Beating Low Self-Esteem – Michelle Obama

Beating low self-esteem is a challenge many people face every day. There are ups and downs in life, and with that goes your self-esteem. It fluctuates from high to low — if you let it.

When you’re thriving at work, have a great family life and feel like you’re where you want to be, your self-esteem is naturally going to be high. When you lose a job, get a divorce and have no idea what you even want in life anymore, your confidence will inevitably falter.

Don’t just stand by and watch it deplete. Get yourself in the right mindset, and learn how to keep yourself there, regardless of what’s going on in your life. Beating low self-esteem is possible.

It’s human nature to struggle with self-esteem. However, there are ways you can talk your confidence back up and keep it there, despite any setbacks you may face.

It takes the experience to eventually learn setbacks often come disguised as new opportunities. Really, it’s all how you look at it. When one door closes, another one opens. Here are six of Michelle Obama’s most notable quotes for beating low self-esteem.

Find Ways to Deal With Your Stress

“We each have to find our own coping mechanisms — and this isn’t just in terms of the hesitation of finding our voice, but in how we deal with our own stress. It’s almost like sports. You have to learn how to play through a loss, play through pain, play through an embarrassing decision on the field. Maybe you get a time-out, you go on the sidelines, but you’re going to get back in.”

It’s true. Everyone stresses out about things in everyday life. Whether those things are your career, relationships or something else, it’s important you find a healthy way to relieve your stress.

Learn to deal with your stress so it doesn’t get in the way of your success. You could find stress-relief outlets through workouts, meditation or many other ways.

Maybe you screwed up at work and feel embarrassed or like a failure. However, you can’t quit your job in hopes of finding another one because of one mistake.

You have to take responsibility, learn from your mistakes and move forward. Apply this same principle to all things in your life. If you marriage doesn’t work out, it doesn’t mean you’re necessarily a bad partner or unlovable, it just means it’s time to move on and find the right person.

Invest in Yourself

“We have to feel confident and good about ourselves, and we have to know ourselves, and we have to invest in knowing ourselves before we’re going to be a good school-board member, before we’re going to be a good politician, before we’re going to be a good parent.”

You’ve heard the phrase — you need to love yourself before you can truly love others. It’s the infamous “It’s not you, it’s me.” If you’re not in the right headspace and don’t feel good about yourself, it’s time to refocus your energy on yourself before trying to reach certain goals. Get rid of any other distractions and invest in getting to know yourself.

You’ll find once you establish that deep inner connection with yourself and realize your self-worth, you’re more likely to succeed at a new career, new phase in a relationship and any other goals you may have.

Always Be Your Best

“Whatever we do, let’s really commit to it, and let’s try to be our very best… Then your sphere of desired influence is going to grow. You’ll know where you need to go because you know why you’re doing it, and you’re being motivated by a direct passion and direct self-interest. “

No matter what, try to be your best in everything you do, even if you feel it isn’t necessary. Be the best version of yourself — always. Pay close attention to your passions and interests.

Nurture them, and watch them grow. Commit to what you want to do and who you want to be, and go after it. These are the things that will give you constant motivation because these are the things you truly care about — the things that will ultimately mold you into the best version of yourself.

Surround Yourself With Positive People

“Surround yourself with goodness. I learned early on how to get the haters out of my life. You’ve got to just sort of surround yourself with people who lift you, who hold you up.”

You’ve probably heard someone say you are who you hang out with. It’s true. If you surround yourself with negative low-lives, you’ll undoubtedly deal with haters who constantly try to bring you down. Surround yourself with the right people: positive folks who want you to succeed.

Ignore the Haters

“The best revenge is success and good work. You don’t have to say anything to the haters. You don’t have to acknowledge them at all. You just wake up every morning and be the best you you can be, and that tends to shut them up.”

Even if you surround yourself with good people, haters usually accompany success because people become jealous. The best way to handle them is to pretend they aren’t even there.

Don’t give them a single breath. Just keep on doing what you’re doing, and be the badass you are. Eventually, they’ll move on. A strong sense of self is what will get you past these times, to a point where you don’t even see the negativity or pay it any attention at all.

Always Move Forward

“Again, remember, it’s not what people say about you, it’s what you do. The question is, what are you going to do? How are you going to be better? What are you going to change in your office, in your life, in your relationships? What are you going to change in your family dynamic, and how are you going to empower yourself with the knowledge that you need to know what work needs to be done? We can’t afford to be ignorant, we can’t afford to be complacent. We have to continue the work.”

Basically, always keep pushing forward. Don’t become stagnant. Don’t go backward. Keep on going despite the setbacks or challenges that come your way. Always have confidence in your abilities, in your intuition and in your self-worth.

Beating low self-esteem means knowing that feeling sorry for yourself forever isn’t an option. Although the primary work is in the way you think, you’ll want to ensure you surround yourself with the right people. If you’re immersed in fake relationships or the wrong ones, it will be much harder for you to have healthy self esteem.

In addition to ignoring the haters, find ways to deal with your stress. Invest in yourself, be kind to yourself and keep moving forward.