In the past, whenever I heard the phrase “believe in yourself,” I wasn’t exactly sure what it meant. I suffered with low self-esteem at the time, and the thought of believing in myself seemed so far out of reach. After a whole lot of research and through persistence and determination, I’ve finally learned what it means to believe in myself. Here are some tips I’ve learned that may help you on your own self-esteem journey of learning to believe in yourself.

1. Get to know yourself better. Do you know your likes and dislikes? Or what makes you happy? Sad? Angry? Are you not sure? Find out your likes and dislikes are by participating in several different activities. Join a gym, a dance class or engage in other activities you may be interested in and see what you gravitate towards the most. In terms of what makes you happy, sad, etc., take a look at your relationships with your family members, your spouse, friends, co-workers and exes. When are you the happiest? What angers you the most? When do you feel sad? How do you feel when you are alone? Asking yourself questions like these will help you find out more about yourself and subsequently who you would like to become.

2. Say Goodbye to Negative Nancy. Sometimes we can be our worst enemies with the constant negativity. Pay attention to all the times throughout the day you state something negative about yourself, someone else or a particular situation and then “check yourself before you wreck yourself.” Whenever Negative Nancy speaks up, shut her down by thinking positive thoughts.

3. Appreciate You for You. You are not perfect and that’s okay. Love and accept yourself just the way you are. Learn to compliment yourself too. Give yourself a pat on the back whenever you do something good and also learn to pamper yourself. Taking care of you will definitely help you stay strong so that you can take care of your loved ones as well.

4. Stand Up for Yourself. If you feel like you are being treated poorly or unfairly, speak up, but choose your battles wisely. You don’t have to fight every fight because not every fight is worth it. Stand up for yourself when you truly feel strongly about something. Communicate your wants and needs in a calm and rational manner, and make sure the other person/people understand where you are coming from and what you mean.

5. Stop Comparing Yourself to Others. This was a tough one for me, and more often than I would like to admit, I used compare my looks as well as my life overall to other women who seemed to be so absolutely and completely perfect. I realize now that none of us is perfect and we all have our own issues with which we have to deal. People you think look perfect and live perfect lives are probably comparing themselves to you as well wishing they were more like you. If you’re going to compare yourself to anyone, make sure it’s you and you alone.

After you begin your own journey of learning to believe in yourself, take a look back to see just how far you’ve come, and while you’re at it, give yourself a pat on the back! Your self-esteem will thank you for it. If you need assistance with improving your self-esteem, we can help. Give us a call at (954) 832-3602. We are located in Hollywood, Florida.

Alicia Emamdee is the author of the YA Romance novel, “Aloha Self-Esteem?” which is created specifically for teen girls and the challenges they face with regards to their self-esteem in our society today. Written as a love story, the book provides ways to help increase self-esteem and gain self-confidence.