The study by researchers at the Stanford Graduate School of Business found those who believe in their own attractiveness view themselves as having higher social status. “The finding that your assessment of yourself shapes your view of yourself and others puts power into your hands,” the authors note.

Consider how these science-based suggestions may help you put your best foot forward when dealing with everything life throws your way.

• Get moving. Regardless of your fitness goals, the fact is you’re likely to feel better physically, emotionally and mentally after you exercise. Research also shows it can improve your self-esteem.
• Ramp up your smile. Scientists say our brains are zapped with an instant mood boost when we smile, and that boost is reinforced when others smile back. Further, whiter teeth can have a direct effect on our social and professional interactions, and they’re now easy to achieve through consumer brands like Rembrandt’s 1 Week Whitening Kit that can achieve professional-level results at home within a week.
• Let your body language communicate self-respect. Keeping your shoulders pulled back and your body straight and tall communicates confidence to your brain, studies show. Research found the most empowering stance is one in which your arms are held slightly away from your torso, your body is open and your head is up.
• Optimize color in your clothing. The right shade may light up your entire face and have a surprising impact on your mood. “Choosing the color of your office, your clothes or your desktop should not be taken lightly — colors do affect our moods and productivity,” states a recent article on Scienceofpeople.com. “When given the choice, picking a color that will work with you and not against you can only help.”
• Wear scent strategically. Because our brains link certain smells to positive experiences, research suggests we may be able to ramp up our confidence with scents that remind us of happy times. That’s why aromatherapy can help alleviate anxiety, depression and sleeplessness, and improve quality of life for those with chronic health issues, confirms the Mayo Clinic.
• Bottom line: When you’re taking care of yourself and projecting your best self, you’re far more likely to project the confidence you need to deal effectively with life.

“Confidence can make or break a lot of things,” advises Lecia Bushak on Medicaldaily.com. “In our extrovert-centric society, confidence can get you a job, a girlfriend, and the courage to say no to people or situations that are toxic to you. Confidence is knowing yourself and taking care of yourself, too.”

*BPT

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One of the hardest aspects of motherhood is the acceptance that life will never fully be the same. Some women survive the ordeal with their pre-baby body intact, while others end up feeling “ugly” from the drastic changes that come with birth and breastfeeding.

New Chapter

Life in parenthood is not the easiest, but it is surely the most rewarding. Sometimes this new, rewarding chapter comes with physical changes. There is no need to hate yourself for the changes that your body made in order to deliver and feed your child. Instead it is important to think of these changes as beautiful – after all, you are generally the same person. Many people have issues embracing change because it is different, difficult, or perhaps even frightening.

Strength in Change

Your body may have under grown dramatic changes, if only for an important reason. If you choose to breastfeed, you can relish in the beauty that is feeding your child with this new body. You may have a higher tolerance for pain, you may start dealing better with having little or no sleep at night, and you may even feel stronger, lighter, or bolder. The point is: these changes differ from woman to woman and the one similarity that they share: they are strong and positive changes.

Fall in Love Again

This new love is not simply about your romantic partnership, but how you will love yourself. You may feel as if you are an entirely different person, that it is terrible that you’ll never fit into a size 3 again. It is important to tell yourself that you grew and gave birth to the love (and loves) of your life, and that your body was the key component in this.

Most importantly, you have not become a different person. You have crossed into a new chapter of life, but you are still a writer, teacher, nurse, business woman, and whatever you were before your child was born. There is strength in change, and change sometimes means supplementation and not merely replacement.

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A healthy self-esteem is the foundation to a lifetime of positive mental health and social happiness.  How you feel about yourself affects how you behave and how you treat others. Kids who understand their own strengths and weaknesses and feel good about themselves seem to have an easier time handling conflict and resisting negative pressures. It’s our job as parents to help build our children’s self-esteem and make them feel good about themselves. Here are a few tips I’ve used over the years with my 7 kids:

Words of praise go a long way in building a child’s self-esteem.  It is important to be honest in your praise as well as recognizing the effort the child made.  Reward effort and completion of a task regardless of the outcome.  State how proud you are for their willingness to try something new.  You could say something like, “Even though you didn’t make the team, I’m proud of you for practicing and trying out.”

Help kids overcome disappointment with humor.  Sometimes a skill level just isn’t there due to age or experience.  Help them discover things they are good at and help them understand we all have different gifts and talents.  We can still participate in activities that we’re not especially good at just because we enjoy them.  For example, you could share with them that you love to sing even though you can’t carry a tune.

Be a positive role model for your kids.  Nurture your own self-esteem in front of them by sharing positive self-talk for them to mimic.  Kids will pick up on your habits and attitudes so be careful to portray a realistic representation of your attitudes and abilities.

Identify any unhealthy or inaccurate self-perceptions your kids have about themselves and correct them.  Kids can put too much pressure on themselves to be perfect or to look a certain way.  Help them recognize that diversity is what makes them interesting and unique.  Focus on things they do well overall, but address something specific they could improve. For instance, you could say, you are an excellent student in school, but you could spend more time working on grammar.

Be generous with your love and affection.  Send notes in your kid’s lunch box that share something special like “I think you’re terrific!”  Tell them you’re proud of them when they try something new or they success at something they previously fail at.  Help them demonstrate kindness towards others.

Be honest in your praise and help your kids be humble.  An over inflated sense of self can cause kids to think they are better than others, or put others down to feel better about themselves.  Point all we all have strengths and weaknesses and we all do things better than others and we all do things less well than others.  We all have a role to play on a team and each member of the team is equally important.

Acknowledge kids’ feelings and validate how they feel.  When they are young, help them identify words to express how they feel so their frustrations can be addressed and worked through.  Empower them with choices on how to fix the problem so it doesn’t persist.

Create a safe home environment free of yelling and abuse.  Kids who grow up in abusive environments are more likely to have low self-esteem.  Kids who witness their parents fighting may feel like they can’t control their environment and may succumb to depression or feel helpless and afraid.

Allow your kids to participate on teams where cooperation rather than completion is the goal.  For example, having an older child mentor a younger child in reading or math.  Volunteering as a family in your local community is also beneficial for helping kids learn to contribute and make a positive impact in their world.

Help kids take pride in what they are doing not matter how big or how small.  Teach them that a job done well is important whether it’s making their bed or doing math homework.  Teach them their effort is an extension of their character and being known for doing a good job is important.

Good Luck!

Sincerely,

DaddyNickell

Parenting Expert and father of 7, Robert Nickell (aka Daddy Nickell) offers his “5 cents” worth of advice to expectant and new parents.  Daddy Nickell is the founder of Daddy & Co., delivery room duds and daddy gifts and apparel for every stage of fatherhood, and the Daily Daddy Blog.  He is also the creator and producer of “My Life as a Dad,” the groundbreaking new web series that showcases celebrity fathers offering their personal experiences and parenting tips.

The post Tips to Build Self-Esteem in Kids appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.