Low self-esteem is a characteristic of the person from a psychological point of view, but nevertheless it’s a good idea to view it as a disease. It’s similar to a disease in the fact that it brings lots of negative impact in your life. From the overall feeling of worthlessness, through the increased chance of mood disorders and depression, and finally – the enormous amount of missed opportunities, low self-esteem can be the doom of proper development , advancement, and improvement as a person. It’s very inconvenient , and it’s also something that a lot of people suffer from.
First off, let’s make something clear – from a scientific and psychological point of view, the healthy mode of self-esteem is high self-esteem. That doesn’t mean you need to be condescending to others, or generally arrogant. This only means that you should be brave enough not to consider yourself unworthy of certain benefits , or incapable of acting in a certain way. Go from the idea that you are entitled to things you have, and you’re entitled to feeling happiness.
There are several techniques and mind exercises you can use to your advantage if you want to improve your self-esteem. First off, try to find some distance from people that are regularly mean. People who go overboard when criticizing, or people who consider it normal to make vulgar and arrogant remarks are the ones you need to stay away from , at least temporarily. Sometimes, it’s their sense of humor, but people often get carried away, and you might get hurt from that. Strive to avoid such people and you’ll feel better, as much as to pick up the pieces of your broken self-esteem at least.
Another thing you should remember, and you should strive to improve in yourself, is to stop comparing yourself to other people, at least not the way most people with low self-esteem (the term we use in Denmark is lavt selvværd behandling) do. A common thing between people with low self-esteem , is that they deliberately pick the best qualities in other people , and the worst in themselves, and then compare them. Such a comparison is not only like comparing apples and pears, but it is also fruitless, it brings no benefits, nor any accurate judgment of any kind, which is why you should do your best to stop it.
Learning how to give and take criticism is also crucial , since that is an important and common part of our lives, and doing it in a certain way will make it easier for you to deal with your low self-esteem. Learn to accept negative criticism with a smile and an apology, but only when you’re convinced the other person is right. If he’s not , be sure to tell him or her on the spot. Say “I’m sorry, but I don’t agree”. This will help you a lot with all the “witty remarks” or direct criticism you might receive, both in your professional life and in your personal life.
And remember – you control your life, and you control how you see yourself.

Author's Bio: 

I am Sawas Dee, and this is just one of my articles on psychology and psychotherapy. Check the rest out in my profile.