Success in life has much to do with self-worth, which is why it is crucial to improve self-worth. A person who has high self worth is more likely to have confidence in one’s abilities. A person with low self worth will falter because of self-doubt. There are many factors why people do not believe in themselves enough, so here are 8 healthy habits to change that.
1. Be Kind to Yourself
One of the best ways to improve yourself is to be kind to yourself. Your thoughts will shape you, and if you constantly have an internal battle, you are bound to have low self-worth and, eventually, lower chances of becoming successful. The greater your self-doubt is, the greater effort you must put into positive affirmation. Accept failures as they come, but be self-compassionate enough to know that this does not stop here. The failure did not define you. Instead, stand up and plan your next move because you can fix things. You are worthy enough.
2. Control Your Environment
To improve self-worth, you need to have an objective outlook on both internal and external factors. What you think matters, but sometimes, how you think is directly linked to how people speak to you. Consider changing your company if you find yourself surrounded by people who are negative and who constantly put you down. You are a grown person, and you can choose to stay away from people who hinder your growth. Choose companions who encourage you to improve and who use positive words of love to help you grow.
3. Get Physically Fit
Whether we like it or not, our overall happiness also depends on how physically healthy we are. If you want to improve your self-worth, you need to get exercise into your regimen, no matter how busy you are. Sometimes, it is all a matter of getting 30 minutes of intense cardiovascular workout or an hour out walking early in the morning. Soak in the sunlight. If you are always indoors, that might explain why you have negative thoughts lately. Step out and breathe some fresh air. Get your heart pumping and release those much-needed dopamines in your brain. Aside from achieving a healthier body, you can also try non-traditional self-care ideas that can also give you a healthier mind.
4. Get Into a Hobby and Try to Be Good At It
If you are always at work and you never do anything for fun, chances are you will develop low self-worth. To improve self-worth, you must establish “fun hours”. Get into a hobby and be good at it. Of course, at first, you might feel like you are very bad at swimming, but eventually, learning this new skill will boost your self-esteem. Get into anything you enjoy doing and be proud of your achievements in this new hobby.
5. Celebrate Small Wins
You do not always need a trophy to consider yourself a success. Small wins are just as important. For example, you hit the $50,000 mark in your savings account after years of being unable to save. Reward yourself for that effort and consistency. These little private wins might not mean much to others, but they contribute much to your growth. Acknowledge that and celebrate the better person you are becoming. Recognizing small wins is a great way to fight behaviors that can make your life miserable.
6. Make Journal Entries About Good Times
Sometimes, the world just decides to close in on you and try to make you feel bad. Do not allow it. You are more than what the critics tell you you are because they do not know you completely. You need to improve your self-worth by safekeeping reminders of the things you are good at. These core memories can be listed in your diary to remind you that the bad things right now are not to define your being. The bad things cannot limit your true potential. You are good and can be even better because, at certain points in your life, you manage to beat the odds and succeed.
7. Learn to Take Compliments Well
If someone says you are pretty, shyly thank them, but do thank them and acknowledge the compliment. One of the primary indicators that one has low self-esteem is when one keeps on disagreeing with compliments. While being humble is charming, this can make you believe that you are unworthy of praise. Unwittingly, you are belittling yourself, and this can be a big blow to your self-esteem later on. Improve self-worth by graciously accepting compliments because you must believe you deserve it. You need to be your own lead cheerleader.
8. Learn Instant Coping Mechanisms
There will always be days when you are challenged to believe in yourself. Each day can’t be a perfect day. Develop a self-assurance mantra that you can say over and over again in your head. Let this mantra shout over any self-critical thoughts that can impede your growth as a person. Incidentally, you can also use gestures. Some people copy by making both of their hands “touch” their left chest where their heart is. This, for them, feels like a hug. Be self-compassionate if you want to improve self-worth. This way, you are confident when facing life’s biggest challenges.
Continue to Improve Self-Worth as an Adult
People looking to improve self-worth often find that their notion of self-worth is highly dependent on external valuations. For example, they equate self-worth with trophies and medals or the number of promotions they have had over the past years. While these things certainly help in triggering a sense of self-worth, it is dangerous to depend on the perception of other people to realize you have true self-worth. Work from the inside. Your worth does not just depend on promotions and awards. Every effort you’ve made to improve yourself is enough to make you worthy. Acknowledge them and care less about what the rest of the world thinks. You are worth more than the opinions of outsiders.