Self-esteem is a very important aspect in our life. Good self-esteem can improve the quality of life habits, help us achieve our goals, and enable us to live happy and meaningful lives. However, there are several habits that can damage our self-esteem without us realizing it. In this article, we will discuss five habits that need to be avoided to maintain our self-esteem.
1. Habits Comparing Yourself with Others
One of the habits that most damages self-esteem is comparing yourself too often with others. This is a trap it’s easy to fall into, especially in the age of social media where we can easily see other people’s lives and achievements. Comparing ourselves to others can make us feel inadequate or less successful, even if we have actually achieved a lot.
The way to overcome this habit is to remind yourself that each person has a unique life journey and different achievements. Focus on yourself and your personal goals rather than comparing yourself to others. If you want to compare yourself, compare yourself now with yourself in the past, and pay attention to the progress you have made.
2. Ignoring personal health
Our physical and mental health has a huge impact on our self-esteem. Smoking habits, drinking excessive alcohol, eating unhealthy food, and lack of sleep can damage our physical and mental health. When we don’t take good care of ourselves, we tend to feel helpless and lack self-confidence.
To maintain good self-esteem, it is important to take care of your physical and mental health. Try to adopt a healthy lifestyle by eating nutritious food, exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, and avoiding bad habits such as smoking and drinking excessive alcohol. Additionally, don’t hesitate to seek professional help if you feel the need to address mental health issues.
3. Too Hard on Yourself Habits
Having high standards for yourself is a good thing, but being too hard on yourself can damage your self-esteem. When we never feel satisfied with what we have achieved and always feel the need to do better, we can experience excessive stress and anxiety.
It is important to have realistic expectations of ourselves and admit that we are not perfect. Make an effort to celebrate small accomplishments and give yourself praise when you do something well. This will help increase self-esteem and reduce unnecessary stress.
4. Letting Others Control Your Feelings
Another habit that can damage your self-esteem is letting other people control your feelings. This especially happens if we think too much about what others think of us or if we always try to please others. When we rely too much on external validation, we can lose control of our own self-worth.
It’s important to have boundaries and understand that not everyone will always agree or like us. What matters is who you now and what you think about yourself. Try to understand and accept your own feelings, and don’t let other people’s opinions change the way you see yourself.
5. Avoiding Responsibility
Avoiding responsibility is another bad habit that can damage self-esteem. When we always look for excuses or someone else to blame for our failures or mistakes, we will not grow or learn from the experience. This can make us feel helpless and unable to overcome challenges.
It is important to take responsibility for our own actions and learn from our mistakes. When we accept responsibility, we can feel stronger and in control of our lives. This will increase our self-esteem and help us grow as individuals.
In conclusion self-esteem is one of the most important aspects of our lives, and maintaining good self-esteem is an ongoing task. Avoiding habits that can damage self-esteem, such as comparing ourselves to others, neglecting our health, being too hard on ourselves, letting others control our feelings, and avoiding responsibility, are important steps to keep our self-esteem positive and strong. By maintaining good self-esteem, we can live happier and more successful lives.