Contrary to what the magazines, commercials, and even your friends and family like to tell you at the beginning of a brand-new year, your sense of self-worth and levels of self-esteem are not solely based on your appearance.
Moreover, how you feel inside is a reflection and true indication of how motivated you feel, how much energy you have, how confident you are in your looks and how you present yourself, and how fulfilled you feel in your current situation.
So, with this in mind, continue reading to learn of four key ways to boost your self-esteem in the new year.
1. Teach Yourself Basic CBT
CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) is one of the most common practices and techniques employed by qualified and registered psychotherapists to help their patients to overcome trauma.
Contrary to popular belief, you do not necessarily have to book yourself an expensive appointment with a medical professional to benefit from CBT, and moreover, you can learn at least the basics yourself from a good book or reputable online source.
CBT tools and techniques will not only allow you to change your automatic thought and behavior patterns but can also go a long way to boosting confidence and self-esteem.
2. Work on the Outside as Well as the Inside!
Naturally, as previously discussed in the introduction, real change and self-esteem come from inside, and it is an internal battle with your own self and the self you would like to become.
However, sometimes, especially in the case of people who have been struggling with a physical part of the body who know that, if this changes, their self-esteem will soar through the proverbial roof, this is also something worth considering for the future.
For example, if you have always found it awkward and embarrassing when you look back at photographs of yourself smiling and hate the way your teeth look, either due to discoloration, their shape, or both, then booking an appointment with reputable orthodontics Enfield could be absolutely life-changing.
3. Start Listening to Others!
Obviously, if you are unfortunate enough to have one or more negative influences in your life, be that a colleague at work who moans about absolutely everything or a friend you have had since childhood and cannot ‘shake off’, it can be hard to cut them out of your life entirely.
However, when it comes to building your self-esteem, the time to start is right now, and from now on, instead of proverbially brushing off any compliment you receive, either from a friend or a stranger, you should learn to take it on board and appreciate it.
4. Challenge Your Negative Thoughts
One thing that everyone, even registered psychologists and psychiatrists, struggles with is being objective with yourself and your own thoughts and patterns of thinking.
If you are dedicated to and focused on boosting your self-esteem levels, it is now time to start challenging your negative thoughts as soon as they pop into your head. All-or-nothing thinking, for example, places far too much pressure on the individual, and instead, you should start to relinquish this pressure by finding the middle ground.
