of work or tidying up. You’ll feel an enormous sense of accomplishment when you’ve ticked off everything on your list for the day. The trick is to not get bogged down by the list; some days you won’t manage to get it all done and that’s OK too!

5. HELP SOMEONE OUT

This can be a friend, family member or even a classmate who is struggling with their work or having a tough time at school. You could give them some advice or just be there to listen to a problem. It’s amazing how much our confidence is boosted when we do selfless things – do one thing a week to help someone else without expecting anything in return.

6. TAKE A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE

Look at tricky situations from alternative angles. Try to replace thoughts like ‘why should I bother?’ with ‘I won’t know unless I try’. By looking at a situation through a more realistic lens you’ll realize that you can do what you want – you just need to apply a bit more positivity! By doing this every time you have a negative thought, you’ll eventually default to this kind of positivity on the regular, and who doesn’t love a go-getter?

7. TRY NEW THINGS

Our brains are really good at learning new stuff and the newer stuff you learn, the better you get at learning it and the more likely you find things you can be passionate about. Everyone needs a creative outlet; music, art, dance, games, sewing, cooking, web design – all you need to do is get on YouTube and find some tutorials. All the information you need is out there – it’s just waiting for you to watch it.

8. SURROUND YOURSELF WITH PEOPLE WHO MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD

Sometimes our friends don’t make us feel good, and that’s okay. You just need to spend your time with other people who appreciate and care about you more. This doesn’t even need to be your friends, but they could be family members, online friends, or neighbors. And those friends who aren’t helping your mood? Try to distance yourself from them. It can be a little tricky at first, but even if they’re the most popular kid in school or the coolest person you know, it’s not worth hanging out with them if they make you feel rubbish!

9. ACCEPT YOURSELF

Nobody is perfect. We all have issues, and we all have flaws. Learn to accept your ‘flaws’ or imperfections and love them, because they are what make you unique. So, work it honey! Self-acceptance is the key to feeling confident. When people pay you compliments, simply say ‘thanks’ rather than brushing them aside or countering them with a negative.

10. KEEP VISUAL REMINDERS OF THINGS THAT MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD

Mementoes are a great way to see all the cool things you’ve been doing. How about making a ‘wall of fame’ in your bedroom with snaps of you and your friends? We are living in an age where we always have a camera in our pocket…take more pictures! Capture those memorable moments and when you look back at them, you’ll realize how many awesome things you’ve done this year!