Many people are not even aware that they have a low self esteem.

I read this in a blog today

The problem was…,

That it was ‘me’ living in that hell of my own making. And no matter how rotten I imagined I might be, I didn’t like the feel of living in hell. It was miserable.

And boy did I feel stupid, knowing I was the one that had sentenced myself there.

I did it because I had never been taught or shown, how to Love ‘me’. I was taught that Self is supposed to be sacrificed for the ‘good of others‘.

As a result, I didn’t know how to Embrace ‘me’. I didn’t know how to Accept ‘me’. I didn’t know how to Tolerate ‘me’. Much less know how to Enjoy my own company.

And I knew it.

I knew how to be self condemning. I knew how to be self rejecting. I could come up with a list a mile long, at a moment’s notice, of reasons I was unworthy and should therefore, be sacrificed for ‘the good of others’.

For all my intellect, for all my education, I didn’t know how to be self nurturing.

I was an empty vessel. Empty of feeling any of the feelings that would have been supportive and fulfilling. Looking always to the World outside of me, to provide me with what I felt I lacked.

Part of blog post Self Esteem comes in a package deal with Self Respect  by Sue Ann Edwards

How many of us can really identify with Sue?  The saddest thing is that most of the time we don’t realise the power of what we think and tell ourselves many times a day, and are under the illusion that this is what real life is like . We live in a tunnel of low self esteem, and reinforce it many times a day, until we are unable to think and feel differently.

Jack Canfield, who has studied  self esteem for many years states that most people have a ratio of 14:1 That is 14 negative thoughts to one positive.

The good thing is that Sue has recognized that she is in a tunnel. That is the first stage of getting out of it, and making the changes that will start to bring happiness into our lives.

If you are suffering the mental crisis of low self-esteem, serious action should be taken to raise it before it leads to more serious conditions – depression for example.
What can you do to revive your self-esteem? Here are some remarkably simple yet effective steps:

1.Satisfy or Indulge Yourself.
Eat whatever you want, play a sport you’re most interested in, go to places that make you happy. Feeling good about what you are doing will help you feel good about yourself.

2.Get in Touch with Your Close Friends Often.
Their encouragement and company can boost your confidence level. Seeing that other people feel positively towards you will help you feel positive about yourself.

3.Whatever You Do Well, Do Often.
If you have a certain skill or talent that you’re good at, develop it. If you see yourself becoming or performing better than others, that will really boost your self-esteem to greater heights.

4.Do whatever reminds you that you are a good, brilliant, capable, responsible, and caring person.
Especially when you experience the opposite feeling.

5.Imagine yourself as famous and successful.
Especially if you feel that others are not paying attention to you.

6.Safeguard and maintain good health.
This is the solid foundation upon which all self-improvement is built.

7.Set yourself attainable goals.
No matter how small or insignificant they may seem, every goal you hit, every new level you attain … is a success that builds your self-esteem.

by Verity Eznu

Verity Eznu is one of the virtual hosts at www.eznu.com,
the self-improvement portal. An EZ Way to a New U at eznu.com!
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