According to the Cambridge dictionary, the definition of self esteem is: the belief and confidence in one’s own ability and value. It's a simple definition yet it's such a complex concept for each one of us to grasp. As a career coach and counselor I see clients struggling with this on a daily basis. I myself have to quiet that inner voice which loves to tell me “you don’t have what it takes to finish a run” or “you don't have what it takes to start that new project” I have to admit, I have gotten good at answering back…”Watch me”.
In the most challenging of times we have to muster the courage to keep going to achieve our goals. Easier said than done? Yes...but it’s not impossible. I do have a few ideas on how we can raise our self esteem, that I would like to share with you. No long lists, just simple actions.
The Tougher Choice:
At its core, self esteem is about choices and my goodness, those choices are tough. What I mean to say is, we can choose to listen to the voice in our head–those nagging little scripts we have been assigned– or perhaps we are surrounded by people telling us we can’t do something. Remember that such judgments most likely reflect that person’s own lack of confidence. Yet, those words can literally stop us in our tracks.
We can choose to ignore all that noise, answer back in defiance and move on. See, we can choose to act, to set things in motion. This is not to say that those first few steps will not be uncomfortable or scary, but they will put you on the path to achievement. How beautiful is it that we can choose to believe in our ability to achieve whatever we set out to do? Choose to believe in yourself and be confident in your ability.
The Simpler Step : At the end of each day, look for the highlights, this might surprise you. Everything moves at the speed of light in work and life. If you take 2 mins at the end of each day to ask yourself, what were the highlights today? You will see just how much you were able to accomplish despite any setbacks and your day probably not looking the way you thought it would look. It does not have to be a huge list. One highlight is enough to help you see that you are enough!
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