Dear Jane,
How can I strengthen my so low self-esteem?
In my book, Enough Is Enough!, I talk about The Big Lie, which is the mistaken belief that we are unworthy. As long as we believe this lie, we will behave accordingly, encouraging others to also believe this lie. This is how a lie eventually takes on the appearance of truth.
First and foremost, you need to take responsibility for raising your self-esteem. If you rely solely on others, you are neglecting your own spirit and inviting others to do the same. Self-esteem is part of our spirit. It requires consistent attention and nurturing. Begin by writing your answers to the following questions:
1. What are some of my good qualities?
2. How have I been helpful to others?
3. What talents do I possess?
These will help remind you of your worthiness. The next step is to act on the answers. If you are a compassionate person, you may want to volunteer with an organization that could use your inherent kindness. If you are artistic, you can teach others, take a class, or make time every day to do your art.
In addition to acting on your qualities and talents, do an affirmation. I write in the book about creating powerful affirmations that will work for you. Here are some tips:
1. Create your affirmation in present time.
2. Write it down and post it someplace prominent like your bathroom mirror.
3. Say it daily and often.
4. Be willing to believe that it will become true when you stop defending The Big Lie.
You can increase your self-esteem. The only thing in the way is a belief that you don’t deserve to. You do deserve to. And, guess what? Everyone in your life will benefit from your commitment to yourself.
About Jane
Jane Straus is a trusted life coach, dynamic keynote speaker, and the author of Enough Is Enough! Stop Enduring and Start Living Your Extraordinary Life. With humor and grace, Jane offers her clients and seminar participants insights and exercises to ensure that the next chapter of their lives is about thriving as the unique individuals they have always been and the extraordinary ones they are still becoming. She serves clients worldwide and invites you to visit her site, StopEnduring.com. Here you will find excerpts from her book, more articles, TV and radio interviews, and clips from her presentations.
She is also the author of The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation, Grammarbook.com, an award-winning online resource and workbook with easy-to-understand rules, real-world examples, and fun quizzes.
Contact Jane at Jane@JaneStraus.com.
Tags: dear jane, Jane Straus, low self esteem, powerful affirmations