A Woman's Work – Brooke Basically Blogging

We always experience periods in our life when our self-esteem is soaring high.  But what about the times when your self-esteem is wavering.  No matter how much “self talk” you do, you can’t pull yourself up.

You feel like you aren’t pretty enough, thin enough, smart enough, or worthy enough.  You feel unloved and isolated.  When things are going well, your kids are flourishing, you have success on your job, and your love life is on fire.  You are the poster child for self-esteem.

These five tips helped me when my self-esteem hit rock bottom.

1.  Walk the Walk:  When you walk into work, into a room, or down the street.  Walk boldly with your head held high.  Walk like the CEO of the company. Walk with confidence. Walk like Naomi Campbell on the runway.  When you enter a room your presence will be known without you even speaking a word. It’s all in the walk. Your posture, the sway in your hips and the bounce in your step. Work it!
2. Talk to the Woman in the Mirror: When you look into the mirror each morning. Claim your victory. Envision a wonderful day. Look at yourself in the mirror and remind yourself of your worth and inner beauty.  Do something extra to make you feel like a million dollars. Is it a new scarf, jewelry, or new hairstyle? Get rid of the negative talk in your head.
3. Smile and embrace your inner self.  Remind yourself of all of the wonderful qualities that you have. If you need to write them down and read them daily, do that.  Remember that you have so much to offer the world around you.  Take a chance and try something new. Wear that smile!
4. Surround Yourself With Supportive People:  Misery loves company.  When you are rebuilding your self-esteem find people who are truly in your corner. This may hurt because you will find out who your true friends are.
5. Stop the comparison game: You can’t compare yourself to a friend and wonder why you don’t have what they have and that something must be wrong with you. The only person you should be competing with is yourself. Not the neighbor next door, the coworker or a family member.  You need to be able to survive your own journey. Trust me you might not really want the life that they have.  Focus on why you are important and valuable. Compare how far you have come and how much progress you have made.

Will this be an easy process? Probably not but it is definitely worth it. Because you are worth it.  My self-esteem was shattered when I moved to Delaware. It took time for me to rebuild my self-esteem to the woman I once knew as Brooke Butler.  When the negative feelings pop in your head, don’t let them stay. You are beautiful, more than enough, smart enough, valuable, kind and loving. If people can’t see that, than find people who see you for the diamond that you are.

~Brooke