7 Ways To Build Your Self-Esteem

Are you guilty of putting yourself down all the time? Do you ever feel like you're not good enough? Are you filled with self-doubt? Ugh, we've all felt these things or something similar at some point. Good news is, there are a few easy ways you can improve your self-confidence right this second. Improving your feelings of self-worth will not only help you feel better about yourself, it'll actually improve your resilience as well, which determines how well you bounce back from setbacks and tough times. Your self-confidence plays a huge part in how you feel in day-to-day life and during important moments such as in an exam, job interview, game or race, so here are a few handy tips to help you give it a lil' boost!

Below, you'll find seven self-esteem activities to nourish your self-worth if it's low and start building more confidence in yourself and there's always room for improvement!

Step 1: Identify What You're Good At & Write It Down

A perfect way to begin building your self-confidence is by reminding yourself of your strengths. Start by bringing things back to basics, and simply jot down three things you like about yourself. From there, list all of your personal achievements and qualities, and finish off by writing down all the amazing things you’re grateful for in your life. 

Make sure you keep this list in a special place where you spend a lot of time, such as on your desk or in your bedroom. That way, you can remind yourself of your unique qualities, accomplishments and blessings on the daily!

Step 2: Set Realistic Goals & Focus On What You Can Change

Increase your self esteem by setting goals that match your talents and strengths and more importantly, make sure your goals are REALISTIC. If your goals are too far-fetched, you’ll end up feeling pretty down about yourself when you fail to achieve them, which will chip away at your self-esteem over time. Constantly falling short of the goals you set = a major confidence crusher. Of course, you should always strive to be the best version of yourself, but it’s important to keep in mind that perfection is an unrealistic goal. All you gotta do is continue building on what you’re already so talented at and work on turning your weaknesses into strengths. 

Step 3: Keep Your Thoughts Positive

Whenever you notice harmful, negative thoughts creeping in, shut ‘em down right away sister. The simplest way to do this is by substituting these negative thoughts for positive ones. Repeat motivating mantras such as “I will succeed”, or “I got this” to begin instilling confidence when you start to feel your thoughts turning negative.

Most of us are WAY too hard on ourselves, which leads us to engage in negative self-talk - another confidence crusher. If this is you, it’s time to put an end to criticizing yourself all the time. Ask – “would I say this to a close friend?”. If the answer is no, you definitely shouldn’t be saying it to yourself either. Treat yourself with the same love and respect as you do for your girl squad.

In addition to internal negativity, with all the unsettling news going on around the world, you might wanna keep an eye on how much external negativity you’re consuming. A great way to reduce your exposure to negative media is by setting a daily time limit for reading or watching the news, or even scrolling through social media.

Step 4: Learn How To Accept Confidence

This is a tough one. None of us are great at taking compliments. It can feel pretty awkward and uncomfortable, especially if you don’t believe the wonderful things you're being complimented on. So, here’s a little challenge for you - next time you go to brush off a compliment, try simply saying “thank you” or “that’s so nice of you to say!” instead. It may feel a bit odd at first, but over time you’ll get better at accepting compliments and even start believing them (as you should), which is a huge way to build up that self esteem!

Step 5: Don't Compare Yourself To Others

This is a sure-fire way to make yourself feel as though you’re not good enough and completely obliterate your self-confidence. If there’s one thing you should focus on to improve your self-esteem, it’s avoiding comparing yourself to others at all costs. Remember, you’re on your own incredible, unique journey, so you do you girlfriend. Instead of scrolling through Insta wishing you looked like someone else, or comparing your life and achievements to others, focus on being the best version of you. You’re absolutely capable of achieving anything you set your mind to, so shine your light bright. How do you want to leave your mark on the world?

Step 6: Do What Makes You Happy

It’s important to take time out between all of your commitments to do something that makes you feel genuinely happy, carefree and relaxed to nurture your self worth. Life can get pretty hectic and throw us some major curveballs, so remember to refresh and recharge your mind, body and soul by indulging in leisure time. You may even like to try and schedule in a little YOU time in each day. Check out our Self-Care blog post for more tips and advice on nurturing yourself.

The moral of the story is, if it makes you happy, make time for it. Whether it’s catching up with a friend, getting in the kitchen on weekends if you don’t have time during the week, chilling on the couch watching Netflix instead of going out, or anything else you feel like you need to do to for your mental health, schedule it in. Every week.

Step 7: Surround Yourself With A Supportive Squad

You really start to grow and glow when you distance yourself from negative energy. Remove the toxic people who trigger your negative thinking and instead, surround yourself with people who make you feel good and LIFT YOU UP. You’ll notice how much of a difference it makes to your overall mood and self-esteem when you’re surrounded by positive energy. Find your people and keep them close. Be kind to and supportive of your squad so that you can be the sunshine THEY need on a cloudy day too. Not only will this help make their day a whole lot brighter, it’ll make you feel really content with yourself. It’s a win-win!


Hopefully now you've found a couple of strategies you can put into place ASAP to become the best, most confident and glowing version of yourself. At JOLYN, it's our mission to make our girl squad feel strong, beautiful and confident in their own skin no matter what, so we're always looking for new ways to inspire you.

Please reach out if you ever need advice on how to feel more comfortable and confident in your swimwear, or if you're just looking for a lil chat! 💕

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