Let’s face it, we all have days where we feel less than perfect about ourselves. Our hair just doesn’t seem right, or our clothes are fitting too snug or too baggy. Or maybe our energy levels aren’t what they should be. Even a lousy night’s sleep can set us on edge. 

Even though days like this are totally normal, the habit of constantly seeing ourselves in a negative light is not a good thing. We need to improve the way we feel about ourselves and get out of our funk so that these feelings don’t linger too long.  This actually happened to me last week. I was just feeling meh and not my normal upbeat self. It prompted me to examine what was really going on and ultimately to write this article.

Unfortunately, many people, regularly feel negative about themselves; whether it’s their appearance, health, or some current life circumstance.

In fact, Dr. Joe Rubino, the author of The Self Esteem Book, reported that over 85% of the world’s population suffers from having low self-esteem. 

Is there any hope for improving how we feel about ourselves? Of course, there is. Everyone’s situation is completely different. There is no cookie-cutter approach to improving self-esteem but the battle can be won. We are creatures of habit. How can you overcome a pesky habit? By taking action and creating better ones.

Negative self-talk is a learned habit that is deeply rooted in one’s subconscious mind. However, once you become aware of these destructive thinking patterns, you can start to take action and think better, more positive thoughts. With a few mental adjustments, you’ll be able to increase your opinion of yourself and live a more purposeful and fulfilling life.

Don’t Hate on Positive Affirmations

If you’ve never personally activated the power of positive affirmations, try it. After all, self-criticism and negative thinking are forms of negative affirmations. You’ve already experienced how effective affirmations work. You were just unaware of the negative picture you were painting with your bad thinking habits. So now, let’s reverse it! Positive affirmations are an excellent way to identify your strengths. In fact, a research study found that individuals who practiced positive thinking after receiving a serious diagnosis of illness were able to process the information and develop positive coping strategies. 

If positive self-thinking can help you cope better with threatening illnesses, surely it can help you to develop a more positive self-image. 

Once you’ve gotten into the habit of feeding your mind with positivity, you will find that the previous negative voice will be silenced. Changing your thinking is crucial if you want to improve how you feel about yourself. You have to believe you are awesome in order to exude it. Positive self-affirmations can elevate your belief in yourself and your abilities.

Choose to Live Well Period (.)

Living well is a choice. It is totally within your power to curate a life that is centered around your personal wellbeing. Living well isn’t limited to constantly engaging in exciting activities or making a fortune. Although, those things are pretty awesome! Living well is a deeper connection to your body, mind, and spirit. The foods you consume have a lot to do with your moods. In fact, fast and highly processed foods can be a recipe for disaster if you’re trying to improve how you feel. Being mindful of what you put into your body will make you glow from the inside out! 

In addition to eating well, engaging in some sort of physical activity is beneficial to your overall health and mental wellbeing. Getting outside and taking in the sun and nature will boost your serotonin, also known as, the happy chemical in your brain. When you take care of your body, you’ll see changes in how you view yourself. You’ll become stronger both mentally and physically. 

Choose Your Company Wisely

Feeling good starts from within. However, surrounding yourself with positive people will only encourage you to continue to think happy thoughts about yourself. 

Choosing companions who honor your strengths and acknowledge how awesome you are will create a healthy atmosphere for you to thrive. The danger in attempting to improve your self-esteem while surrounding yourself with negative people is that their mentality will eventually rub off on you. If you feel like you don’t have a choice because the negative energy is in your own home you can set boundaries and protect yourself from the drama. If you’re not careful, you’ll begin to live in that space of negative thinking without even realizing it. 

People who inspire you, motivate you and challenge you are friends that will support your personal esteem. They respect you, so they would never intentionally attempt to poison your character. After you’ve established a firm hold on how you view yourself, it will be easy to attract likeminded people who think similarly. 

You have to live with yourself for the rest of your life. Why not make the experience a great one! We all have so many unique talents and gifts to offer to the world. It’s only right that we start by seeing the beauty we possess within ourselves. 

By making the above tips a form of habit, you’ll be well on your way to improving how you see yourself and living a beautiful purpose-filled life. 

Be well + prosper,

Elaine xx