What you think about yourself matters. A lack of confidence can translate into fewer job opportunities, promotions, or a satisfying career progression. If you want to boost your self-esteem and confidence in who you are and what you can do, check out these tips.
Know yourself
Personality, strength, and preference assessments help you put language to how you’re naturally wired. When you have words to articulate what you naturally do well or how you naturally prefer to work or relate to others, you boost your self-esteem and confidence. Check out CliftonStrengths (formerly StrengthsFinder), Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, or DISC if you are ready to learn more about yourself. If you’ve already taken the assessments, consider hiring a coach to help you understand them better.
Mind your mind
Pay attention to the self-talk that fills your mind each day. Notice how often you are hard on yourself or beat yourself up for making a mistake. The “bully” in your brain can harm your emotional wellbeing as you battle your inner critic throughout your day. When you catch yourself in a negativity loop, pause. Notice the words and feelings that are attached to the script and give them a name. Then you can begin to put different words to your experience, replacing negative with positive or neutral words that boost your self-esteem rather than harming it.
Avoid your triggers
Most of us have people or places that exacerbate our negativity or harm our self-esteem. Whether it’s a location that makes you feel insecure or people who tear you down, recognizing who or what creates harm is critical to prevent harm to our emotional wellbeing. As much as possible, avoid these triggers. Opt for people and places that build up your confidence and boost your self-esteem. Spend as much time in these environments as you can to support your wellbeing.
Do things you enjoy
Fill your days with things that make you happy. If work isn’t the place that brings you joy, do things you enjoy during non-work hours. If you know your strengths, preferences, and motivations you can structure these activities more specifically to you and replenish your energy more easily. Make a list of things you enjoy and do one thing from that list every day. As you feel more positive and energetic about life in general, you boost your self-esteem and confidence in your personal and professional life with better emotional wellbeing.
Prioritize your health
Good nutrition and regular exercise are cornerstones to a healthier life. When your body is well nourished and physically strong, you feel better. You boost your self-esteem when you get enough sleep and consequently feel mentally sharper with lower levels of stress. Tending to your physical health helps you feel more confident and ready to tackle your day with a better sense of wellbeing.
To boost your self-esteem, choose one of our suggestions and see how you feel. Notice the impact on your confidence and wellbeing as you continue a daily practice of self-esteem building.
