There is a direct connection between self-esteem and enjoying good health. Much research has been done to confirm this, and since self-esteem can be a very fragile commodity at times, knowledgeable people understand that it’s something that should be carefully nurtured. In Oxford and elsewhere in the country, people assess themselves in comparison with others and generate an idea of themselves based on their appearance and their public persona. The way you see yourself can have an enormous impact on the decisions you make, the actions you take, and the paths that you follow. Senior home care professionals understand that their charges need to have positive self-esteem in order to maintain a good sense of well-being and mental health. In this article, we’ll discuss some ways that seniors can improve their self-esteem, and enjoy improved health at the same time.
Reconsider self-judgments
Most of us have critical thoughts about ourselves that are unnecessary and harmful, and for that reason, it’s a good practice to get into the habit of positively reframing those judgments. Take any given negative thought and transform it into something that’s more neutral or even positive. For instance, you might be self-critical about having asked stupid questions in a group session with others. This can be transformed into more positive thinking, such as the fact that you asked a lot of questions and are far more knowledgeable than you were before. Rather than thinking that you have huge thighs, think about what strong, powerful legs you have. This is a good practice to get into, and it can have an enormous impact on your self-esteem.
Self-compassion
Everyone understands how important it is to show kindness and empathy toward others, but they might not have the same understanding about themselves. Practicing self-compassion can be extremely important for your own self-esteem and your overall health. Part of it includes the recognition that many other people are experiencing the same kind of struggles and hardships that you are, in your life journey. It’s a good idea to get into the habit of talking to yourself in the same kind and gentle manner that you would to a loved one or a friend because you are certainly worthy of that same kind of compassion and consideration.
Prioritize physical activity
One of the biggest impacts on self-esteem can be a regular program of exercise. Research has shown that including a regular program of exercise in your daily routine, it can help you feel much stronger physically and mentally. Exercise also releases the body’s feel-good hormones, endorphins, into the bloodstream and these can make you feel very good about yourself. This is one of the best reasons for including regular exercise in your lifestyle.
Enforcing boundaries
You are perfectly within your rights to establish boundaries so that people understand how you would like them to behave around you. You should also make it clear how you will respond if those boundaries are ignored or violated. As an example, you can set aside at least one evening of each week as personal time that you will use for anything that appeals to you at the time. You have every right to expect that this request will be honored by others, and you’ll feel stronger for having set those boundaries and made people understand how you feel.
Recognize negative thinking
We all have an inner critic inside us that periodically makes its presence known, often in the form of negative thoughts. If you try to ignore these negative thoughts, that will generally cause them to persist and possibly even expand. It’s better to recognize those negative thoughts for exactly what they are, i.e., direct messages from the critic inside yourself. After you’ve practiced identifying these negative thoughts and their source, it should help you to differentiate between critical thoughts and the actual state of being in those same situations.
Body neutrality
One of the best pieces of advice you might get for building up your self-confidence is to learn to accept your body just as it is. This can upgrade you to the point where you can enjoy body neutrality. This is important in itself because it prevents focusing on an overly negative outlook, and it’s just as important to avoid an overly positive outlook. Instead, practice accepting your body just the way it is and having respect for yourself. There are a number of things you can do to help yourself along the path toward body neutrality.
One thing is that you can participate in exercises or recreational activities that don’t really focus on bringing about body changes but just allow you to have fun while participating. You may want to disassociate yourself from social media accounts that arouse strong feelings in you about your body. Another good practice is to get into the habit of identifying body functions in a neutral manner, such as ‘my brain is reading this article’ or ‘my legs are carrying me out for a coffee refill’. The big significance of body neutrality is that it will prevent you from getting too high or too low about your personal appearance, and will allow you to stay on an even keel, thus improving self-esteem and your overall health.