SELF-ESTEEM AND CONFIDENCE

In the journey of life, one challenge that can come to the surface and call out for your attention is your sense of self-esteem. Self-esteem is not something handed to us on a silver platter; it's so personal. It's knowing that no one can help you have better self esteem, that’s something you gotta work on for yourself. It requires your desire and commitment. No one can do the work for you. In this blog, you'll explore how to work on feeling better about yourself and feeling comfortable in your own skin. I’ll share tools on how to create a healthier sense of self-worth and confidence.

The first step in building up confidence is knowing that self-esteem is often deeply rooted in our upbringing, past experiences, and even our failures. To build a healthy sense of self-worth, it's crucial to understand the factors that shape it. Understanding the influence your past experiences have on your present self, empowers you to address and reshape the stories you tell yourself now. Your past does NOT define who you are now..

About 9 years ago when my family and I moved to California, I went through a massive shift in self-esteem when I left my 30-year sales career to become a stay home Mom. I was so used to being a career woman and significantly contributing financially and felt a sense of purpose and pride in the work I did. Without my career, at first, my self-esteem was at its lowest point. I felt so sad and depressed. It felt like I had lost my identity. In working on this with my therapist, she told me, "Dora, you should look at the good in it and be grateful for the blessing that you have the opportunity to be home with your daughters. So many mothers wish they could be at home with their kids but they can't because they have to work. You can take your daughters to school and pick them up. You’re able to go to their golf games and soccer games, experience their prom and other school activities. You can make great memories with your daughters.Their high school years will go by so quickly." That gave me the change in my perspective I needed. I was doing so much good in being a mom and a housewife. Raising my girls and being there for them when they needed me the most. It was important to them and to me. So, I started calling myself the queen of the house. And in claiming that I was a queen, I started seeing all the good in my new role. I began to not take for granted the precious time I was given with my daughters and I gained an appreciation for my role as a mom as well as being a better wife.

There isn't a one-size-fits-all approach to boosting your self-esteem, but through working on myself and improving my self esteem, I now have more confidence. Here are some ideas that might help you to improve your confidence like focusing on yourself more. Work on incorporating more self-care. Do what gives you joy. Figure out what your dreams and goals are. Work on your passions and do what’s most important to you. And if you feel called, seeking professional help through therapy is a great way to work on your self-esteem. The path to an expanded sense of self worth and confidence varies person to person.

Finding what aligns and resonates with YOU is essential to making changes that actually last in your life. For me, cultivating an attitude of gratitude and expressing appreciation for the positive aspects of life—whether it's relationships, friendships, family, or work—creates a mental shift. This conscious practice of gratitude serves as a powerful tool to infuse joy into daily life, creating a more positive self-awareness. For you, it might be writing 3 things you are grateful for or stating positive affirmations about yourself on a daily basis. For others it might mean taking time to engage in mindfulness activities each day. Each person can find their own perfect roadmap for greater self-esteem by experimenting with a daily practice and shifting their attitude towards gratitude.

Working on your self-esteem is an ongoing process. It requires consistent determination and effort in many different forms, including working on your mental, emotional and physical well-being. Embracing this as a lifestyle, rather than a one-time project, ensures that you will continue to grow and build a more and more positive self-image. You can’t expect others to make you happy and make you feel great about yourself. It is an inside job!

Know this: You have everything you need within you right now to build up your sense of self-esteem and confidence. With just a few simple changes you truly can unlock a greater sense of self-love, self worth, and self-validation.