Ten ways to boost your self-esteem

• If I went to sleep last night with a question in mind, am I any closer to an answer now? (If you don’t have that answer yet, don’t chase it. Wait until it comes.)
  
• What am I happy about in my life? (It doesn’t have to be large or wonderful. Small happinesses count.)
  
• What am I excited about?
  
• What am I proud of?
  
• What am I grateful for?
  
• What am I committed to?
  
• Who do I love?
  
• Who loves me?

Break the negative circle by starting to include other people in your life. If this seems difficult, think of it as giving as well as taking. Join a voluntary organisation or club and offer to help. This is not only a distraction from your problems, but also generates feelings of self worth.

4. Get some exercise
Include more exercise in your life. Working out, particularly outdoors, is a great way to generate your own ‘feel-good’ chemicals and will give you body confidence as well as energise you. People who exercise regularly tend to look good, they have better skin tone, better muscle tone and their movements are easier and more balanced. If you have physical poise and strength, it’s much easier to feel confident inside as well.

5. Relax
Do you spend a lot of time feeling anxious and stressed? Learning to breathe like a relaxed and confident person will help you cope with daily stresses, and it’s the simplest habit you could ever learn.

There are lots of books and classes about this and, if you like the idea, you could take up meditation or yoga and become a master of poise and positive energy.

Take a look at our guide to meditation.