Self-Confidence in High Schools

I’ve seen what low self-esteem can do to a teenager because one of my friends is still suffering from it. It can make you want to shut your emotions off to the world by being uncaring and hateful to those who try to get close to you, or stand out in a ridiculous way.

I used to have low confidence and still do sometimes, but then I realized that there are a lot of people who are also struggling with it, and my family and friends love me for who I am. People should be happy with themselves no matter their size, or appearance and for them to realize they aren’t alone.

This may seem hard, but I’m here to tell you how to accomplish it.

First, drop the negativity in your life. How do you expect to be happy and positive with yourself if there is negativity around you? Although there is more than just thinking positive, you must put it into action. Action is a key step to building self-confidence. Michael Steger, a psychologist at the University of Louisville in Kentucky, asked 63 undergraduates to complete a survey on how many times they did meaningful acts versus self-seeking acts. They found that the more people participated in meaningful activities, the happier they were and the more purposeful their lives felt. Pleasure-seeking behaviors, on the other hand, did not make people feel good.

For me, I love to help my mom at her work or help around the house by taking care of my younger brother and doing chores. Getting into clubs that work for the community, like key club, can also make you feel good about yourself.

This next one may seem corny, but it’s easy and works not just for you, but those around you as well. Smiling makes me feel better and happier. It starts with you and spreads like wildfire down the halls of your school. In a Swedish study, subjects were shown pictures of several emotions. When the picture of someone smiling was presented, the researchers asked the subjects to frown. Instead, they found that the facial expressions went directly to imitation of what subjects saw. It took conscious effort to turn that smile upside down. So, if you’re smiling at someone, it’s likely they can’t help but smile back. If they don’t, they’re making a conscious effort not to.

Exercising and a healthy diet is key elements to feeling energetic and ultimately confident. Exercise stimulates your body to produce endorphins, which are brain chemicals that make you feel good. The food you eat can also affect your mood, sources say, which in turn affects your confidence. It was a struggle for me at first, but once the junk food left the house, it was like killing two birds with one stone. My bad eating and low self-esteem habits broke!

I know that some of you have your doubts about these, but take it from someone who has done all of them. It has helped me gain confidence in my body and in my mind.