Nowadays, people are coping with an excessive amount of stress and negativity. Dealing with this stress is never easy. Sometimes, you may feel bogged down by low self-esteem. Unfortunately, this even happens to some competent and successful individuals.
It is essential to battle such negative thoughts, or they can adversely affect your mental well-being and professional and personal life. You cannot be at peace if such ideas keep popping up in the back of your mind.
Understanding the roots of low self-esteem
You have to understand that inferiority feelings do not crop up in your mind without reason. Some major reasons are:
- For many women and men, constant comparison with classmates or neighbors creates a deep-rooted sense of low self-esteem in their minds. Also, the regressive mindset of parents can lead to the onset of an inferiority complex. For example, parental preference for one sibling over the other may make children feel inferior.
- In the workplace, bullying by senior colleagues or derogatory remarks may sometimes make an employee feel worthless. Failure to get a promotion may make you think others are doing better than you at work. Instances of racism at the workplace can worsen such feelings.
- Sometimes, poor marks in an important exam or failure to achieve a license initially may make students feel inferior to others. Again, this happens because they are conditioned into thinking that excellent exam grades are the only goal, and failure means they are of no use.
- Upbringing in a close-minded, conservative atmosphere may lead people to develop low self-esteem without realizing it.
- In some cases, people pay too much importance to their physical appearance. For example, overweight people or those with undesirable physical features may develop low self-esteem when comparing themselves to others with better physical attributes.
How to deal with feelings of low self-esteem
If you find that the feeling of low self-esteem is overpowering, battle it in the right ways. To achieve success in life and your career, you should never let such oppressive feelings control you.
Listed here are a few ways to combat the feeling of low self-esteem:
Choose friends wisely
It is not only family members or colleagues who may engage in acts to make you feel inferior. Some friends may also do the same thing, although covertly. So, ensure you are in touch with those friends who see the good things in you and motivate you to do better in life. This applies to both online and real-life friends.
Remind yourself of the things you achieved
Try this at those lonely and depressing moments when you feel like you are yet to attain lofty things in life. Make a list of the achievements you have made in your academic and professional life. You may jot down a list and take a deep breath. You will start feeling better gradually.
Letting go of toxic people
A relationship is not worth cherishing if it does not contribute to your growth and happiness. So, feel free to cut ties with people who always try to make you feel inferior and see you in a negative light.
Seeking motivation in outlets
It helps if you read motivational books or watch movies depicting the rise of underdogs. Such content may help you overcome feelings of low self-worth.
Try changing jobs
If the atmosphere at the workplace is repressive and you feel you are not enjoying the ambiance and situation, maybe it is time you change jobs and find a new one. Of course, everyone works to earn money, but a lack of happiness and appreciation for your worth at the workplace is not something you should put up with.
Seek professional help
If you find battling the menace of depression and low self-esteem too tedious, seeking counseling, and expert help is prudent. There is nothing wrong with it. Several high-profile, successful persons seek professional counseling services when they undergo phases of depression.
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