February is all about love, chocolate, and self-esteem! This month marks International Boost Self-Esteem Month, a great opportunity to reflect on our self-worth and learn how we can be kinder to ourselves.
Achieving a high level of self-esteem is essential for success in life. It’s more than just mental – your actions, relationships, and overall well-being are all influenced by how much you value yourself. Having strong self-esteem gives you the drive to stay positive while having low esteem can cause feelings of insecurity and pessimism.
Whether you’re looking for positive affirmations or just some helpful tips to increase your confidence, this blog post has got you covered – read on to learn more about boosting your self-esteem!
What Is Self-Esteem?
Self-esteem is the internal sense of worth, acceptance, and respect we have for ourselves. It impacts our feelings about our bodies, relationships, and overall life satisfaction.
Self-esteem can be high or low. High self-esteem is when you feel good about yourself, and low self-esteem is when you lack confidence or don’t truly believe in your own worth.
Self-esteem differs from self-confidence; the former focuses more on feelings of inner security and self-worth, while the latter looks more at how well you think you can do a task or activity.
A 1998 Psychology Bulletin investigation by DeNeve and Cooper uncovered that self-esteem is one of the most profound precursors to happiness. In addition, research has demonstrated a clear link between self-perceived attractiveness and positive self-esteem; those who value themselves highly also tend to be very pleased with their physical appearance.
Another study found that having high self-esteem can help reduce stress, build resilience, and lead to positive outcomes in life. It can also help build meaningful relationships, overcome challenges, and make healthy lifestyle choices.
It’s important to recognize that self-esteem is not about being perfect; it’s about having an overall sense of worth and appreciation for yourself and striving to be the best person you wish to be.
What Are the Signs of Low Self-Esteem?
Low self-esteem, though not a mental disorder in itself, can still drastically influence how one thinks and behaves. Its indications may either be glaringly evident or incredibly understated.
Low self-esteem can be hard to identify, as it manifests subtly. However, here are some signs that could indicate low self-esteem:
- feeling insecure or unworthy of love, appreciation, and respect;
- comparing yourself to others and feeling inferior;
- being overly critical and harsh on yourself;
- feeling extreme guilt or shame for mistakes;
- focusing on negative aspects of yourself;
- avoiding risks, new challenges, or opportunities;
- constantly seeking external validation.
Suppose you’re experiencing any of these feelings. In that case, it’s important to take note and recognize that you may be struggling with low self-esteem.
How to Boost Self-Esteem?
Fortunately, there are some simple things that you can do to help boost your self-esteem. Here are five importnant tips to get you started:
- Talk positively to yourself: How you talk to yourself can hugely impact your self-esteem. Start by being kind and encouraging to yourself. Then, when negative thoughts creep in, reframe them with something more positive, for example affirmations.
- Celebrate your victories: Don’t overlook or forget your successes. Instead, celebrate yourself for even small accomplishments and recognize how far you’ve come.
- Spend time with positive people: Surrounding yourself with positive people can help to build your self-confidence and remind you of how capable and valuable you are.
- Take care of your body: Taking good physical care of yourself can help increase your confidence. Make sure you’re getting enough rest and exercise and eating healthy foods.
- Set achievable goals: Setting and achieving realistic goals is a great way to boost your self-esteem. Start with something small and work your way up to larger, more complex goals.
These tips could help you to start feeling better about yourself and increase your self-esteem. However, it’s important to remember that everyone experiences low self-esteem at some point in their lives, and it doesn’t define who you are.
It’s okay to ask for any help when you need it and make self-care a priority. With time, patience, and effort, you can learn to love and appreciate yourself just the way you are.
NGOs Activities for International Boost Self-Esteem Month
To help spread awareness of the importance of self-esteem, International Boost Self-Esteem Month is an annual event that takes place in February. During this month, NGOs and organizations around the world host events and activities to help individuals build their self-esteem.
These activities can range from hosting self-esteem workshops and talks to organizing group activities that focus on boosting confidence. Other popular events include free yoga classes and seminars on how to develop healthy relationships with yourself and others.
In addition, NGOs often host online activities such as virtual challenges and webinars that can be accessed from anywhere. These activities are designed to provide support and practical advice on how to improve self-esteem.
For example, the National Association of Self-Esteem (NASE) is a non-profit organization that offers webinars and online resources to help individuals learn to embrace and value themselves. Similarly, Mental Health America (MHA) provides free access to a library of resources on self-esteem and tips for improving it.
By participating in international boost self-esteem month, NGOs and organizations can have a powerful impact on individuals struggling with low self-esteem. By offering practical tools and support, these activities can help people to recognize their unique strengths and begin the journey of self-love.
Bottom Line
No matter how low your self-esteem might be, it’s important to remember that you are capable of improving it. With a combination of self-care, positive affirmations, and activities to build your confidence, you can start to recognize your worth and lead a more fulfilling life.
By participating in International Boost Self-Esteem Month, you can join others in supporting efforts to help empower and encourage those who need it most. Together, we can help to create a world where everyone is confident and comfortable expressing themselves.
By taking the initiative to start working on your self-esteem today, you’ll be taking the first step toward a brighter tomorrow. So why wait? Let’s start now!
