[MtnTime2896]

Does anyone here have certain techniques or exercises that assist with boosting one's self-esteem?

Force myself to do two things:
--A 4.5 mile daily walk. Makes me feel like I accomplished something and I have lost 15 pounds since I started working toward that distance last year. My clothes do fit better.
--I force myself to ask for things that I need. (Therapy session, sex, things around the house). If someone doesn't respond (maybe my son doesn't mow the lawn as I asked), I remind myself that I do things for them every day (I cook all the time from scratch). I remind myself that I have a right to ask. And when they are responsive to the request, it boosts my self-esteem a lot.
I think that forcing myself to do things when I was depressed (they were really hard then and I could not consistently do them until I started healing) helped me recover.

[jackie948]

I listen to the music when i feel low in the life, there are many inspirational songs out there and music helps me too much, whenever i feel low i listen to music. You may also try it out

I also suffer terribly from low self-esteem...I know the cause of it, but I don't think that knowing the cause necessarily helps fix it.

Low self-esteem definitely affects everything in your life...to me it is the root of all of my problems (too much self-analysis there....). This is such a HUGE thing that I don't know how to chip away at it.

I do know that when I do something that I am pleased with (unusual), it helps. So do what you know you do well...and do a lot of it.
If you can volunteer anywhere, that will help (caution...you need to be able to volunteer. It's tough when you have depression as it can bring you down if you're not at a certain place.
Anything that is an accomplishment...and anything that brings order to life, I find, works to an extent....clean out that closet, take stuff to Goodwill. Paint a wall....you get the idea. I don't find that starting a huge project that I know will take days or weeks is good for me...in fact it's the opposite as I will beat myself up for not doing it quickly enough, so make sure you can get it done pretty quickly.

Anyway. There is a section of this forum dedicated to self-esteem. (I was directed toward it but haven't been in a while)...Let's wander over there together

[eliz214]

I find it helpful sometimes to write down or think about the things I like about myself... even little things like "I'm a kind person" and just try to repeat them in my mind when I'm feeling really down. Also remembering that our thoughts are not the truth! We may think negative things about ourselves but that does not mean they are true just because we think them.

[TerryL]

I have very low self esteem too and for myself, i have found that getting to the root of it has helped me some. the root cause was my relationship with my mother. she was emotionally distant so I felt loved and rejected at the same time. but I had to understand why she was like that. it probably was because her mother was not very nurturing. and my grandmother's mother was probably the same and the cycle goes back and back. i now understand that they could not give what they themselves had never received. so i have forgiven them all. this does not work for everyone as some people have been terribly abused by the people who raised them. still, i hope some of this will help you. many warm hugs to (((you))).

[basicgoodness]

I would invite you to replace the concept of self-esteem with self-acceptance. Self-esteem is dependent on one's achievements, popularity, success and other external circumstances. It is hard to have self-esteem when you have failed, feel left out or ignored or when things seem to be falling apart. Self-acceptance means having compassion for yourself, despite your failings, weaknesses, loneliness, confusion, etc. Self-esteem is fragile; self-acceptance is more durable.

[Fuzzybear]

Originally Posted by basicgoodness

I would invite you to replace the concept of self-esteem with self-acceptance. Self-esteem is dependent on one's achievements, popularity, success and other external circumstances. It is hard to have self-esteem when you have failed, feel left out or ignored or when things seem to be falling apart. Self-acceptance means having compassion for yourself, despite your failings, weaknesses, loneliness, confusion, etc. Self-esteem is fragile; self-acceptance is more durable.