When you have a healthy self-esteem, you accept and value yourself for exactly who you are—flaws and all. When you think about your self-image, are your thoughts positive or negative?

How we view our appearance, abilities, and attributes reflects our overall sense of worth and impacts every area of our lives, including our thoughts, feelings, actions, relationships, and mental and emotional health. And did you know that our self-perception is often linked to how others have treated us in the past?

Evaluate Your Self-Esteem

Some of us have a high sense of self-worth. But others of us do not. And we may be facing symptoms of depression or anxiety and feel inadequate, unlovable, or unworthy. To find out where you stand on the self-esteem spectrum, take the self-check below:

Strengths and Weaknesses. List your positive and negative qualities. If the bad outweighs the good, you may have low self-esteem.
Successes and failures. Do you downplay your successes? Overplay your failures? If you answered yes to either, you may have low self-esteem.
Standards. Do you compare yourself to others and fall short? Research shows people who spend a lot of time scrolling social media are more likely to have low self-esteem.
Thinking Patterns. Do you struggle with:
- Black-and-White Thinking. “If I don’t get this promotion, I might as well quit. Jobs never work out for me.”
- Jumping to Conclusions. “He hasn’t contacted me because he doesn’t like me.”
- Downplaying the Positive. “She only asked me to go out because her other friends were busy.”
- Overgeneralizing. “I never get things right.”

Improving Self-Esteem

If you’re looking to raise your self-esteem, here are several practical steps that can help:

Triggers. Note who or what triggers negative thinking. You can’t avoid every trigger, but you can control how you respond.
Self-talk. Is what you tell yourself based on fact or emotion? Is it irrational or irrational? Always assuming the worst will take a toll.
Accuracy. Are your thoughts true? Challenge them. Often we’re influenced more by perception than reality.
Be Positive. Focus on the positive and avoid the negative. Learn to forgive yourself. Celebrate small wins.
Realize Your Potential. Discover your hidden strengths and passions. Explore a new hobby, activity, or talent.
Take Care of Yourself. When you feel good, you’re more likely to be positive. Get plenty of sleep, eat healthy, and exercise regularly. Take time for activities and people you enjoy.

Keep in Mind

If you’re dealing with low self-esteem, you’re not alone. And you don’t have to stay stuck where you are. Reach out to your doctor or mental health professional for help.

Learning to change how you interpret life takes energy. But it’s worth it. The more you challenge your negativity, the more positive you’ll feel. What’s one thing can you do today to improve your self-image?

Sources:

National Institutes of Health. Relaxation techniques: what you need to know. Published June 2022. Accessed February 3, 2023.

Mayo Clinic. Relaxation techniques: Try these steps to reduce stress. Published April 28, 2022. Accessed January 3, 2023.

Improving Self-Esteem

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