Agnostic.com

8 6

What are the best ways you know to help someone build self esteem?
Mine would be to encourage them to do something they are interested in that's new and progress at it. Gaining new skills and improving at something can be great for gaining confidence.

girlwithsmiles 8 Apr 27
Share

Enjoy being online again!

Welcome to the community of good people who base their values on evidence and appreciate civil discourse - the social network you will enjoy.

Create your free account

8 comments

Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.

1

Depends a bit in the age of the person.
In most cases, achieving something that is a challenge for them.
Can be tricky, they don't need failures, that has the opposite effect.
Sharing the project with them helps in a number of ways.
If it fails, show them how to laugh it off, cop it on the chin and move on, also 2 people are more likely to achieve, each making up for theo others weaknesses. And if successful, the joy of sharing the success.

Yes, I've done high ropes and outdoor stuff with street kids before, but there aren't the same opportunities for that in the UK, but i'm sure there must be other things we could try.

1

As a teacher (music) one of the first things I have to try to get people to do is not freak out over making a mistake. The only way to avoid mistakes is not to try in the first place. You also have to convince people that they can do pretty much anything they set their mind to. Not necessarily at a professional level, but if you work on anything long enough, you will get better. Little kids know this. Ask any of them if they can draw or sing or whatever and they all say "Sure!". Then somewhere along the line they develop, or are convinced by others, the idea that only "special" people can do whatever, and if what I do isn't perfect I'm a failure.

Very well said.

1

It all depends on what is bringing that person's self esteem down. Lest say a girl with a huge nose has been bullied all the time because she is not # 10. The only way to solve her problem is plastic surgery....and whoever says "no" didn't meet one of my former students....neither heard what her classmates used to say to her.

Oh that's sad, I guess she did get surgery then.

@girlwithsmiles I mentioned her case in another thread. She was a completely different person after the surgery....and she told me no to ask her how she got the money for it...she was only 19 y/o.

2

Helping others can be beneficial too--mentoring, teaching someone else something that you know, volunteering, etc.

1

Find what they are interested in, then talk with them about it. Find out what draws them to that. For BOB's sake, I would never introduce them to a group until they were ready to fly.

2

What you said but just include them, or at least try, just being part of a group can be a beginning 🙂

5

I tell people all the wonderful things that I see in them and let them know that's it's okay to express their emotions. We don't always have to be happy, or unafraid, or confident. It's okay to feel the whole rainbow of emotions that life has to offer.

Mea Level 7 Apr 27, 2018

Yes, I've just come across a couple of women recently that seem to have very low self esteem and it seems to be a major issue affecting other areas in their lives. I was hoping that brainstorming esteem building exercises would give me some insight into how to assist.

6

The SNL skit of daily affirmations was actually spot on. Part of building self esteem is to break the negative narrative in your own head

GwenC Level 7 Apr 27, 2018

Cool, thanks. Found this one with Michael Jordan:

@girlwithsmiles Oh, thank you so much for this. As a 12-stepper I love Stuart Smalley. Just having a hard time reconciling Al's bad behavior towards women.

@kmdskit3 oh, this is the first time I've watched him, will keep an eye out for that, ta.

@girlwithsmiles 'Stuart Saves His Family' is the movie. Very funny.

Write Comment
You can include a link to this post in your posts and comments by including the text q:67761
Agnostic does not evaluate or guarantee the accuracy of any content. Read full disclaimer.