This article about boosting self esteem shows some ways you can boost it fairly quickly. Other things can be implemented at a later time. The faster you use these ideas, faster you will develop fabulous self esteem. I am writing about eight tips in four general categories: (1) Your activities, (2) The people in your life, (3) Your attitude, and (4) Your personal care.

Oh the Things You Can Do!

Tip #1: Get involved in fun activities or hobbies.

Find time to do things you enjoy like listening to music, working in the yard, carving wood, or drawing. I enjoy writing, and now I write many hours a week. When you do things you enjoy, you boost your self esteem.

Tip #2: Be productive.

Not all activities are fun. Some of these things help you feel better when you finish them such as balancing your checkbook or mopping the floor. Getting rid of clutter also helps. I have battled clutter in my life, and I feel better when papers are organized.

Being Around the Right People

Tip #3: Spend time with people who have positive attitudes.

These people usually keep busy doing things around the house or doing community activities. Being around people who complain all the time can make you tempted to find things wrong with your life and to feel angry or sad. I have spent time around people who gossip and complain. I find myself tempted to do the same thing, so I usually walk away or put it “in one ear and out the other ear.”

You will find people with positive attitudes have problems just like other people. They don’t dwell on these things unless they are taking action to battle the problems. They generally know when to take action and when to let things go.

Tip #4: Confront people who put you down (and better yet, spend less time with them if possible).

If people are mean to you or you suspect they have been saying bad things about you behind your back, you basically have a couple of choices for dealing with it without lowering your self esteem. You can confront them, spend less time around them, or be nice to them without expecting them to be nice to you. If you have to work closely with that person or see that person all the time, one way to cope is to tell yourself you are a worthy person and rehearse in your mind your skills and accomplishments.

Winning attitude

Tip #5: Look on the positive side of things.

When I left my job in Ohio and came with my husband and brother-in-law to California to take care of Mom, working with her was often difficult. She was very old and was in poor health. Instead of dwelling on how much I missed my old job, I focused on providing high quality care for Mom and on showing her I loved her. People with positive attitudes often look on the bright side of things.

One quote I learned while growing up was “Every cloud has a silver lining.” It is so true. When we were in Ohio, we spent a lot of time indoors, and we were playing games on Facebook instead of doing productive things. Now we spend more time outdoors and we are now actively involved with a local church.

Be Good to Yourself

Tip #6: Take care of your personal hygiene.

My husband, Bob, had a good idea for getting myself motivated to work on articles and blogging. He said to wear street clothes instead of my night clothes. I feel more professional in street clothes. I also brush my teeth and brush my hair daily. I take showers and take care of my personal grooming. I feel more professional, and even though I work at home, I don’t want to look like I am just lounging around the house when I am really working on the computer.

Tip #7: Exercise on a regular basis.

I used to exercise regularly when I had a regular job. I would walk with a friend during lunch time (I had one hour for lunch). Now, finding time for exercise is a challenge, especially due to the fact I have problems with some of my joints when I overuse them. I have tendonitis in one of my shoulders, so I am going slowly with yard work. I don’t want to aggravate my shoulder again. I can also walk. I have been focused on the writing business and not getting enough exercise. Doing yard work is a step in the right direction.

Tip #8: Eat healthy food.

When you eat a lot of fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, and whole grains, your body is able to use it to provide energy and to keep you healthy. I don’t always do that because I like sweets. However, I do like dried fruits and nuts, and those are good for health also. I feel better when I eat healthy food than when I eat sweets all the time.

In this article, I talked about eight tips related to various areas in your life so you can find different ways to take care of yourself and boost self esteem. Some of these things are easier to implement than others. If you look through the ideas and decide which ones to start right away, you will start feeling better about yourself. When you have fabulous self esteem, you have a better quality of life (for instance, getting better friends and taking care of your health). When you implement those ideas, you may find it awkward at first. Changing habits don’t happen overnight. Just remind yourself these ideas will lead you to a happier life.