How to strengthen your self-confidence

Even if we try to hide low self-esteem from the world, our true beliefs will always be revealed, for example in a harmful statement about ourselves that seems innocent at first glance.

People who have high self-esteem know that words have great power, so they do not blame themselves, do not question their achievements and do not justify their own choices unnecessarily.

To strengthen your self-confidence, you must never say these things to yourself:

1. "I'm such an idiot/clumsy/stupid."

We hear this type of innocent sentences every day very often and it may seem to us that it is nothing dangerous. Each of us probably heard them in childhood from our parents or teachers and thus they stayed with us for many years. However, it is worth considering what they bring to the conversation and in what light they present us.

They are said by people who make a mistake and explain themselves in this twisted way. At the same time, they belittle themselves by labeling them as "clumsy" or "stupid".

This is certainly not the best way to show each other support and understanding in an uncomfortable situation when we make a mistake, break something by accident or forget about an important matter.

Learn to move on from your mistakes without demeaning yourself [iStock] A couple arguing Pulse Live Kenya

Let's remember that we have the right to make mistakes and failures - let's accept them and treat ourselves with respect, even in unpleasant situations.

2. "I suck."

Temporary doubts about certain actions can happen to anyone. However, people who truly love themselves never make categorical statements that undermine their value. They know that it is not based on specific skills and achievements - it does not change depending on the circumstances.

Writing yourself off is a very destructive practice and makes it difficult to get in touch with your own needs. Such a message does not bring any value and only closes the door to further development.

3. "I have no chance compared to you."

Deep self-esteem is not about believing that we are the best at everything - on the contrary, it allows us to accept that everyone has different "superpowers" and constantly comparing ourselves with others makes no sense.

People who appreciate and respect themselves focus primarily on what they have to do. They do not seek confirmation of their skills and decisions from others, and they do not compete with anyone. This helps them avoid frustration - there will always be someone who is better at something than us. Ultimately, it is about our individual development and progress.

4. "I will prove to her/him that..."

Proving to others that we are right is another trap that limping self-love sets for us. Then we want to show others that we are worth good work, better results, and a happy relationship. In reality, however, the need to prove hides our own insecurities and insufficient self-satisfaction, which we still make dependent on specific results.

Instead of proving anything to others, it is worth focusing on what we ourselves need and feel. In this way, we will strengthen our self-esteem and support those activities that we really care about, regardless of the opinions of others.

5. "I can't look at myself"

Self-love manifests itself in every gesture and every sentence [Shutterstock] Pulse Nigeria

People who have high self-esteem never judge themselves or others based on their appearance. They treat their bodies with due respect and give themselves the right to have a bad day. Dark circles under their eyes or no makeup don't make them "unable to look at themselves."

They do not set themselves strict requirements regarding their appearance in order to accept their own face in the mirror. They know that it is not the most important thing, because they have much more to offer. They care about their bodies, but they are far from obsessively controlling their appearance and holding themselves accountable for any imperfections.

This article was originally published on Ofeminin Women.