5 Simple Steps to Overcome Low Self-Esteem

Are you a victim of low self-esteem? That is, you always think so low of yourself amongst your peers. You are always afraid to speak during an interactive session even when you think your point could be valid.

Sometimes when you attend a public function, that voice reminds you that you should be mindful of what you do in this place because these people here are NOT your CLASS. It goes further to explain to you the class of people in attendance, the type of luxurious cars they came in, and how gorgeous they are dressed, then, your heart begins to pound and wishing the occasion will just empty its contents in 10 minutes so that everyone will disperse. If this is how you feel or think, you have low self-esteem and this article is definitely for you.

People with this kind of mental problem find it hard to take the first step. They never move until someone gives them a push and that is what this article is set to do.

I had a friend who was qualified for a certain job position in a company but refused to apply for it.

Reason – He doesn’t think the position is meant for someone like him.

Wow!

I told him point blank that there is no difference between him and those people already in the company and I also cited other instances that made him realize his self-worth. His life changed after he took certain steps. In this article, I’ll be sharing those simple steps he applied to overcome low self-esteem, but before we get to that, let’s understand what low self-esteem is all about.

Meaning Of Low Self-Esteem

Low self-esteem can be referred to as how one thinks about oneself. The way you think or feel about yourself could be high or low depending on your mentality.

It is a state of taking oneself for granted or underrating oneself. A state of not believing in oneself no matter how good one is. A state of scoring oneself low in everything. A state of allowing others to take credit for what one has done. A state of being afraid to lead people.

Causes Of Low Self-Esteem

• Harsh criticism from authority figures such as employers, senior colleagues, parents, or teachers.
• Racial discrimination
• Physical disability
• Serious health challenge
• Poverty
• Religion belief
• Economic status
• Academic qualifications

How To Overcome Low Self-Esteem: 5 Simple Steps

1. Self-Value

One of the ways to overcome low self-esteem is by dealing with self-condemnation and being conscious of self-value. This involves a whole lot of mental work. Research shows that most of the things that happen around us are first processed in our minds. Low self-esteem is a psychological problem.

To deal with it, one has to start from the root cause which is the mind. The power of the mind should not be underestimated because what goes through our minds influences our actions.

To conquer this common enemy of the mind, the mindset needs to be worked on by changing the things we process in it and the way we believe in what we do. We should think positively of ourselves, and value the things we do say irrespective of people’s different opinions.

2. Boost your Self-Confidence

• To overcome low self-esteem, one needs to build his/her self-confidence. One of the best ways to boost confidence is to believe in oneself and not allow people’s opinions about one to lower one’s morale.
• Attending motivational seminars and reading other people’s success stories can also boost one’s self-confidence.
• Making friends can also help to boost self-confidence. It is observed that most introverts are likely to experience low self-esteem.
• It is also important to make your voice heard when you are in a public gathering no matter how weird you think your opinion may sound.
• Focus on the things you are good at.
• Failure is not a death sentence.
• Love yourself.
• Believe in yourself.
• Don’t entertain fear.
• Don’t keep to yourself always.
• Learn to say positive things about yourself.
• Think positive.
• Socialize
• Don’t avoid public gatherings.

3. Seek professional advice

Low self-esteem is a mental or psychological problem that can cause stress or depression if not checked. If someone is struggling with childhood trauma for instance, there is the possibility that the person did not get a tap on the back when he did something that required commendation or is often criticized by his/her teacher for not understanding a particular subject.

Some parents are good at comparing their children with others especially when it has to do with achievements or they perform poorly at school. These are the root causes of low self-esteem. At this very stage, the help of a professional is required.

Also read:

• What are the Biggest Enemies of Succes and How to Conquer Them
• How to Make That Vision a Reality
• How to Build a Sellable Personality

4. Let the past pass

Another way to handle low self-esteem is by allowing the past to go behind so that the future can come forward. This can be achieved through forgiveness and laying to rest every wrong done to you in the past. The past builds a wall of limitations around your goals and aspirations, then, moving forward becomes a problem.

You may have heard someone say, “Forget that young man, he’s not good at anything.” Don’t be deterred by that, see it as a wake-up call to sit up. We should have control of our minds so it does not harbor things that are capable of destroying our self-confidence. If people’s opinions cannot boost your self-esteem, don’t allow your mind to nurture it.

5. Be proud of yourself

It is not pride to think highly of oneself. If you have low self-esteem, one important way to overcome it is to be happy with yourself. This can only happen when you remember that you are as important as the richest man on planet Earth. Fill your thoughts with beautiful things. For example, research shows that a male human produces on average, about 100 million sperms… these sperms move by wriggling their tails.  They “struggle” to fertilize JUST ONE egg. Any sperm that succeeds to enter the cytoplasm of the Ovum fertilizes the egg that forms the baby while the others die after a while. This was your first victory in life. You have to wake up with this consciousness every moment of your life and it makes you feel important. No human should make you less important by their negative impression of you. You did not fall from the sky, you were given birth to by a woman. And every man on earth got a purpose.

Conclusion

The effects of low self-esteem can cause long-term damage in the life of a person ranging from inability to accomplish set targets, decision making, associating with people, stress, anxiety, depression, etc. It is expected, therefore, that this material will help to overcome low self-esteem through the five steps outlined and discussed above. Finally, work on your mind and have control over it.