Ways Nigerians Can Improve Their Self-Worth, Self-Confidence And Self-Esteem
Introduction
Self-esteem is a person’s perception and opinion of himself or herself, his or her abilities and value. On the other hand, self-confidence is the belief in one’s ability or competence while self-worth is the belief in one’s value.
High levels of self-confidence, self-esteem and self-worth are vital for living a fulfilled life, achieving career success and maintaining good health, which are especially crucial in the conquering fears and doubts, empowering with courage, determination and persistent drive for excellence.
Today, many Nigerians, due to past experiences or existing adverse circumstances, have low self-esteem, self-confidence and self-worth and this has adversely affected their mental health, career advancement and relationships.
It is instructive to note that there exist several practical means through which every Nigerian can improve his or her self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-worth.
- Purpose
“Your purpose must be particular to you. This is the road less traveled. Your purpose cannot be someone else’s path, not your family’s path nor your friends’ path.”
― William Jennings Bryan
Engaging in positive and meaningful endeavours can be very helpful in enhancing one’s self-esteem, self-confidence and self-worth.
Engaging in purposeful activities and cultivating valuable relationships that improves one’s self and immediate environment can make one appreciate the pleasantness and progress of life, which will invariably improve a person’s image of his or her worth and increase his or her confidence in his or her abilities.
Purpose can also very well, give a unique sense of identity and resulting success to Nigerians.
Some Nigerians suffer low-confidence, poor self-esteem and self-worth due to fears and doubts concerning their abilities and character. In essence, a Nigerian can overcome these fears and insecurities by prioritizing lasting virtues such as respect, truth, service, reliability, patience, diligence, peace, kindness, joy, love, hope, compassion, goodness, sacrifice, contentment, etc.
- Positivity
Thoughts, words and actions exert great influence on a person’s attitude and shapes an individual’s perception. Negative thoughts, words and actions always distort a person’s perception of others, himself and his abilities.
To improve your self-esteem, self-confidence and self-worth, you must replace negative thoughts, words and actions, which make you feel inferior, incapable or worthless.
You can achieve this by consciously thinking positively of, appreciating and recognising yourself as competent, worthy of respect, dignity and honour.
- Education
Gaining new knowledge and acquiring new skills are very effective ways of improving one’s self confidence, self-esteem and self-worth; help make a person believe more in his/her abilities and feel worthy of respect and honour.
Similarly, improving one’s knowledge and skills through practice can aid a person’s career advancement and professional development, and increase income, which will in turn make him or her appreciate himself or her herself as a valuable member of the society.
Gaining knowledge through research, study and practice, counsel and through the acquisition and improvement of relevant skills can effectively boost a person’s self-confidence, self-esteem and self-worth.
- Relationships
As social beings, relations are important in building and maintaining healthy self-confidence, self-esteem and self-worth. The individuals a person relates with constantly are capable of influencing his or her perceptions and confidence level.
People who express irrational negativity about others can influence a person to perceive himself or herself as incompetent and worthless.
In order to improve self-confidence, self-esteem and self-worth, Nigerians must be wary in evaluating voices and people whose words and actions tend to lower confidence levels and make him or her feel inferior.
A practical way to improve self-confidence, self-esteem and self-worth is to maintain the company of those who recognise and acknowledge the efforts and abilities of others and who, through positive actions and encouraging words, help in building and improving the self confidence, esteem and worth of others.
Conclusion
Self-confidence, self-esteem and self-worth, like other things, can be improved.
This can be achieved through: living purposefully; identifying negativity and replacing same with positivity – in thoughts, words and actions; being refined by gaining new knowledge, acquiring skills and improving same through practice; building good and beneficial relationships with people who encourage the growth of one’s confidence, esteem and worth; actively participating in activities that facilitate the well being of others and stretch one’s abilities; and setting and achieving credible goals.
Every Nigerian can improve on the level of his or her self-confidence, self-esteem and self-worth and through this means, achieve career and personal goals, create and maintain positive relationships with others, and discover true and lasting happiness.
Every Nigerian can achieve the highest of heights and gain the greatest happiness possible through constant improvement of his or her self-confidence, self-esteem and self-worth.
*This article [Ways Nigerians Can Improve Their Self-Worth, Self-Confidence And Self-Esteem] was first written by Chukwuebuka Usulor on the 10th of August, 2020 and was last modified by Toju Micheal Ogbe on the 31st of July, 2022.
