Friday Focus: Building Self Esteem

'To wish you were someone else is to waste the person you are' Anonymous

Following on from last weeks post about positive thinking, looking at how we perceive ourselves seems like an apt progression. Self-esteem and self-confidence are the building blocks of attracting positive thoughts. So how do we feel about ourselves as people and what do we base our perceptions on?

Self-esteem can vary from person to person dependent on external factors such as if they have a successful career, to how they look to whether people like them or appreciate them. If any of these external factors shift then a persons self-esteem can be hugely affected.

To build self-confidence you need to create a positive self-awareness. In last weeks Friday Focus I asked you to list 10 things that you like about yourself and concentrate on them. Beginning this inner dialogue about who you are and what you have to offer the world is not an easy task but it is essential to define your own empowerment and strength. By taking an inventory of your strengths and abilities you can see what you have to offer as a person and you become at peace with who you are - but this does not mean that you are unable to see your weaknesses - it simply means that you can accept who you are and that you like the person that you have become. You are unique, special and valuable and you deserve to feel good about yourself.

If there are issues that you don't like about yourself, tackle these problems head-on - but be realistic. If you want to lose weight for example, set goals and challenges, plan in advance and record your achievements. Celebrate each target that you hit and write down how you feel - this really helps. See the Clean 9 detox for a fantastic solution to help you move forward. 

Overall, we all have our 'down-days' and our self-confidence may not be sky-high from one day to the next. If you can feel your emotions becoming out of control; one way to rebuild your self-esteem is to regain control by learning how to manage your mood effectively. See my 5 simple tips for lifting your mood!

Friday Focus - Allow some time for yourself this weekend. Treat yourself to whatever you choose. It could be a few minutes of relaxation time, reading a chapter of a book or even having a cup of coffee in a pleasant place - take some time out!