How to Increase Self Esteem

Meg was always the first one to stand in the queue whenever there used to be an assembly or the school choir. The reason? Well, she was shortest in her class and in the choir. She was always saddened by the fact that she was shorter than average and the others were taller than her. Gradually this feeling and this thought became all pervasive. She used to think so much of this issue that she neglected her positives, and gradually it proved disastrous for her self esteem and confidence and health. She forgot that she had a great command over languages, had a great intelligence quotient and was gem of a person. But she forgot all this and instead grumbled how she is short. Finally she was taken to a child psychologist by her parents. There she was helped by the psychologist to get her self esteem back and slowly she regained it, and her confidence as well, and grew up into a confident, successful and graceful adult.

If you are going through this damaging chink in your kid's personality armor, here is what you can do to help your kid deal with low self esteem and how to increase self esteem.

How to Improve Child's Self Esteem?

Positive Affirmations
Parents involvement in the process of increasing a child's self esteem is extremely crucial and irreplaceable. The basic thing is if the child is having affirmations like 'I am useless', 'I am stupid', 'no one loves me' and so on, then these things should be gradually 'deleted' from the child's mind. Focus on your child's good points in front of him or her and instill a sense of positivity about himself or herself. And primarily self esteem and confidence go hand in hand, it is difficult to separate them, so if you make sure that either one has been developed in your kid or kids, the other one will automatically be developed.

Watch Your Words
Kids take what their parents say, very seriously and are very sensitive about it. So even a single harsh word which might be inconsequential for the adults, can hurt them. Praise them for a job well done and more importantly the effort. The act should be complimented, than the outcome. And always give an accurate and positive feedback about your kid's activities. Always push and encourage the kid to make the correct choice any time he or she falters.

Positive Role Model
Children tend to emulate their elders and parents most of all. So the parents have to be positive about themselves and their capabilities first. If the parents are over confident or suffer from a low esteem, the children would more often than not, will be like that. Nurture your own self esteem and have realistic expectations about yourself and be an 'ideal' for your kid.

Spontaneity and Affection
Giving a compliment here and there, a spontaneous hug telling your kid that you are proud of him or her can go a long way in ensuring that your kid is never low on self esteem. But do not over do it and it should be from the bottom of your heart. The kids can sense it whether the affection is artificial or heartfelt.

Involve Kids in Constructive Experiences
Go for activities which inculcate a sense of cooperation rather than competition. To illustrate, mentoring programs where older kids guide and help the younger ones to learn to read, or anything else, is great to improve the self esteem of your kid.

Now these were just a few brief pointers on how to increase self esteem of your child. If you know some adults or your friends are low on self esteem and confidence, here's how to improve your self esteem and confidence.

How to Improve Self esteem and Confidence?

Help Yourself: They say that god helps those who help themselves. So it is only you who can do best when it comes to how to increase self esteem. So everyday, in front of the bathroom mirror, recite some self esteem affirmations and remind yourself about how great you are. It could be anything which highlights to you your strengths.

Never Say Never: Whenever you think you are bending towards something like 'I never' or 'I cannot do this', cut yourself right there. Turn that negative into positive energy and go for it.

Mind you(r) Tongue: Are you always abusing yourself? Do you refer to yourself or talk to yourself in a derogatory or negative manner? Never berate yourself and do not keep any mistake for a long time in your mind. Of course you have to learn from the mistakes, but keep it at that. DO not abuse yourself verbally.

Risk it: Take as many risks as you can in your capacity. Stretch yourself and try if you can achieve your set goals.

Eye For An Eye: No this doesn't mean that you hit a person in reciprocation, if you are hit. What I mean to say is, whenever you meet new people, greet with a smile and look them in the eye. Be sure that you would be greeted with the same and more significant respect from that person.

Grab a Compliment: If someone gives you a compliment, accept it gracefully rather than disregarding it immediately. It can do wonders for your self esteem and confidence.

Well, that was all about how to increase your self confidence and develop an impressive personality.

If you have confidence, you can take over anything in life by its horns. And you would be really amazed at how your life changes! Be the change you want in your life!