1. Wear Something Daring:
There is nothing to be afraid of! Go put on that beautiful dress you have had hanging in your closet all year long. Don’t worry about what others think; when you look your best, you will begin to feel it as well. Wearing something that makes you feel sexy is the best way to give yourself that extra boost. Sure, you might think, “I will wear the dress once I complete my resolution to lose weight or get healthier,” but you shouldn’t have to wait in order to start feeling the result: a more confident you. So go ahead and wear what you want and be prepared to look and feel beautiful.
2. Positive Words:
Every morning as you get ready to start your day, think of one positive word that you would like to implement into your life and try acting on it. You can use words such as fabulous, dashing, intelligent, courageous, fierce, healthy… the list goes on and on! Let’s say that your word today is “productive.” All day you should try to make choices that will help you be productive. You could do some reading while you eat lunch or start brainstorming for an essay as you talk with friends. If you do it with a group of friends it will be much easier because you will remind each other to think of a positive word for the day. You could even mix it up and start a word exchange with friends to get others involved.
3. Surround Yourself with Good Friends:
Allow yourself the guilty pleasure of having a girls’ night. Do something new and fun that will force you to have a well-deserved laugh attack. You can go out for dinner at that restaurant you have been dying to check out or sneak off for a midnight bike cruise. Go to the spa, or better yet, save your money and have a spa day at your place; paint your nails and gossip with your girlfriends. Seventeen Magazine wrote that painting your nails is a great way to relieve stress, so bring on the Barbie pink nails and the relaxation! There is no faster way to boost your self-esteem than being with good friends who make you feel great. Just remember not to laugh too loud after quiet hours if you live on-campus or you might have CAs knocking at your door
4. Get Active:
Finding an activity that you are enthusiastic about and investing an hour a day will leave you with a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. Doing something you enjoy allows you to know that you have plenty to offer and will leave you no time to sit around thinking of the things you can’t do or are not good at. It is also a great way to meet new people that share your passion because you can join a club concerning that certain talent. If you like rock climbing for example, hit the SRC’s rock wall and while there you might find people with your same interest. You can also share your talent with others. If you like to sing, you could go to the open-mic night on campus and sing a song for your peers. The feedback you receive will boost your self-esteem in a quick second.
5. Look for Beauty:
That’s right, look for beauty not only in yourself, but in others as well. Telling others that you like something they are wearing or the way they look may seem a bit intimidating at first, but it’s not as difficult as it sounds. If the girl walking past you has a beautiful pair of shoes just tell her, “I love your shoes,” with a winning smile and walk away. Complimenting others will make you feel good because there is no greater joy than knowing you brightened their day. You can’t expect others to compliment you if you aren’t willing to do the same. Remember to be sincere and not sarcastic; it might be tough to reach out to people, but it is totally worth the effort. In the end you will have raised another person’s self-esteem that day and in return yours. It’s a win-win.
Implement these five tips into your life this year and it is guaranteed to give your self-esteem that extra boost to start off the New Year and your semester. The results will be amazing and utterly painless!