You may think it is stupid to think highly of yourself. There is, after all, seven billion people in the world, so why should you fancy yourself as special? Well, the truth is, you are not special. Not under that frame of reference, at least. But life is made of multiple frames, many of them true, and under a lot of those frames, you are indeed very special — perhaps the most special person in the world. Wouldn’t you like to know why, and find out how to boost your self-esteem in the process?
1. Adopt other perspectives
Feeling insignificant in front of the massive number of people on Earth and the expanding infinitude of the space that surrounds our planet is normal, and healthy. Adopting such large frames as a constant measure of your own value, however, is less so. The same goes for comparing your worth in relation to celebrities, more successful family members, or anyone else, really.
You may not be important enough to make the history books, and sadly, you may not even be your mother’s favorite daughter. But you can still be your daughter’s favorite mother. You can still save and change lives in your community, or just make your friend’s weekend better by telling them about a nice movie you know they would love. Those things matter.
The point is, there are many ways to look at life. In some of them, you are important, in some of them you are not. A majority of those ways are true to some degree, so make sure to adopt more than just the frames that make you feel insignificant.
2. List your accomplishments
Speaking of perspectives, it’s good to have a handy list of your past achievements and things you are proud of. You know, in case you are in the majority of people who tend to overlook when they are being great and pay too much attention to the times when they failed and were horrible people.
A list of accomplishments will give you something to pit against the negative emotions that arise when you consider everything that is either actively going bad or could have gone better in your life.
3. Distance yourself from negative people
It’s tempting to always be there for your friends and family. That is, after all, what all those Saturday morning cartoons told us to do: put friends above everything. However, the real world is more complicated, and sometimes your loved ones bring so much negativity into your life that you need some distance from them.
You don’t have to do something as dramatic as never talking to your negative friends again. Just maybe don’t text them back on a Wednesday night when you are already exhausted and feeling down on yourself. Hearing that you could’ve looked better in your latest Instagram photo won’t do you any good then, and letting your friends indulge in being negative people isn’t doing them any favors either.
4. Keep healthy habits
Of course, self-esteem isn’t just about psychology. Your general biology and health also come into play. If you are chronically feeling down on yourself and have trouble finding joy even in activities you used to love, you may suffer from clinical depression and need professional help. Anxiety, even when in sub-clinical levels, can also do wonders to undermine one’s self-esteem. You can reduce the effects of anxiety by exercising regularly, avoiding caffeinated drinks, and using natural relaxants like CBD oil. Check out Cibdol if you want to learn more.