The terms self-esteem and self-confidence are often used interchangeably when referring to how you feel about yourself. Although they are very similar, they are two different concepts. It is important to understand their roles when looking to improve your overall sense of self.

Self-esteem boosters are a good way to begin your journey to building or improving your self-esteem. When you are feeling insecure, nervous, or lacking confidence and self-esteem in a situation, your body language reflects it. Remember the first day of school when you were growing up? Were the confident kids the ones looking down at their shoes, mumbling, and standing shrugging their shoulders? No, they were the ones who were smiling at you, inviting you to sit with them at lunch, and walking around the halls with a purpose. Think about how this plays out in adulthood. Do you walk around like the shy kid who gets pushed around in a crowded cafeteria, or the self-assured, student who has no problem raising her hand in class and making new friends?

Emily Roberts, MA, LPC, is known by many as The Guidance Girl. She is a trained psychotherapist, psychological consultant. She is also the author of Express Yourself: A Teen Girls Guide to Speaking Up and Being Who You Are. Her mission is to empower, inspire, and educate others. She is passionate about teaching her workshops about self-esteem and self-confidence. Her experience in private practice, academic settings and hospital settings helped her develop programs and workshops for children and adults of all ages, which focus on loving yourself and feeling your best. As an expert in the” millennium generation”, she frequently speaks to parents and schools on cyberbullying and technology related issues, as well as lectures on developing self-esteem and empowerment.