Low Self Esteem and Depression – Tips to Increase Your Self Esteem (Part 1)
Low self-esteem and depression create a cycle that can lead to a sense of hopelessness. Even mild depression can cause feelings of inadequacy, low energy, and a feeling of being overwhelmed, even by small tasks. Obviously, if you need medical help, get it. But acknowledge other factors. For example, when our energy is low and we get less done, it can contribute to our sense of worthlessness. Most of my life I have experienced cyclical moments when my energy is low. I have come to recognize the interaction it has with my self-esteem. Here are some tips that have helped me.
1. Limit TV time. Television promotes images of “beautiful” people, all of them either highly successful or extraordinarily dysfunctional. Most of these “beautiful” people have unlimited wealth, perfect health, a selection of desirable mates, and enthusiastic work lives. This is fiction! Watching too much television can make a person with low self-esteem feel like they will never be enough. Also, watching TV can be addictive and cause us to withdraw from life. That is the worst thing you can do when you feel sad. Personally, I find television very addictive. In fact, I am entering a third period of my life where I will give up my television. Every time I put my TV down, I lose weight, gain more, and make more friends.
2. Find a good way to make your day easier. Make a plan to spend a few minutes each morning doing something you love. If you love to read, get up 30 minutes earlier than necessary and read a chapter of a novel. Maybe you like to be outside; Spend 10 minutes weeding your yard, playing with your dog, or walking a couple of blocks around your neighborhood before getting ready for work. Go to bed half an hour earlier if necessary.
3. When you are tired, take a rest. We live in a culture that is on 24/7. This is not natural. Many people take antidepressants and other medications, when they may just need more rest.
4. Do a “homework” shortly after waking up. Something as simple as making your bed can make you feel like you’ve accomplished something. If you buy the right bedding material, it will take 2-3 minutes.
5. Break tasks into smaller projects. Instead of saying, I’m going to clean out my office, learn how to clean out a drawer. This will give you something more manageable. The more manageable, the easier it is to complete a project. This helps strengthen our self-esteem.