How To Raise Low Self Esteem
Wondering how to increase your self esteem? You are not alone. Our society tends to turn out a lot of people who feel they have failed in some way, who feel that they are not enough, who feel that others have more to offer than they do.
Even an outsider looking at them would say that they are worthwhile and successful individuals, and they would still have a difficult time believing it. We see this in the news every day.
Changing your self image or self esteem is a process that includes many personality factors. Seeking professional help is always a good thing to do.
Sometimes our negative thoughts are so deeply rooted, and so automatic that we do not even notice them. It takes constant repetition and practice to stamp positive conditioning over negative, so be patient and just know that as long as you are trying, you are growing.
Here are a couple of things that you can start with to help you feel better about yourself.
Turning Your Self Talk Around
Stopping the negative self talk is one the top activities that is recommended in many books and articles on how to increase self confidence and self esteem. This means that whenever you catch yourself criticizing yourself, you turn it around and replace it with a positive thought.
For example, if you find yourself thinking, “I look fat,” try telling yourself, “I have gorgeous hair, and I can lose weight if I want, but right now I’m fine as I am.” If you have trouble thinking of something positive to say, imagine that you are advising a friend in need.
Act as if someone has said that to your friend (who is just like you), and you need to give them a compliment that will make them feel good about themselves again. We always seem to be easier on others than we are on ourselves.
Acting as if, by itself can be a huge benefit and turn your mood around quickly. Try it. 
Get in front of a mirror. Now stand up tall and straight, raise your arms up and wave your hands around wildly, and make faces, or just put a big silly grin on your face.
Act as if you are a stand up comic trying to make others laugh. (You will not be able to do this and stay feeling sad.)
Make a list of personality, character traits, habits you want to create, and start living them. Internalize these new traits and practice them daily. Here are some examples of affirmations and positive self talk.
Meditation can also help us to become more aware of our thoughts. It can also have other beneficial effects for anxiety and depression, which are often linked to low self esteem. So if you find it difficult to identify or stop your negative self talk, try a meditation class.
Some say that praying, is talking to God, and meditation is listening to God.
Stop Making Comparisons
Try not to compare yourself with other people in any way. Sounds easy, perhaps, but it is not. We are constantly comparing ourselves with others for looks or performance in a million tiny ways. This can be turned around in just the same way as negative self talk.
Healthy self esteem is based on unconditional acceptance: knowing that we are already good and worthwhile people no matter how we look or perform. Criticizing what we cannot change, or should not change, does not do us any good.
Being stronger or weaker than others, getting the best or the worst grade in a test, being taller or shorter – none of these things really should matter when we talk about our own self esteem. All that matters is looking our best, working well and doing the best that we can with what we are given.
Dealing With Negative People If there are people in your life who are putting you down, you will probably find it difficult to talk to them about your self esteem issues. Whether it is colleagues at work or a demanding parent, you may not want to open yourself up to them to that extent.
WHO said it could not be done? And what great victories has he to his credit which qualify him to judge others accurately? – Napoleon Hill, Think And Grow Rich
To many people who are wondering how to increase self esteem, it can seem like an admission of failure just to admit that you have issues with it. It is fine to choose not to make yourself vulnerable by talking about your self esteem in that case, but do not let their criticisms go unanswered.
Silence will be taken for agreement, by them but more importantly, by you yourself. And that is probably how you developed low self esteem in the beginning. The simplest method to eliminate negative people in your life is to just stop associating with them. Some times it is just better to get rid of toxic relationships.
Develop relationships with people who make you feel better about yourself, who care about you, who can help you create that fun, joyful life that up until now, has been eluding you. Invest yourself and your time with those people who will invest in you.
Those are just a couple of ways to raise your self esteem and begin to feel better about yourself. Enjoy the activities because they definitely will make you feel good about yourself.
Start to practice your positive self talk, create positive affirmations, hang around with more positive up lifting people, and remember that you are unique and special just as you are.
Then if you decide to make a change, it is for you, not because others have made comparisons, and made you feel less than enough. Go for it!
As you will see if you investigate further, there are solutions, there are many answers to the question of how to increase your self esteem and there is no need to limit yourself to just these.
TIME is a Master Worker that heals the wounds of temporary defeat, and equalizes the inequalities and rights the wrongs of the world. There is nothing “Impossible” with time! — Napoleon Hill, The Laws Of Success