Believe In Yourself: Words To Boost Self-Esteem

Self-esteem is what drives us to believe in ourselves. The confidence that we are worth something propels us to make healthy decisions, follow our dreams, reach our goals, and be a part of a healthy relationship. We thrive in our personal and professional lives when we are confident. A lack of confidence, or low self-esteem causes us to fall short of goals, have depression, or stay in abusive relationships. We want to avoid low self-esteem; unfortunately, outside factors influence our feelings.

Causes of Low Self-Esteem

The following are common causes of low self-esteem:

• Divorce
• Verbal abuse from friends, family, or work colleagues
• Friends or family members who are bad influences
• Lack of a support system
• Unrealistic goals

Recognizing low self-esteem takes courage. Identifying the need to change your influences is a step towards gaining self-confidence. Talking with a therapist is also a way you can start building up your self-esteem. They can help you identify areas that you can work on to improve confidence in yourself. Inspirational quotes can also be a helpful tool to boost our motivation and self-esteem. Here are a few ideas to help guide positive thinking.

Self-Care

Self-care is necessary. One of the most important things to remember is that it’s okay to take care of yourself. Take a break from people, read a book, take a bubble bath, exercise, find what is relaxing, strength building, and confidence-boosting for you. You are worth it.

“I must undertake to love myself and to respect myself as though my very life depends upon self-love and self-respect.”
— Maya Angelou

“You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere. You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”
— Sharon Salzberg

“You’re always with yourself, so you might as well enjoy the company.”
— Diane Von Furstenberg

“Dare to love yourself / as if you were a rainbow / with gold at both ends.”
— Poet Aberjhani

“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”
— Buddha

“Self-care is never a selfish act—it is simply good stewardship of the only gift I have, the gift I was put on earth to offer to others.”
— Parker Palmer

“Remember, you have been criticizing yourself for years, and it hasn’t worked. Try approving of yourself and see what happens.”
— Louise L. Hay

Self-Validation

Coping with the pain of verbal abuse doesn’t happen all at once. Small steps are a start; they are building blocks that make you stronger.

“There is no magic cure, no making it all go away forever. There are only small steps upward; an easier day, an unexpected laugh, a mirror that doesn’t matter anymore.”
— Laurie Halse Anderson, Winter Girls

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”
— Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world.”
– Lucille Ball

Find Yourself

The act of loving yourself pushes away negative influences. Creating validation for who you are and what you deserve means you took your power back.

“One’s dignity may be assaulted, vandalized and cruelly mocked, but it can never be taken away unless it is surrendered.”
— Michael J. Fox

“How would your life be different if…You stopped allowing other people to dilute or poison your day with their words or opinions? Let today be the day…You stand strong in the truth of your beauty and journey through your day without attachment to the validation of others”
— Steve Maraboli, Life, the Truth, and Being Free

“As long as you look for someone else to validate who you are by seeking their approval, you are setting yourself up for disaster. You have to be whole and complete in yourself. No one can give you that. You have to know who you are—what others say is irrelevant.”
— Nic Sheff

“It is interesting how often we can’t see all the ways in which we are being strong.”
— Lena Dunham

“Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one’s definition of your life, but define yourself.”
— Harvey Fierstein

“I have insecurities of course but I don’t hang out with anyone who points them out to me.”
— Adele

“Your self-worth is determined by you. You don’t have to depend on someone telling you who you are.”
— Beyoncé

Body Confidence

Social media, advertisements, and entertainment portray unrealistic standards of beauty and masculinity. You are learning to love who you are, which means learning to love the uniqueness of your body.

“I love my body, and I would never change anything about it. I’m not asking you to like my body. I’m just asking you to let me be me.”
— Serena Williams

“It doesn’t matter what size you are. It doesn’t matter if you have cellulite. It doesn’t matter if things jiggle where they’re not supposed to. That’s still beautiful.”
— Ashley Graham

“One day, I had to sit down with myself and decide that I loved myself no matter what my body looked like and what other people thought about my body. I got tired of hating myself.”
— Gabourey Sidibe

Self-esteem is important for many reasons. The urge to self-sabotage is reduced when you are confident and have created inner stability. We need to feel good about ourselves before we can feel in control. Once we gain a sense of control and inner peace, we feel lighter and life is simpler. We live a happier life because we are happier. At the end of a yoga class, the yoga instructor may say “The light in me recognizes the light in you.” Self-confidence is recognizing and acknowledging the light in ourselves. Daily practice of activities that build self-esteem can include reading inspirational quotes, writing quotes down, or reading them aloud to ourselves. Self-esteem is a lifestyle change achieved with love and patience. It takes practice, therapy, and support groups in some cases. It’s okay to reach out for help. To learn more about ways to build self-confidence, contact Headlight today by calling 800-930-0803.