Something that I have been struggling for a long time is to build my confidence back up again.

Confidence isn’t something that can be easily slipped on like a new cloak, perhaps some can are able to do so, but even for me pretending to be confident is hard if I cannot believe in myself in the first place. But as I have been slowly putting back the broken pieces of my confidence and low self esteem, I’ve learned some new things that have helped change my mindset.

1. Acceptance: We all play a crucial role in society, just like how an animal fills it’s niche. We all work together, and thrive on each other’s shortcomings as well as successes. Do not ever doubt yourself and the importance of the role you play. I always thought that just because I wasn’t known by a lot of people or doing something hugely significant that I was less important than any other given person on this planet. But the the thing is that I realized that everyone on this earth is here for a reason, and during your duration this planet, you are part of something! So accept yourself, just like how you might strive to accept other people in your lives, you also need to learn how to accept yourself as a whole because you may not know it, but everyone has untapped potential and is capable of achieving their success.

2. Acceptance #2: It was hard to grasp this at first. But now I can finally say that I care a lot less about what strangers may think about me, or what aquaintances may have to say. I’ve accepted the fact that yes that there are people who are going to hate me or pick on me for no apparent reasons sometimes. But I can choose whether to focus on the opinions that matter or not. *I know this is particularly difficult because this is what I struggled with for 2 years. I used to constantly try and think about what thoughts might be running through other people’s minds when were talking or if I was presenting in front of a class. Now I don’t do that, because I’ve learned to accept other’s opinions. They have the right to their own opinions, and no matter how much I think about or try to change their hate comments, they might still dislike me. I’ve decided to focus on the comments and advice of people that matter because they do really want the best for me. As for the other things, I honestly do not have the time to focus on them anymore. They psychologically and physically drain my energy and take a lot of important time I could use to do other things I love like volunteering:)

3. Allowance of Acknowledgement: Sometimes people who have low self esteem often look past acknowledging the achievements or obstacles they’ve overcome. Yes, we do rely on the people around us for help. But take some time to appreciate your results so far. Even if you feel that you haven’t reached where you want to reach, look at the progress or focus on the blessings of your special life. When you acknowledge how far you come, you can accurately target your attributes, as well as what went wrong. It’s important to note that sometimes when we’re in a bad mood and we feel that we are a failure, that we tend to label ourselves with our own shortcomings. So when times are tough, take to the fact that you deserve a nice little break and a little bit of you time. Do whatever you need to do, but take the time to appreciate yourself for being you!

Try these small attitude changes or try looking at things in a different perspective. I’ll be posting tomorrow about the behavioral things that you could try doing that can make a difference as well!