Improving Self Esteem by Zach Clay, LMFT
Let’s face it, we are our own best critics. Most everybody has some sort of area in their life in which they doubt themselves. If you’re saying “no I don’t” or “I’m perfect,” then you can stop reading here. LOL. The rest of us have some measure of self-worth. Self-affirmations are a great way to trick your brain into truly recognizing those things that make you unique.
Positive self-affirmations are a way to strengthen aspects of ourselves that have constantly been playing on constant negative beliefs which are seemingly on a loop in our heads, typically from an early age. Short, positive messages can combat these long-held beliefs. These new, positive messages can be rewritten to rewrite your new life story.
Here are just a few simple positive self-affirmation techniques for you to try at home:
- Write index cards or post-it notes you can put in an area that you frequently look at (ex. a mirror, refrigerator, or on your car dashboard).
- Write a daily journal to be more aware in those positive aspects and personality traits which can boost your self-esteem (see ‘Self-Esteem Journal’ handout below for a printable copy you can use).
- For those who enjoy a poetic method to increase awareness of your ‘good-stuff,’ you can fill in the blanks on the printable “I Am” poem below and put it where you can see it or better yet, take a cell picture to look at daily from anywhere you are.
- Sing these self-affirming messages to one of your favorite songs.
- Say these positive messages out loud, in your head silently or record them on your phone to play back later.
- Identify some common personality traits which most of us aspire to achieving.
These short, positive statements benefit:
- Physical health.
- Improve success and wealth.
- Challenge self-defeating behaviors.
- Aid and heal emotional pain or trauma.
Try them! What do you have to lose?
At NOAH, we offer behavioral health consulting and traditional outpatient counseling programs and services where these highly skilled and trained behavioral health staff work alongside our #medical and dental teams to assess, diagnose and effectively treat the core-symptoms of our patients.
