If we have high self-esteem, we feel good about ourselves. And if we feel confident, we feel like there are things we’re good at. But sometimes, our confidence gets knocked, or we don’t like ourselves very much.
We can all feel like this at times, but when we feel like this for a long time, it can become a problem.
Whatever affects your confidence or self-esteem, it’s important to remember that you have the right to feel good about yourself. We’re here to help you find a way.
Believing in yourself, your abilities and ideas – this could be knowing a suggestion you have in class is a good one, feeling like you can learn a new song your band wants to perform, or knowing you can ask someone out without getting cold feet.
Negative experiences can lower your confidence and self-esteem, like going through a breakup or being teased about your appearance. And positive experiences can boost your confidence and self-esteem, like doing well on a test, getting a compliment on how you look, or doing something nice for a friend or neighbour.
What affects your confidence and self-esteem can be different for different people. These experiences might affect our confidence or self-esteem positively or negatively:
It might feel like a big step to make changes. Start by trying a couple of new things each week, until you find what works for you. Go at your own pace and don’t put too much pressure on yourself – small changes can make a big difference.
