Boosting Your Self-Esteem And Self-Confidence During Lockdown

A positive outlook and being open to learn and improve are great ways to boost your self-esteem and self- confidence especially during times like these.

A few reasons why you might be feeling in need of a bit of a self-confidence boost…

• Are you worried about the future, your finances and employment prospects?
• Had you set out to achieve your goals this year, but things have grinded to an unexpected halt?
• Is working from home away from your usual environment and colleagues left you feeling a bit disorientated?
• Feeling lonely? Is the monotony of this ‘new normal’ routine making you feel unaccomplished?
• Have you found yourself comparing yourself to others, what they have been getting up to and how well they seem to be coping?

All the above can exacerbate insecurities, feelings of low self- esteem and self-confidence especially with the comparison culture happening online, leaving you to question whether you are really doing enough with all this ‘down’ time.  However, try to remain focused on you, your own achievements, and your own future plans. Bettering yourself should be for you, not a way to validate yourself in front of others.

Having this positive  mindset means being open to trying new things and according to the Guardian. learning new skills is also a way of regaining a “sense of control” during this uncertain time. These could be big or small, what matters is setting your own objectives that are personal to you, consider: what will help give you a boost and make you feel good about yourself?

Our top suggestions to regain the feel good factor:

• Improving your mental fitness:

Learning to look after your wellbeing is a skill in itself. Learn to incorporate yoga, stretches and meditation into your routine, perhaps even work this into your skincare routine [facial massage].Make this into a habit. Now that life has slowed down here is the chance to take the time to get to know yourself better, to reflect but also train yourself to remain in the present.

• Start a new personal project:

Start by brainstorming any creative ideas and projects you have thought about but not had the chance to act upon. Could this be a home DIY project with an end result to work towards? Or would it be to get better a cooking or baking?

• Broaden your knowledge:

Is there a subject or topic you are interested in learning more about and explore new concepts, one thing may lead to another?

• Professional betterment

There are a huge variety of online courses out there, with something for everyone you can improve your expertise or try something new. LinkedIn, Future Learn, Ed x and Coursera are a good place to start.

Lastly, make sure to connect with those that make you feel good. Only follow social media accounts and content that have a positive impact on your mindset. Avoid mindless scrolling in order to stop comparing yourself to others so that you can focus on you.

Key takeaways to remember:

• Boost your self- esteem and confidence by using this time to focus on your own achievements and what you want to improve on.
• Set your own realistic goals, something to work towards that will help you feel
• Learn about what interests you not what you feel you need to.
• Learn to appreciate what other people are doing without comparing yourself to them.
• Most importantly, do all the above for the future you not because you feel pressured to do so!

We would love for you to share your thoughts, advice and tips down below. Check out Our Journal posts and Instagram for more things wellbeing.

Author – Sara Poidevin-Hill