You don't have to go and settle in Arizona to raise your self-esteem. You can raise your self-esteem anywhere, in your hometown. I just chose this heading to catch your attention. If you have a problem with low self-esteem, take heart. With just a little practice, you can raise your self-esteem several notches higher.
Raising self-esteem is one thing, but protecting it from the bumps and bruises of normal living is quite another. Begin by protecting your self-esteem from the negative judgments and opinions of others. Above all, protect it from your own assaults. When it comes to self-esteem, we are our own worst enemies.
Remember what Eleanor Roosevelt said, "No one can make you feel inferior
without your consent."
Do as you do with an unsolicited sales call. When somebody tries
to sell you a lower image of yourself, say, "No, thank you, but I'm not
buying today." How can you own something (in this example, a negative
self-image) if you don't buy it in the first place?
If somebody says to you, "You're no good. You're a worthless
human being, " and
you say to yourself , "That's right! I am no good," you've taken the proverbial hook. When you endorse a negative label, then anger, sadness, and hurt are bound to follow.
If someone tries to put you down, defeat their purpose by letting it
fall flat. Dismiss the negative communication by saying out loud or silently
to yourself, "That's just one person's opinion. " Even better, say, "I
disagree with your opinion and people who really know me will disagree
as well." When you act all the time in a self-respecting way, you
begin to believe in yourself. Your belief protects you from the bumps
and bruises that you receive from your setbacks and failures. When
you commit a fault, look at yourself with a kinder eye and forgive yourself.
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Copyright 1996, Mind
Publications
Dr. Vijai Sharma
Your Life Coach
By Telephone