If you have low self-esteem, an important thing to do is try and figure out what’s causing it. It could be related to:

loneliness.

bullying.

poor academic performance.

neglect or abuse.

being unemployed.

something going on at a deeper level.

Sometimes it can be hard to identify the causes of your low self-esteem. Perhaps you’ve never really thought about it, or maybe it’s difficult to determine when it first started. Whether or not you know exactly what’s causing it, there are steps you can take to build your confidence and improve the way you feel about yourself.

Low self-esteem is the result of years of messed up thinking. Something from your past contributed to your feeling “lesser than.” The triggering event is over, but your thoughts and feelings about it go on and on, making it feel like it's as real as the original event. Thoughts and beliefs are nothing more than amorphous habits of consciousness.

Some of the major characteristic features of Low self-esteem people are:

Negative thinking.

Fewer expectations from life.

Lack of self-confidence.

Sadness and depression.

Less ability to take compliments.

Ignoring and neglecting own needs.

Lack of social skills.

Feeling of awkwardness, etc.

These features can let you know if the person is suffering from low self-esteem or not. You can help these people to overcome this situation by sharing this article.

HOW TO OVERCOME A LOW SELF ESTEEM 

Help others.

No amount of fortune, fame, success, beauty, intelligence, or strength can give you the same sense of personal gratification or a sense of purpose as a genuine “thank you” from someone you help.

When you stop being so wrapped up in your own worries, sorrows, and melodrama and start being a part of the bigger picture, with a role to play in this universe, your sense of self-worth and self-esteem gets a whole new definition. Give freely. Help whenever you can. You will get more than what you thought you ever needed.


Don't be afraid to meet people

So much of people’s low self-esteem is caused by what they perceive as social failings.  As the thoughts are buried in your mind, they grow and grow until you have a very negative and unrealistic image of your social status.

Meeting people can cause an instantly different viewpoint.  In general, most people are friendly, approachable, and aren’t going to hamper your self-esteem.  A positive social interaction will make you think “Hey, they’re pretty cool and they like me, so maybe I am too!”.

If you come across someone who makes you feel the opposite, you must do your utmost not to take it personally.  If they’re being negative, the chances are that they’re projecting a negative self-image and it’s actually nothing to do with you.


Beauty is overrated.

In my research on self-esteem, I found that most people hate their appearance and feel bad about themselves as a result. We live in a culture that worships youth and beauty, but in reality most people aren't beautiful by the media's standards.

Everyone is physically “flawed” in some way. Imagine a life where it simply didn't matter how you look. Then try to live that way.


Your words are powerful be mindful of it practice positive self-talk.

If you say disparaging, unloving things about yourself, you are reinforcing your feelings of low self-esteem. The spoken word is powerful and cements your thoughts and beliefs more firmly.

Putting yourself down also creates a negative perception in the minds of those who hear you. Remember when your mom would tell you, “If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything”? Well that applies to saying unloving things about yourself.

If you keep telling yourself you’re no good, you might just start believing it, even though it’s not true. If you notice that you often engage in negative self-talk, check out some ways you can challenge your negative thinking and build your confidence levels.

Get physical Exercise your body

Most people’s self-esteem will experience a significant boost after regular exercise simply because they physically look better.  However, that’s not the sole reason that exercise will improve your self-esteem, as a 2014 study  suggests.  How you view yourself is strongly tied to how comfortable and healthy you feel.

Specifically, the healthier you are, the more you’ll view yourself in a positive light.  Even though exercise can be tough, you’ll feel exponentially better after every step you take on your new path.  As the days go by, you’ll become happier and happier with the person looking back at you in the mirror.

 People don't think about you as much as you fear.

Think about the number of times you've worried what other people must think of you or how they perceive you. The fear of other people's perceptions holds us back from taking action and or being ourselves. However, most people are far too concerned about themselves to spend to much time focused on what you say or do. You don't need to fret about this so much.

Stay connected to your core self it heals your inner conflict

Mindfulness can help you to develop a sense of connection to yourself and reduce your people-pleasing ways by allowing you to stop the autopilot thinking and behaviour that keeps you jumping to please others without thinking of your own needs.

You can develop non-attachment, or letting go perception, which is a  goal of mindfulness. When you let go of what you think you should do or who you should be, you can trust yourself and choose what’s right for you.

When you approach your lives non-judgementally, you simply accept yourselves, your experiences, your failures or mistakes  and successes and see other people just as they are, neither good or bad, without pride or shame.

You deserve love as much as anyone else. Self-compassion simply means providing yourself with the love, safety and acceptance you need.

You deserve more than you think

When you are having a low self-esteem day, remind yourself that you deserve more than the negative beliefs you cloak yourself in.

