Disclosure – this is a collaborative post.
When you feel like you have low self-esteem, or question the validity of the choices you make, it could be because your confidence has taken a beating. This might be due to the way your body has changed when giving birth to a child, or even from feeling inadequate due to the resources that others have available to them. Rather than continuing to feel despondent, you might want to consider the ways that you can raise your confidence and feel more assured with the way you are living your life and raising your children.
Firstly, you might want to look at the ways that your appearance is affecting your level of confidence. Your breasts in particular may have changed due to pregnancy, childbirth, and even breastfeeding your infant. Getting breast enhancement surgery from Cadogan Clinic may be a viable option for you. This could aid you in giving your breasts a lift, especially if you have noticed visible sagging. Alternatively, you may have liked the increased size that often comes with pregnancy, and feel quite disappointed that they have gone back down. You may want to look into the feasibility of surgery prior to committing, as it might mean that you need additional assistance with childcare while you recover.
It can also be helpful to train your mind to think more positively. This can be incredibly difficult, to begin with, especially if you have suffered from low confidence for a long time. Starting each day with some positive affirmationsmay help you to see the good in yourself that much better. They could also help you to stress less about some of the minor challenges that the day might bring. Within this, you may want to include words regarding your looks, your intelligence, your parenting capabilities, and even words or phrases that make you feel good about yourself.
When it comes to the ways that you parent your child, you may not always know whether or not something is right or wrong. Some aspects can be quite obvious, such as feeding your child or keeping them clean. Whereas some decisions may seem correct but might lead to later difficulties. To give you some assurance on what you are doing as you raise your child, and even to better educate yourself on good parenting practices, you may want to consider attending some parenting classes. These can be found both online and in person, meaning you can work with whichever suits you. Feeling confident in your decisions can also affect your child, helping them to also grow and learn with that same level of confidence.
Another simple but effective way to raise your self-esteem is to recognise what you’re good at. You don’t have to have a world class talent to say you’re good at something, take a look at yourself and think about the things you enjoy doing – these are usually the things that we’re good at! Whether it’s playing video games, making people laugh, cooking, organising or listening to other people’s problems, recognising what you’re good at – no matter how small, can change the way you see yourself and give your self-esteem a much-needed boost.
Would you consider yourself to be an assertive person? If you struggle to say no to people or find your opinions or questions constantly overlooked, then it’s no wonder that you’re feeling a little low on confidence right now. Working on your assertiveness means listening to what others say and what they need whilst receiving the same treatment from them in return. To improve your levels of assertiveness you don’t need to be bullish or pretend to be someone you’re not, take a closer look at those who are assertive and try mimicking their approach to certain situations. It could be the confidence boost you need to change the way others see you and how you see yourself!
When was the last time you challenged yourself? When we find ourselves stuck in a bit of a rut, it’s easy for our confidence to take a hit. This is usually when nerves and fear kick in and the desire to try anything makes us feel low. Instead of fearing failure, why not challenge yourself instead? If there’s something new you want to try, but you’re feeling apprehensive, then why not try a slower approach? Want to join a new gym, but worried you’ll stick out because you don’t know how to use the equipment? Book a 121 session with a gym instructor for guidance, or take a friend for support!
Although no one is perfect, you may often feel like the polar opposite. By finding ways to make you really feel good about yourself, and therefore raise your confidence. Gaining support from others in your life, and even medical professionals could also be of use. Ultimately, being a parent can be quite a challenging role, so you may want to find ways to help you feel more resilient and in control of each situation.
Disclosure – this is a collaborative post.