1. Comparing Yourself To Others

This isn't always a bad thing. Other people can inspire us, reassure us and empower us but how does it make you feel when look at other people's lives? Are photos of tidy homes, exotic holiday locations or perfect Sunday roasts making you feel as if you are not good enough. People tend not to talk about or post photos of their failures and it is important to hold this in mind next time you are making a social comparison. Those who constantly post photos of their "perfect" lives could also have low self-esteem. Their lives might not match up to the image they are projecting onto social media.

2. Difficulty Accepting Positive Feedback or Compliments

Compliments and positive feedback can be difficult to trust. Do you question the motive of the person giving the compliment? Do you brush off "That's a lovely dress." with "Oh, it makes me look fat"? How about if we switch it? When you receive a criticism, do you dismiss it or do you believe it to be true and let it chip away at you? Maybe it's easier to accept the negative comments because they are matched to the beliefs you already have about yourself while the positive comments are not.

3. Difficulty Holding Your Boundaries

Those who didn't have their boundaries respected as children often have difficulties maintaining them later in life. Poor boundaries can be an inability to say no, having others asking too much of you and doing things for them that could exhaust or overwhelm you for fear of disappointing them. Setting boundaries can improve your sense of identity and your wellbeing.

4. People Pleasing

Neglecting your own needs for the sake of making others happy is a common behaviour in those who lack confidence. Although there is nothing wrong with being a nice person and wanting to make people happy, doing it to the detriment of your own happiness can be draining and lead to you not being true to yourself. People pleasing behaviour can include agreeing when you don't agree, being busy doing things for others and leaving no time for you and taking the blame for something that isn't your fault.

5. Feelings of Hopelessness

Having a gloomy outlook on the future can also be a symptom of low self esteem. It can be difficult to take positive steps towards improvement and there can be a tendency to procrastinate or self-sabotage. Hopelessness can contribute to feeling depressed and a loss of interest in work, social occasions and engaging with others.

This is the second of a series of posts around the theme of low self esteem. If this post resonates with you and you think I might be able to help, please feel free to contact me via email, through one of my social media pages or using the contact form here.