You are your own harshest critic. While everyone has down days and occasional doubts about their good qualities, many people experience persistent low self-esteem daily. It can cause them to feel insecure and unmotivated and, if unchecked, can lead to depression and anxiety.

Low self-esteem is usually self-inflicted. People’s opinions of themselves are often skewed towards the features they perceive as unfavorable while ignoring the many positives. Your view of yourself is the only one that truly matters, so what can you do to boost your self-esteem and feel more confident about who you are?

Be kinder to yourself

Your inner critic can be cruel. When you hear that little voice criticizing your abilities or the way you look, don’t listen to it. Learn to shut it out. If an acquaintance expressed nasty opinions about you, you wouldn’t hesitate to shut them out of your life. So why accept it from yourself? Learn to be mindful of your inner voice and notice it whenever it pops up in your mind. Rather than listening to the criticism, simply take those negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones. For every criticism, your inner voice comes up with, think of three positive things. To feel better about yourself, you must start by treating yourself better.

Change something

One brilliant way to rid yourself of that persistent feeling of self-doubt is to shake things up. Do something different. That’s not to say you should change who you are or how you look, but making one little change can make a big difference in how you perceive yourself. If you’ve always had the same hairstyle or have worn the same clothes, why not mix it up? Cutting your hair short or growing it long could change everything. For men, if you’re clean-shaven, try growing a beard. Or if you have a beard, try shaving it off. What about a tattoo or an eye-catching new piercing? For an out-there look, check out a bone septum ring, found here. Only you can decide what’s right. But you must make a change you’re comfortable with, don’t go changing who you are.

In case the changes you made don`t make you feel comfortable you can always decide to remove your tattoo.

Get moving

Exercise is a great way to feel good about yourself. It gives you a framework for setting positive targets, giving you confidence when you hit them. Couch to 5K is a great program to help beginners to get started. Just the act of getting outside and going for a casual run can do wonders. Breaking a sweat causes the body to release endorphins, which are known for making you feel happy.

Treat yourself

There’s no better way to show a loved one you care than by giving them a treat. Show yourself some love by taking the time to enjoy the things that make you happy. It could be running a relaxing bath with some music and a big glass of wine, or it could be ordering a takeaway and watching your favorite film at home. Whatever makes you feel good, make time for it.

Think about these tips next time low self-esteem starts getting you down, and you will be better equipped to feel great about yourself.

Have a listing you think should be featured contact us or email at Jeremy@offthemrkt.com to tell us more! Follow Off The MRKT on Twitter and Instagram, and like us on Facebook.