“Everything that happens to you is a reflection of what you believe about yourself. We cannot outperform our level of self-esteem. We cannot draw to ourselves more than we think we are worth.” – Iyanla Vanzant

Have you ever wondered why some people have high self-esteem and some low self-esteem?

How does the cycle of low self-esteem start?

Is there a way to break it?

It usually starts like this:

You notice some flaw in yourself or someone points out something that they don’t like about you.

Then, you start obsessively thinking about that flaw and reach a point where you believe “you’re not good enough”.
And once you believe it, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Sounds familiar, eh?

Here are five simple ways that can help you to break the cycle of low esteem:

1) Do something kind

When you are stuck in a low self-esteem cycle, it can seem difficult to look beyond yourself. You become so focused on your limitations that you can’t seem to think anything positive.
But if you take out time to do something kind for someone else, your focus shifts. You feel good when you make a difference in someone else’s life and your self-esteem grows automatically in the process.

“Love and kindness are never wasted. They always make a difference. They bless the one who receives them, and they bless you, the giver.”
— Barbara de Angelis

2) Take care of yourself

Our bodies, mind, and spirit are connected and affect each other.
Therefore, we need to take care of our overall physical, emotional and mental wellbeing.
It is hard to have self-confidence if we don’t like our physique or mental state.
Therefore, it is important to integrate good eating, sleeping and exercising habits in your routine along with meditation and calming techniques.
It is important to stay fit to look and feel good from inside out.
If you are overweight, it not only affects your self-confidence but also increases the risk of lot of lifestyle diseases like Diabetes and High Blood pressure.
You can try yoga, tai chi, Zumba, barre or other new and exciting workout regimes to reduce weight.
You can also try modern options like https://www.hgh.biz/hgh-results-before-and-after/.
It is not about vanity but healthy self-love.

“You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere.” – Buddha

3) Invest in your holistic well being

Take stock of your spending habits.
Are you spending money on unhealthy coping mechanisms like excessive drinking, smoking, overeating or addiction of any other kind?
Instead, you can spend that money on your holistic well being and empower your body and mind.
You can try new self-improvement courses, workout regimes, healthy cooking workshops, yoga or meditation retreats or anything that enhances your overall well being.

“There’s only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that’s your own self.”
— Aldous Huxley

4) Create boundaries

Last, but not the least.
Learn to say no. Create healthy boundaries in work and relationships.
The more control we take of our boundaries and life, the more our self-confidence grows.
Learn how to be more assertive and to ask for what you want.

“We teach people, how to treat us.” – Philip McGraw