“Something is wrong with me.”“I am never good enough for anyone.” “I feel worthless.”
How many times have you found yourself stumbling upon these thoughts today? These persistent feelings of self-doubt contribute to your low self-esteem. This reveals a pattern of undervaluing your worth, which further impacts your decisions, relationships, and even overall well-being. Learning how to develop self-esteem is important to recognise your inherent value, irrespective of the highs and lows of life.
At SoulSensei, we provide an array of videos and audios featuring diverse meditation types to ensure you learn how to develop self-esteem, transform your negative thought patterns, discover inner peace, and learn to let go. If you find yourself in a situation where you are questioning your self-worth or indulging in negative self-talk, continually bringing your self-esteem down, then this is the blog for you! We have particularly crafted this blog to help you understand the factors that influence self-esteem and introduce you to various meditation types that can help boost it. But first, let us clear up the basics with the meaning and importance of self-esteem.
Understanding Self-Esteem and its Importance
Self-esteem, at its core, reflects how we perceive and feel about ourselves. The importance of self-esteem lies in its impact on our emotions, relationships and even the decision-making process. Having low self-esteem often manifests as a negative self-view, making us believe we are “not good enough” or “less capable” than others. While an excessively positive and unrealistic self-view can be equally unhelpful, a negative perception of oneself can profoundly impact our lives. It can significantly influence our relationships, increase work-related stress, and heighten the risk of depression and anxiety. But what contributes to our low self-esteem? Let’s learn a few factors that influence self-esteem:
- Age
- Genetics
- Illness
- Disability
- Thought patterns
- Socio-economic status
- Physical abilities
- Neglectful or abusive parents
- Racism
- Discrimination
- Life experiences
Even though these factors lead to low self-esteem, you can work on improving it through various techniques and meditation practices. Upon learning how to develop self-esteem, you:
- Begin to have a clear understanding of what you need and the ability to express your desires.
- Thoroughly recognise, understand and utilise your skills.
- Have a strong relationship with yourself, which further nurtures positive connections with others.
Now that you know the importance of self-esteem, what leads to it, and the outcome of working on its improvement, it is time to discover the various meditation types that can help boost it.
Try These 7 Meditation Types to Improve Your Self-Esteem
Deeply ingrained negative core beliefs from childhood shape our thoughts and emotions, forming the foundation of low self-esteem. Furthermore, our life experiences, illnesses, socio-economic status, etc. enhance this gloomy feeling. By indulging in meditation, we dedicate focused time to improving our relationship with these thoughts and feelings or fostering more positive ones. In fact, evidence suggests that this practice can effectively rewire the brain and enable us to cultivate diverse emotional responses to ourselves and the world around us. Let us take a look at the various meditation types and learn how to develop self-esteem in the most effective ways.
1. Awaken Your Awareness with Mindfulness Meditation
Mindfulness meditation helps us focus on the present, makes us more aware of our negative self-talk, and helps control our negative thinking patterns. It helps recognise and overcome temporary anxiety and prevent it from controlling us, ultimately leading to a boost in self-esteem.
To practise mindfulness meditation, find yourself a peaceful spot and begin to focus on your breaths. When negative or unsettling thoughts occur, recognise them and let them pass without judgement before returning your attention to your breathing.
2. Embrace Self-Love and Compassion with Loving-Kindness Meditation
This is one of the best ways to replace your low self-esteem. This type of meditation derives from ancient Buddhism and is designed to foster self-love and compassion. Over time, it helps us learn how to send ourselves love and kindness, and eventually to others around us. Furthermore, it helps replace negative self-talk with positive affirmations, significantly boosting our self-esteem.
To practise loving-kindness meditation, first find yourself a quiet corner, sit comfortably and begin concentrating on your breath. Then, start fostering feelings of love and compassion for yourself. Gradually extend these feelings to others around you, including your friends, family, and even those you find challenging to deal with.
3. Uplift Your Thoughts with Affirmation Meditation
Affirmation meditation helps transform our negative thought patterns and fosters a positive self-image through affirmations, which eventually boosts our self-esteem. It involves repeating positive mantras or affirmations such as “I love myself, I am enough, I am worthy, and my value is not impacted or decreased by my imperfections and perceptions of others around me.”
To practise affirmation meditation, sit in a comfortable position, close your eyes, and choose affirmations that resonate with you. Keep repeating these affirmations (silently or aloud) to yourself for a few minutes. While at it, focus on what those words mean to you. It is sure to help you let go of your low self-esteem and feel a significant shift in your thought patterns.
4. Release Guilt and Regret with Forgiveness Meditation
Low self-esteem can also be triggered by feelings of guilt and a negative view of oneself. These feelings often stem from something you have done in the past, and you must let them go.
To practise forgiveness meditation, start by forgiving yourself whenever you feel guilty or regretful. Developing the habit of releasing these emotions before they consume you or hamper your routine life can help build your self-esteem and enhance your self-worth.
5. Tune Into Your Body with Body Scan Meditation
Body scan meditation involves focusing on different parts of your body to enhance your connection with it and become aware of any physical sensations or tensions. This practice fosters self-compassion and self-acceptance, which are essential for boosting self-esteem.
To practise body scan meditation, lie down comfortably and close your eyes. Mentally scan your body from head to toe, noticing any sensations or tensions, and consciously relax each area as you progress.
6. Envision a Good Life with Visualisation Meditation
Visualisation meditation is an ideal choice to inculcate positive self-beliefs and boost your self-confidence. In this type of meditation, you create vivid mental images of yourself, evolving and succeeding in various aspects of life.
To practise visualisation meditation, sit in a comfortable position, close your eyes, and imagine yourself embracing your strengths. Imagine yourself overcoming hurdles and accomplishing your long-held dreams. Doing so will help cultivate a more positive self-image and boost your self-esteem.
7. Appreciate the Positive Things of Life with Gratitude Meditation
Gratitude meditation is an excellent way to move your focus away from negative self-talk and towards positive aspects of your life, which results in a more profound sense of self-worth and self-esteem. This meditation involves reflecting on the good things in your life, including personal traits, relationships, and accomplishments.
To practice this style of meditation, sit in a comfortable position and focus on the rhythm of your breath. As you inhale and exhale, think about the various aspects of your life that you are grateful for. This allows you to feel gratitude and appreciation for your life.
We hope this blog helps you learn about the impact of low self-esteem, what causes it and how to move forward from it. Explore our blogs, videos and audios to learn different techniques of meditation and discover life with a whole new perspective.
Sources
- stambridge (2023). These powerful meditations for self-esteem can change your life. [online] Contented Mind – Therapy & Mindfulness.
- Zenguided (2023). Meditation for Improving Self-Esteem: Unleash Confidence. [online]
- Cherry, K. (2021). Why Self-Esteem Is Important for Success. [online] Verywell Mind.
- Art Of Living (United States). (n.d.). Boost Your Self-Esteem through Meditation. [online]
