low self-esteem

Dr. Larry Cohen Therapist and Life Coach in Marlton NJ & Voorhees NJ (856) 352-5428 Contact NJ Therapy and Life Coaching

When you are alone and the world is quiet, take a moment to reflect on how you feel about who you are. Do you find confidence, or are you struggling? Maybe you have feelings of low self-esteem and you do not feel confident and happy with who you really are.

To change your perspective on yourself, you must recognize that low self-worth creates a lack of self-confidence and difficulty in social situations. There are various ways to work on feeling low self-esteem and improve your overall well-being.

Therapy

One of the most effective ways to treat low self-esteem is through therapy. Working with a counselor can help identify the root cause of your low self-esteem - when did it start, and what experiences defined your negative core beliefs?

A therapist provides tools and techniques to work through these issues. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) helps you to combat your core beliefs and feelings of low self-worth. CBT focuses on identifying negative core beliefs and how they influence your thinking and emotions.

Examples of negative core beliefs are “I am a failure” or “I am not as smart as other people.” To change negative core beliefs and negative thought patterns, you must attack the negative BELIEFS and question their validity. Are you really a failure? Most of the time you discover that your negative core beliefs are untrue.

When you make this discovery, positive core beliefs begin to form, such as “I am not a failure. I am a loving and intelligent person.” Replace your negative core beliefs and negative thinking by resolving the origins of these beliefs.

Work with your therapist to uncover when your negative core beliefs began and why you began believing them. Work to change them to positive ones. Doing this will lead to a significant improvement in self-esteem over time. To learn more read Self-Judgment and Finding Our Way.

Self-Care

Another effective way to treat low self-esteem is through self-care. Engaging in activities that promote self-care can help increase positive feelings of self-esteem and improve overall mental health. Examples of self-care activities include exercise, meditation, spending time in nature, and seeing friends and family.

Turn to Your Support System

Turning to friends and family can also be helpful in combating low self-esteem. Talking about your feelings with a trusted loved one can provide emotional support and help reduce feelings of isolation.

There are also support groups and online communities you can join - these can be helpful as they allow you to connect with others who are going through similar experiences.

The Importance of Goals

Learning new skills and setting achievable goals can also help improve self-esteem. Setting small goals and achieving them can give you a sense of accomplishment and improve your self-confidence. Learning new skills or taking on new challenges can provide a sense of personal growth and fulfillment.

It is essential for you to practice self-compassion when you are working to change your feelings of low self-esteem. Being kind to yourself and recognizing that everyone has flaws and makes mistakes can help reduce feelings of self-criticism and improve self-esteem.

Practicing self-compassion can be challenging at first, but over time, it can lead to a more positive self-image and overall well-being. Treating low self-esteem is a process that requires patience and commitment. To read more, visit Being Perfect and Self-judgment.

Through therapy, self-care, support from loved ones, setting achievable goals, and practicing self-compassion, you can improve your self-esteem and your overall quality of life. That’s the big goal, and you’d be amazed at how you can change what you believe about yourself.