As you may or may not know that self esteem affects all of us, there's no escaping it!

In essence self esteem is a measurement of how we value ourselves as individuals, this works on both a personal level and how we feel we are being valued or judged by others.

Although they may not be consciously aware, everyone is constantly trying to improve their self esteem. The problem many encounter though is they're not educated and particular enough with the areas of their life where they feel they're falling short.

This article will provide 5 tips for improving self esteem that you can apply immediately for better results.

1. First it's important to identify the areas you feel you're under-achieving and take action on improving them, it's wise to create a check-list in order to track your progress.

I would start by taking into consideration the social aspect of my life and how I interact with other people.

As you progress you can use your check-list to cross out or put a check-mark next to any of the areas you feel you have improved upon.

2. Once you've identified and taken note of the areas you feel you could improve on it's important to find the motivation and drive that will allow you to complete each of them.

If you feel others may be of benefit in helping you move closer to your goals then let them know and confide in them, using accountability or inspiration from others is a great way to find the motivation you need.

3. I know given the nature of this article this may sound a little "cliche" but it is extremely important to do the things that make you feel good not only about yourself but of others as well.

You can start by making just a few minor yet noticeable changes, it could literally be anything that makes you feel good such as some new clothing or even making an effort to re-kindle some old friendships.

I recently made friends again with some old school buddies (we were like chalk and cheese at school), I lost contact for over 10 years and recently tracked them down on Facebook, we met up and caught up and it really made me feel good.

That's just one example, but it really can be anything that makes you feel good!

4. Stop striving for perfection! This is a common factor associated with having low self esteem and unfortunately is a vicious circle!

If you're aiming for absolute perfection in everything you do then you're setting yourself up for lowering your self esteem as when you don't quite reach your target or your expectations of the desired outcome you'll feel that you aren't good enough when in fact you set an unrealistic challenge.

It's likewise important that you stop comparing yourself to others!

There are certain things you will be good at and certain things you will not be so good at, it's perfectly normal and a way of nature it's what makes us all unique.

5. Tune into the emotions of others and think about their needs! It's all to common for us to get so caught up in our own self-pity that we fail to see the problems or circumstances within the lives of others around us.

Be a good friend and listener, generally be there for people and you'll naturally attract positivity back into your own life.

To wrap up I want to set you a small challenge related to tip 5. This is something I do regularly and it really lifts my spirits yet it's such a small gesture!

The next time you walk by a homeless person spare them some change, it doesn't have to be a lot (I assure you they will be grateful for anything).

Think of their situation and put your own in perspective with theirs, is your life really so bad?

For me it's a powerful and warming feeling to know that literally a few coins that I wont miss will help ensure that person gets a warm meal inside them that night.

That's just one example, there are a number of things that you can do to that literally take little time and cost little that will help to raise your self esteem if applied on a regular basis..