What is confidence and self esteem?
Confidence and self-esteem are related aspects of our psychological wellbeing.
Confidence is our belief in our own abilities to succeed in specific tasks. We develop it through previous successes and realistic skill assessments. It changes and fluctuates with our experiences, but we can continually enhance it by overcoming challenges.
Self-esteem is a broader, more profound sense of our self-worth. It reflects our emotional evaluation of our own value and goes beyond our skills and capabilities. Influenced by perceptions of love, belonging and acknowledgement, it encompasses our general feeling of worthiness.
Low self-esteem and imposter syndrome significantly impact adolescents, with over half of UK teens affected. However, low confidence and self-esteem can impact people at different points in their lives. Social media, competitive environments, external pressures and unrealistic expectations often fuel these issues. They can lead to anxiety, depression and social withdrawal.
Improving your confidence or self-esteem requires various approaches: cultivating your self-compassion, setting achievable goals and seeking professional support. These are essential for building resilience and a healthier self-image to support overall mental health and wellbeing.
75% of young people experience a lack of confidence
40% of teenagers admit that social media images negatively impact their body image self-esteem
6 in 10 women believe social media pressures people to look a certain way
What causes people to struggle with confidence and self esteem?
Help people understand how these problems can develop. Bring in how they can be related to other conditions – can other issues make them worse? Can certain events or situations bring them on? Are they more likely to impact men/women, certain age groups, backgrounds, demographics?
The pursuit of perfectionism and thought processes like self-blame and learned helplessness can significantly erode confidence. Genetic predispositions partly influence it, but various other elements also play a part.
Childhood influences
Low self-esteem often begins its journey in childhood. Harsh critiques from those we admire, like parents and teachers, unrealistic expectations and even neglect can impact self-esteem. This self-doubt may grow because of bullying and academic pressures or failures, which chip away at confidence.
Media
The polished, unrealistic images in the media can also plant seeds of doubt. Social media also frequently distorts our sense of self-worth, with teenagers especially vulnerable. Constantly comparing yourself to idealised lifestyles and unrealistic standards can exacerbate these feelings. They can blossom into a strong belief in our own inadequacy.
Societal expectations
Social norms and pressures can influence our confidence and esteem. Women in particular often experience pressures around their appearance, career and motherhood. They can feel the weight of expectation around balancing multiple roles. Men can also experience confidence issues, especially when they fail to meet traditional ideas of a male role.
Personal experiences and relationships
Unhealthy relationships and personal setbacks can contribute towards inner turmoil. Ongoing health problems or mental health issues can also affect self-image.
The impact of living with low self esteem or confidence
Low self-esteem and confidence can hugely affect how you feel and act. Constantly having the feeling that you aren’t good enough can lead to insecurity. It’s like having a little voice in your head that makes you doubt yourself. This can stop you from trying new things, and these feelings are often linked to depression and anxiety.
It can make it difficult for you to progress in work or education. It may result in performance anxiety or procrastination. You might choose to avoid taking on more responsibility or greater challenges. You may experience imposter syndrome, where you don’t believe that your successes are truly down to your own talents.
Your lack of confidence and low self-esteem could make it hard to connect with others. You might find it difficult to be open and honest in relationships. If you doubt your worth in relationships, you are more likely to experience jealousy or conflict.
You might avoid social situations, stop taking care of yourself or turn to unhealthy habits for comfort. However, this usually only makes things worse, creating a cycle of bad feelings.
How can it be overcome?
Developing confidence and self-esteem is about fostering a positive mindset, embracing challenges, and making time for self-care. Personal growth is a journey. Each step you take to boost confidence and self-esteem is a valuable investment in your wellbeing and future achievements.
Positive self-talk
Start by reshaping your inner dialogue to think positively and compare yourself kindly to others. Practice challenging your negative thoughts with more realistic expectations.
Set achievable goals
Gradually step out of your comfort zone, slowly increasing the challenges as your confidence grows. Learn to recognise your strengths and utilise them along the way.
Self care
Nourish your body with healthy habits like balanced nutrition, regular exercise, and mindfulness practices such as meditation. Engage in self-care activities like journaling, exercise, and relaxation techniques to nurture your mental and emotional wellbeing.
Supportive people
Seek support from trusted friends and family. Surround yourself with supportive people who uplift and encourage you, and seek constructive feedback from them. Cultivate meaningful relationships that empower you, knowing it’s okay to ask for help when needed.
Professional help
A therapist can help you address negative beliefs and past traumas. They will work with you to develop coping strategies, and techniques to build your confidence. If your low self-esteem is significantly impacting your daily life or has lasted a long time, you should consider speaking to your GP.
How can hypnotherapy help?
Hypnotherapy for self confidence targets the subconscious mind. It addresses the roots of your self-doubt with tailored suggestions. It removes your self-doubt by transforming negative beliefs into positive affirmations. This helps you to develop a healthier self-image and bolsters confidence, effectively combating low self-esteem.
This approach equips you with mental techniques to cope with any setbacks and future challenges more effectively. It empowers you to move towards significant personal growth and mental wellbeing.
Hypnotherapy also uses hypnosis for self-esteem to promote a relaxed state. This can reduce stress and anxiety, which are often linked to low confidence and self-esteem.
Alongside the hypnotherapist’s expertise, the success of hypnotherapy for confidence hinges on your own readiness for change. Actively engaging with hypnotherapy sessions and practising self-hypnosis can enhance the effectiveness of hypnotherapy.
Hypnotherapy can be a pivotal step towards overcoming your challenges with renewed assurance. Sessions can vary based on your needs – hypnotherapy for confidence is a personalised journey. This makes it a highly valuable resource for enhancing your confidence and self-esteem.
Our Confidence & Self Esteem Specialists
Benn Baker-Pollard
Sittingbourne
Carmen Harrington
Market Harborough
Caroline Prout
Thrapston
Chris Johannes
Spalding
Claire Noyelle
Maidstone East
Dawn Ibbetson
Chelmsford
Emma Bancroft
Rainham, Kent
Emma Treby
North Devon
Gary Johannes
Peterborough
Jill Whitehouse
Newcastle upon Tyne
Keeley Smith
Southend-on-Sea
Kerry Seymour
Weston-super-Mare
Peter Ely
Islington
Victoria Anderson
Sunderland
Why Choose Inspired To Change
Our solution focused hypnotherapists empower you to better understand your brain, helping to guide you towards solutions and achieve the outcomes you want. We have a team of fully trained hypnotherapists, giving you the choice of who to work with and how you want to work with them. Solution focused hypnotherapy is just as effective in-person or online in the comfort of your own home, so you can find the ideal therapist to help you reach your goals.
Every one of our hypnotherapists is recognised by governing bodies like the National Council for Hypnotherapy, the UK’s leading not-for-profit hypnotherapy professional association. They have all trained with Clifton Practice Hypnotherapy Training, one of the leading hypnotherapy schools in the UK.
