<ul>
<li>Use positive affirmations correctly and make them more believable.</li>
<li>Identify your competencies and find opportunities that accentuate them.</li>
<li>Learn to accept compliments, even if they make you uncomfortable.</li>
<li>Eliminate self-criticism and introduce self-compassion.</li>
<li>Affirm your real worth.</li>
</ul>

Build lasting self-esteem

Self Improvement

<div>
<img src="https://tedideas.files.wordpress.com/2016/08/selfesteem-final2.jpg?w=648"><h2>Everyone is in favor of high self-esteem - but cultivating it can be surprisingly tough. Psychologist Guy Winch explains why - and describes smart ways we can help build ourselves up.</h2>
<p>Many of us recognize the value of improving our feelings of self-worth. When our self-esteem is higher, we not only feel better about ourselves, we are more resilient as well. Brain scan studies demonstrate that when our self-esteem is higher, we are likely to experience common emotional wounds such as <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20144945">rejection</a> and <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233005425_High_self-esteem_buffers_negative_feedback_Once_more_with_feeling">failure</a> as less painful, and bounce back from them more quickly. When our self-esteem is higher, we are also <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1460559">less vulnerable to anxiety</a>; we release less cortisol into our bloodstream when under stress, and it is  <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21239598">less likely to linger</a> in our system.</p>
<p>Part of the problem is that our self-esteem is rather unstable to begin with, as it can fluctuate daily, if not hourly. Further complicating matters, our self-esteem comprises both our global feelings about ourselves as well as how we feel about ourselves in the specific domains of our lives (e.g., as a father, a nurse, an athlete, etc.).  The more meaningful a specific domain of self-esteem, the greater the impact it has on our global self-esteem. Having someone wince when they taste the not-so-delicious dinner you prepared will hurt a chef's self-esteem much more than someone for whom cooking is not a significant aspect of their identity.</p>
<p>That said, it is certainly possible to improve our self-esteem if we go about it the right way. Here are five ways to nourish your self-esteem when it is low:</p>
<h3><b>1. Use positive affirmations correctly</b></h3>
<h3><b>2. Identify your competencies and develop them</b></h3>
<p>Self-esteem is built by demonstrating real ability and achievement in areas of our lives that matter to us. If you pride yourself on being a good cook, throw more dinner parties. If you're a good runner, sign up for races and train for them. In short, figure out your core competencies and find opportunities and careers that accentuate them.  </p>
<h3><b>3. Learn to accept compliments</b></h3>
<h3><b>4. Eliminate self-criticism and introduce self-compassion </b></h3>
<h3><b>5. Affirm your real worth</b></h3>
<p>The bottom line is improving self-esteem requires a bit of work, as it involves developing and maintaining healthier emotional habits but doing so, and especially doing so correctly, will provide a great emotional and psychological return on your investment.</p>
<a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/guy_winch_the_case_for_emotional_hygiene"><img src="https://tedideas.files.wordpress.com/2016/08/guy_winch_linkable-image.jpg?w=770&amp;h=433"></a> </div>

Many of us recognize the value of improving our feelings of self-worth. When our self-esteem is higher, we not only feel better about ourselves, we are more resilient as well. Brain scan studies demonstrate that when our self-esteem is higher, we are likely to experience common emotional wounds such as rejection and failure as less painful, and bounce back from them more quickly.

Bite‑sized knowledge
to upgrade
your career

5 ways to build lasting self-esteem

Build lasting self-esteem

5 ways to build lasting self-esteem

Symptoms Of Low Self-Esteem And The Root Causes of It

Improve Your Self-Esteem With The William James Formula

Bite‑sized knowledgeto upgradeyour career

5 ways to build lasting self-esteem

Build lasting self-esteem

5 ways to build lasting self-esteem

Symptoms Of Low Self-Esteem And The Root Causes of It

Improve Your Self-Esteem With The William James Formula

Bite‑sized knowledge
to upgrade
your career