You are as deserving of success, happiness, and love as anyone in the world, even if you don't feel that way in the moment.

Accepting this intellectually will help you change your thoughts when your beliefs try to pull you down.

Focus on the things you can change and do things you enjoy.

There’s no point wasting all your energy thinking about things that you can’t change. Instead, have a think about some of the things that are in your power to control and see what you can do about those.

If you do things you enjoy, you’re more likely to think positively. Schedule time every day for fun and relaxation.


Comparing yourself to others  is toxic.

How much time do you spend comparing yourself to other people and how they look, what they own, or what they've achieved? Comparing yourself to others is destructive to your self-esteem.

Keep your eye on your own prize and stay focused on your goals and dreams. Live your one unique life the best way you can without worrying what others are doing.

Project a better self-image.

How you feel about yourself may not necessarily be how others perceive you, and vice versa. But remember: you have a say in what to believe about yourself.

You also have control over how much you allow others to affect your self-esteem. You definitely have a say in what kind of image you present to the world.

Act confident – but not overbearingly so – and others may start responding in kind.

Appearances are deceptive.

When we compare ourselves to others, we often get trapped in the false thinking that other people have perfects lives while we're living our little crappy lives.

Unless you are living inside another person's home and have access to their thoughts and feelings, you simply don't know the truth about their lives. Appearances are only a sliver of the truth.


Take responsibility for your actions.

Again, at some point or the other in your life, intentionally or accidentally, you will let others down. When that happens, quit making excuses and accept them as a consequence of your choices. Quit the regret and focus on repair.

Always be prepared to say “I’m sorry” followed by “How can I fix it?” and make sure you put in genuine effort to fix things in a way that is acceptable to everyone involved. It takes a lot of effort, but a healthy self-esteem is rooted in knowing that you always do the right thing.

Discover and highlight your strengths.

Every person is good at something. It could be a mental attribute, a physical trait, a problem-solving characteristic. Maybe it comes so naturally to you, and you’ve been doing it for so long, that you’ve taken it for granted. Maybe you haven’t noticed that you’re good at something, but someone else may have pointed it out – pay attention to compliments.

List down all these things that you are good at and remind yourself that you may not be good at everything, but you are certainly good at some things. This will boost your self-esteem.


Turn negative feedback into constructive criticism.

Rather than accepting criticism as truth and allowing it to get you down, why not accept it as a challenge to improve yourself? If you’re not good at this one thing, take it as an opportunity to learn a new skill. Having a stray negative thought can encourage you to work harder, change for the better, grow.

So you have low self-esteem? Challenge yourself to eschew negativity and develop a better perception of self. You could also try complimenting yourself and others, or giving positive feedback when warranted.

You could even temper criticism by saying “You didn’t win but you put up a hell of a fight and made them work for their victory. It was a good game!”

Learn to say no. Say what you mean and mean what you say.

Often we say yes because of the fear of authority, the fear of hurting someone’s feelings, or worries that we will let someone down. But every time you say a yes that you don’t mean, you’ll end up doing a half-hearted job.

And then you are unhappy that you said what you didn’t want to say, and you are unhappy that you did such a lousy job of what you said you would do.

Break out of that habit. Instead, just say what you mean and mean what you say. You don’t have to be rude about it; just be firm and decisive.

Developing the ability to speak your mind in a kind but firm manner, and to really deliver on your promises, will go a long way in building lasting self-esteem.

Practice Meditation to evaluate your conflicting thoughts

Although it’s roots are ancient, meditation is becoming increasingly popular in modern culture.  It’s also a fantastic tool for improving your self-esteem, according to research.  Many self-esteem issues are caused by conflicting and confused feelings that have been mixed up in your mind.

Meditation provides you with a clarity of insight into these feelings, unravelling all the negativity that’s clogging up your brain.

It allows you to see everything from a reasonable and objective perspective, meaning that you can see the confusion for what it really is – and it’s usually very little!

Remember You have only one life.

As far as you know today, this is your one and only life. If you live to age ninety, figure out how many days left you have to live. Really, add it up.

You have a limited number of days, so do you want to waste one of them feeling bad about yourself and not demanding the best life has to offer? Do you really want to let others determine how you will live, or give away your precious life to fear?


Make a list of all the positive things about yourself

When we’re struggling with low self-esteem, it can be difficult to conceptualize what it is that we like about ourselves (and whether there’s anything at all).  The best solution to this is to make a physical list of your good qualities – things you like about yourself, whether they be physical attributes or personality quirks.

You’ll find yourself listing a lot more than you’d have thought, and it helps you to spread positive thoughts about yourself throughout your mind.  Remember, positivity breeds positivity!