Boosting your self-esteem may be done in a variety of ways; from buying brand new shoes, changing your hairstyle, or helping an elderly person cross the street. These matters usually come subjectively, as you personally give yourself affirmations for the little things you have done. Affirmations boost your self-esteem as they give you a sense of value and approval in yourself and the things that you do.

Affirmations are usually brief encouraging statements that you repeat over and over to yourself, which positively affect your psyche and boost your self-esteem. Affirmations may come from other people, when they give you compliments for making a sumptuous dinner or praise you for babysitting their two little boys over the weekend.

You can give yourself affirmations each day at any time to increase your self-esteem. It is a powerful tool, especially as you face new activities and stress. It enables you to manage tasks at a steady and controlled pace.

How do affirmations work?

1. Select your own affirmation. It can be something like, “I, Sarah, have great hair!” or “I, Greg, skipped that chocolate cookie and feel great!” or “I, Anne, look fabulous in these tight jeans!” It’s best that you say your affirmations in front of the mirror as you repeat the sentence five to six times. Do this every morning as you wash your face or brush your teeth and every evening again as you repeat your routine. Stick with your affirmation for a month before moving on to another one.

Some other ways of saying affirmations are: (These are said while looking in the mirror)

“I approve of myself.”
“I, David, approve of myself.”
“I, Anne, approve of myself.”

2. Choose one or even a few friends whom you can exchange affirmations with whenever you meet. The good thing about this is they get to boost your confidence while you also increase theirs. Giving compliments is the most common form of this type of affirmation exchange. Sometimes you don’t have to coordinate with someone to pay you a compliment in return. Try praising someone about his new shirt or how good she is at badminton. You’ll soon realize affirmations from other people will just come naturally.

3. Make a list about the stuff you’re good at and a list of stuff you can’t change. Remember that you can be great at some things, but there are always matters that you can’t resolve or improve -- so don’t fret trying to change. Instead, embrace and accept them because they are a part of you.

List all your talents and favorite activities, like singing, writing or cheering for a favorite band, because these can give your affirmations, from yourself and from others. You can always be good at doing something that you love. As for the stuff you can’t change, like your eye color or height, try to work around them and, instead, accentuate the areas with clothes or colors that bring out your best features.

The point is, you should give yourself affirmations in every aspect of your daily life, and may it be physical, mental, or social. You’ll appreciate yourself more in the process and boost your confidence and self-esteem.

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