Self Esteem
Self Esteem
Self Esteem
Self-esteem is the opinion you have about yourself and your abilities. It can be influenced by factors like
your confidence, your identity, and your sense of belonging. Self esteem can be high, low or somewhere
in-between.
being confident in your ability to create change and withstand challenges in your life
a sense of confidence and pride in your identity
feeling like you belong in your family, school, or group of friends.
What are the 4 components of self-esteem?
Your self-esteem is made up from four attitudes you have about yourself: your confidence, your sense of
identity, feeling a sense of belonging and being self-assured in your abilities.
Your self-confidence
Self-confidence is all about your sense of security you have in yourself and in your life. You can only
branch out and grow if you feel secure that your needs are being met. Having your needs met means
you have things like a place to live, physical health, and stable finances.
Your identity
Your sense of identity is important to your self esteem because it is the knowledge you have about
yourself. This can include your confidence in your body, your gender, your sexuality, your job, your
beliefs, your culture, or anything else about yourself. It’s helpful to be confident in these things because
they can help you understand what you need and what you want in life.
feeling insecure
lacking motivation
unable to respond to challenges in your life
anxious or depressed
with negative thoughts and feelings about your body image.
Tips for improving your self esteem
1. Be nice to yourself
That little voice that tells you you’re killin’ it (or not) is way more powerful than you might think. Make
an effort to be kind to yourself and, if you do slip up, try to challenge any negative thoughts. A good rule
of thumb is to speak to yourself in the same way that you’d speak to your mates. This can be really hard
at first, but practise makes perfect. If you want a few pointers, check out our tips for talking yourself up.
Try: Writing down three things that you like about yourself.
2. You do you
Comparing yourself to other people is a sure-fire way to start feeling crummy. Try to focus on your own
goals and achievements, rather than measuring them against someone else’s. Nobody needs that kind
of pressure!
3. Get movin’
Exercise is a great way to increase motivation, practise setting goals and build confidence. Breaking a
sweat also cues the body to release endorphins, the feel-good hormones.
4. Nobody’s perfect
Always strive to be the best version of yourself, but it’s also important to accept that perfection is an
unrealistic goal.
Try: Writing down three things you did well at the end of each day.
9. Be a pal
Being helpful and considerate to other people will certainly boost their mood, but it’ll also make you feel
pretty good about yourself