You know that feeling when you’re on top of the world and nothing can bring you down? That’s your self-esteem speaking.
It’s the foundation of confidence, resilience, and a healthy sense of self-worth. And anyone could benefit from this because it makes any experience flow smoother, easier, and with more excitement.
“In order to have real inner confidence and lasting self-esteem, you must know, feel, and believe that you are enough,” says Marisa Peer, renowned hypnotherapist and trainer of Mindvalley’s Rapid Transformational Hypnotherapy for Abundance Quest. And when you come to that realization, you’ll embody your most confident self.
What is self-esteem?
Self-esteem is the unshakable belief you have in yourself and your abilities. And it’s made up of two components:
- Self-respect, which is all about how much you value yourself as an individual and
- Self-love, which means you embrace yourself—flaws and all—with compassion and acceptance.
With this much belief in yourself, it’s no surprise there’s a level of confidence that comes along with it. But are there any differences between self-esteem and self-confidence? Well, slightly.
Your sense of self-esteem defines the overall feeling of your own worthiness and value as a person. Your self-confidence, on the other hand, is more specific to certain abilities or skills.
For example, maybe you have an increased sense of self-esteem but lack some confidence in your public speaking skills. Or you may have low self-esteem but have full-on trust in your artistic abilities.
But learning how to increase your self-esteem not only can help you accept your true self, but in doing so, it can help boost your confidence, respect, and love for yourself. And that can lead to a more fulfilling life.
Why is self-esteem important?
When you respect and admire yourself, you’re more motivated to take care of your mental and physical health. What’s more, you may be more open to pursuing your goals and dreams or building strong relationships with others.
And there are plenty of science-backed evidence to back this up:
- A 2012 study found that explicit low self-esteem (what we say about ourselves) was associated with depression, anxiety, and loneliness.
- According to this article, people with higher levels of confidence were shown to have more satisfying and harmonious relationships with others.
- Evidence suggests that self-esteem is highly associated with career success as well, including increased job satisfaction and better performance.
Also, it’s important (and encouraging!) to remember that real-life examples of the power of self-esteem are all around us. People like Oprah Winfrey and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson have overcome challenging experiences but found incredible successes.
Think of your own life, as well. Surely, there have been times when your self-esteem influenced your decisions, relationships, and overall sense of well-being.
Signs of low self-esteem
Low self-esteem can, at times, be difficult to pinpoint. Here are some common signs to look out for:
- Negative self-talk
- Self-doubt
- Seeking validation
- Avoidance of challenges
- Fear of failure
- Pessimistic outlook on life
- Falling into a victim mentality
- Engaging in self-sabotaging behaviors
- Feeling ashamed of your flaws
- Striving for perfectionism
When you struggle with low self-esteem, you may notice that other aspects of your life are also touched by this inner negativity. Your relationships, job performance, or ability to enjoy life’s experiences could suffer, too.
How to build your self-esteem: 3 tips from Marisa peer
If you’ve been noticing yourself in a self-deprecating mood, you may wonder how to turn it around. Take a cue from Marisa, who has helped thousands of people increase their self-esteem and reprogram their minds.
The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind.
— Marisa Peer, trainer of Mindvalley’s Rapid Transformational Hypnotherapy for Abundance Quest
Here are three tips from her to help build your self-esteem.
1. Rewrite the narrative you have about yourself
You know that pesky inner voice that keeps going on and on about how you never do anything right? Rewriting your inner narrative means catching that voice and giving it a good talking-to.
In her Mindvalley Quest, Marisa describes an epiphany she had during her therapy practice: your mind does what it truly thinks you want it to do. So you should only fill up your mind with positive “commands” for an extraordinary life.
Marisa Peer’s tip: “The words you hear shape you, but the most important words you’ll ever hear in your entire life are the words you say to yourself.”
If you’d like to take immediate action and rewrite your mind’s narrative, listen to this guided hypnosis session by Marisa:
2. Trust in the power of “I am enough”
The more you connect to your enoughness, the more you’ll be able to embody it. And it’s going to shine through all the blockages and limiting beliefs that were holding you back.
The common denominator of most of our problems, as Marisa explains, is that we don’t believe we’re enough. And this can take many shapes and forms, such as not feeling smart enough, pretty enough, or capable enough.
Marisa Peer’s tip: “You must say ‘I am enough’ constantly, say it out loud, say it with feeling, say it like you mean it and say it over and over again and do so for weeks until it sinks in and replaces the feeling that you are not enough which may be holding you back.”
3. Let go of destructive criticism
Criticism often comes from a place of insecurity or projection, and most often, it’s really not even about you. So make sure you focus on the praise people give you and let unnecessary negativity roll off your back.
And whenever you’re dealing with that sinking feeling when someone starts criticizing you, what if you turned the table and caught them off-guard?
You can use one of the following responses:
- “Thanks for sharing that.”
- “Are you trying to hurt me?”
Alternatively, you can strike them with a fun fact like: “Did you know that critics have the most criticism reserved for themselves?”
Marisa Peer’s tip: “Not letting in criticism and insults is one of the most beneficial things you can do to boost your self-esteem.”
Esteem-able you
Your self-esteem builds the foundation for a truly extraordinary life. Knowing that you’ve got your own back no matter what empowers you to move forward and make your dreams come true.
It’s not always easy to let go of old patterns and rewire your mind to receive abundance. But this is where a little guidance can be of use. And if that’s what you’re looking for, Mindvalley is your place to be.
With powerful wisdom from transformational quests such as Rapid Transformational Hypnotherapy for Abundance with Marisa Peer, you’ll find it easier to embrace the esteem-azing you.
By signing up for your free account, you can sample classes from this program and many others to see how these insights may change your life. And when you feel stuck on your journey to self-confidence, there’s a whole library of guided meditations to help you release any mental blockages or tension.
Discover the key to your transformation today and get ready to welcome your most abundant life.
Welcome in.
