Do you wish you could take control of your inner critic, that voice in your head that constantly puts you down? It is the critical inner voice that says unkind things about you and paints a negative view of who you are. If you don't take control of this inner critic, it can become quite powerful and authoritative, which will make you pay more attention to it. This can end up damaging your self-esteem. But you can take control of the inner critic and find peace of mind.

I’m Sam Woolfe, and I’m really excited to start writing on building self-esteem for HealthyPlace. For a long time, I have struggled with low self-esteem, low self-worth, harsh self-criticism and even self-hatred. Thoughts and feelings related to low self-esteem have, no doubt, held me back in many ways, but they never seemed like some big issue I had to address. That was, until, certain life events, stressful situations, magnified and intensified these thoughts in a depression.

Your job affects your self-esteem in both positive and negative ways. Many people today report more dissatisfaction with their jobs, and this impacts them even when they aren't working. Do you feel unhappy or energetically drained by the work you do? If so, there are a few things you can do to protect your self-worth and your energy. You can't stop your job from affecting your self-esteem, but you can do things that balance any negativity.

If you don't show yourself respect, neither will other people. How are you supposed to feel confident, assertive and develop self-esteem if you don't show yourself some respect? Others may take advantage of you, people can be intimidating or situations you encounter may be so overwhelming it makes it hard to respect yourself. I've got three simple tools that can help you feel more confident communicating with others so you can show yourself respect.

Helping others improves your self-esteem and sense of purpose. People who volunteer their time, donate to a cause they care about, or aid someone in need of assistance, have higher self-esteem and overall wellbeing. How can you help others and improve your self-esteem?

Did you know it is possible to manage frustrations with confidence? When there is no immediate solution to a problem, say you can't find your car keys, or you have to do something you've been dreading, there is a skill that helps you manage frustrations confidently. The IMPROVE Skill is a dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) tool that I've found to be helpful for reducing daily stressors and drama that finds its way into frustrating my life.

You can reduce anxiety and gain confidence over your emotions, even during stressful times. I've struggled with anxiety since I was a child and have found some skills that help reduce anxiety, while also improving self-esteem. The skill I want to share with you has allowed me to feel in control when anxiety intrudes and my confidence declines. It helps me reduce my anxiety while gaining confidence.

Body confidence declines dramatically during the summer. The more skin you see, the more insecure you feel. This doesn't just affect females, or people who have struggled with eating disorders. Everyone is susceptible to lower body confidence, which can interfere with building self-esteem and feeling confident in other areas of your life.

Each day is an opportunity to change your self-esteem. If you struggle with negative self-talk, insecurity or believe that it's too late to build self-esteem you are wrong. You deserve to feel confident and happy with your life. Others may have told you that low self-esteem is impossible to change, but that is not the case at all. In fact, small shifts can lead to tremendous gains in self-esteem and I have several ways you can change your self-esteem starting today.

Your behavior can make you look insecure to others, but you don't need to look insecure. Without knowing it, you may act in a way that shows others you struggle with confidence. However, we've all done it and instead of beating yourself up, learn how to change these behaviors so that you can appear confident and not look insecure.