Whether you have chronic low self-esteem or your confidence has taken a recent beating over a life crisis, job loss, or break-up, don’t feel bad. Everyone’s self-image takes a hit once in a while and can use a boost.

If you feel like you see only the negatives when you look at your personality, abilities, appearance, and life in general, learn to see yourself in a whole new light by using these five steps.

1.     Exercise

Nothing can change your opinion of yourself faster than exercise. It’s hard to feel bad when you’ve just crushed a workout or you’ve reached a physical milestone you never thought possible. All those endorphins – the feel-good chemicals your body releases when you exercise – work to boost your mood. And stress hormones, like cortisol, lower through exercise. That’s a win-win situation for you.

If you have been more of a couch potato than a dedicated athlete for years, you’re going to want to start slow. Even if it means taking a walk around the block to get yourself started, it’s still more than you did the day before.

Before long, your walks will lengthen, your pace will become faster, or you may decide to start running. The thing about exercise is that it’s addictive. If you do something every day, before long, it won’t feel right if you skip a day. You’ll learn to think of yourself as an athlete or an active person – both those terms have positive connotations that will increase your self-image.

2.     Find a Role Model

Is there someone you envy for how together their life seems? Take a hard look at what you love about them and try to incorporate that into your own life.

If you admire the strong social network of family and friends they have, create your own by treating the people in your life as a priority. If you love how physically fit and grounded they seem to be, ask what kind of exercises and activities they do and incorporate some into your week.

3.     Organize and Clean Up

Sometimes our surroundings eat away at us. If you’re living in a mess, you sometimes feel like your life is messier than it actually is. Clutter and filth aren’t fun to look at, but more than that, they can cause stress. A messy house and workplace can make us feel overwhelmed and filled with anxiety.

If your self-image isn’t what you’d like it to be, take a look at your home and surroundings. Do you like what you see? Does it fill you with a sense of calmness? Or does your blood pressure seem to spike every time you look around? Does it make you feel worse about yourself instead of better?

If your house or workplace is so cluttered or messy it makes you anxious, embarrassed, or guilty, you can alter your self-image just by cleaning it up. You’ll feel like the type of person who has control over their life if your surroundings are neat and organized.

While it can feel overwhelming to fix this aspect of your life, it’s one of the easiest steps to complete on this list. The first thing you should do is purge. Get rid of what you don’t need or things you haven’t used in a long time. If you use it occasionally, try to find some out-of-sight place to store it, like a closet you rarely go into, an attic, or a basement storage room.

Try to schedule a day, or a weekend, in which you fully clean and organize your house. Put on some upbeat music to make the task more enjoyable. After it’s done, take 30 minutes a day or so to maintain the chaos-free zone you’ve created.

4.     Give Your Appearance a Boost

There’s a reason people turn to makeovers when they’re feeling low – they truly work. A new haircut, highlights, or a flattering outfit can be transformative. We may be the only ones who notice the “new” us, but we feel different. We have a bit more swag in our walk, feel more powerful and confident, and ready to tackle new challenges.

If you’re struggling with your self-image lately, don’t underestimate the power of changing up your appearance a bit.

5.     Try Something New

This one might seem risky because there is a chance for failure, which can hurt a fragile self-image. But trying something new can also make you feel adventurous and get you out of the rut you’ve created for yourself. That can be powerful, especially at a time when you may be feeling low.

Look at hobbies you’ve always wanted to try – maybe you’d like to learn another language, go metal detecting, or kayaking. Whatever your passion, pursue it. You’ll feel different than you did before you attempted it. You’ll become energized and electrified. You’ll begin to see yourself as someone who seeks out adventure and is always up for a challenge.

Shake Things Up a Bit To See Yourself With Different Eyes

The person you want to be when you look in the mirror is already there. It’s your job to unleash them. With these tips, you’ll begin seeing yourself as the person you always dreamed you could be.

Antonio Guillem © 123RF.com