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Tag: Self Esteem

  • You Are Your Best Cheerleader

    You Are Your Best Cheerleader

    Do you ever feel overwhelmed or stressed out by things happening at school or even at home? Everybody has bad days sometimes. Life can throw curve balls at you that you never expect. Maybe you’re not getting along with your friend or maybe you didn’t make the sports team you really wanted to make. These types of problems can make you feel down and upset. This is completely normal; not every day is going to be perfect. We all go through this, so don’t feel like you’re alone.

    What is most important about going through tough times is how you deal with them. You can choose to talk to other people about how you’re feeling. Whether it’s a teacher, a parent or a friend, these are all people who care about you and will listen to your problems. They want you to succeed as well. When you can’t turn to them you can always turn to yourself – don’t count yourself out.

    You are your best cheerleader at the end of the day. By cheerleader I don’t mean someone  holding pom-poms. By cheerleader I mean that you have the ability to motivate yourself to do difficult things and feel better about yourself. Everybody has their own way of doing this. Maybe your way of being a cheerleader is that you like to reward yourself after accomplishing your goal or you like to mentally encourage yourself.  It’s perfectly okay to give yourself a pat on the back every once in a while. In fact, it’s healthy!

    Sometimes fear can be your own worst enemy. You may be scared to try something new or don’t feel like you are capable of succeeding in a new situation. Having the confidence within yourself that you can succeed is the best way to accomplish your goals. Instead of putting yourself down, try encouraging yourself and thinking positively about a situation. Try replacing any negative feelings with positive ones. Don’t be so hard on yourself! Something as little as a change in attitude can do wonders for your self-esteem.

    You know that just because you didn’t make the sports team doesn’t mean you’re not good at that sport. Maybe you can practice more and prepare yourself for tryouts next year. You also know that just because things at home haven’t been great lately that it is not your fault; sometimes other factors play a role in hard situations. Having a positive outlook on things and cheering yourself on will improve your confidence. If you start believing that you can do anything you set your mind to, you will see results. So start thinking like your own personal cheerleader!

  • Be True to You

    Be True to You

    Each and every single one of us has a unique set of values, beliefs, and even inspirations that make us who we are as individuals. Naturally, as we progress through life, these very important elements that lie at the very core of our existence will slightly alter and adjust in a manner to allow for the new experiences and situations that we have endured. Life is much like a sea… at one time; we may drift peacefully and quietly atop the glistening waters. Then, there will be situations in which we must work to keep ourselves afloat waters that are ferocious and ominous in nature.

    Yes, it is true, there will be treacherous waters and frightening and intimidating clouds that linger among us throughout life, but it is essential that we each realize the importance of being true to ourselves. Is it not true that in the roughest of seas men learn to survive? Is it not among the violent waves that men learn to welcome and appreciate the calm surfaces of the water? Is it not true that when men face the evil of the storm that they relish in the calm that occurs after the thunders and treacherous waves have passed? If you are searching for the importance of being true to yourself, consider the man that was consumed by something much larger than he.

    In order to be true to yourself in the midst of peace and calmness, you must stand firm in your beliefs when staring opposition in the face. This is what assists in developing who you are, this is what defines you… your ability to overcome and learn.

    Many times in life, we will be faced with temptations that may defy who we are as individuals. It is so much easier to go with the natural flow of the tide than to push against it. It is human nature to want to experience as little complications as possible. What you must consider is if you are denying yourself of some important lesson, of something much bigger than you or you ever imagined. If floating with the direction of the tide defies you as an individual, and you feel as if you will not gain any type of insight as to who you are, or it does not allow you to stand alongside of your personal beliefs and convictions, turn that boat around and push with all of your might against the tide.

    It is better for a man to be true to who he is, rather than deny himself of all the rewards he will experience as standing alone in his personal convictions and beliefs.

    Being true to yourself is a very rewarding experience. Many experiences and situations will come your way and threaten the very existence of your unique stand in life. We pass over many different waves in life, many ships come in, and many ships pass us by. In many cases, animals of the wild such as sharks will want to engulf us in order to define their existence. Stormy skies will sometimes linger over us, and violent wars sometimes rest on the banks of life. In all of these things, you must stand strong in who you are. Allowing these situations to overcome you, violate you, and even control you in any way, just may be the point in which you lose sight of the horizon, sight of who you truly are.

  • You Are Your Best Cheerleader

    You Are Your Best Cheerleader

    Being your own cheerleader is probably the most important thing you can do as you face new and repeated challenges. If you are entering secondary school for the first time, you are undoubtedly going to be faced with challenges and meet many new people. Due to diversity of opinions, and the fact that all people are different and see things differently, there is always risk of being hurt by others, or of questioning your own intentions or your own self-worth. If you are on your side, and you are your own cheerleader, you put yourself ahead of the game in terms of ensuring that you will not lose self-esteem because of other people’s misunderstandings. When you are well aware that what you are doing is the best that you can do, and you are happy within yourself about this, you are being your own cheerleader. When you know that you are taking actions and trying to do what is right for you, and you acknowledge this by demonstrating positive qualities like good self-esteem and confidence, you are being your own cheerleader.

    Although other people can tell you that you are doing a great job, no one can ever really replace you in terms of being the keystone to your confidence. If you rely on other people telling you that you are doing a good job, you may be fooling yourself as to your genuine happiness. Being your own cheerleader really means knowing yourself,  doing what is best for you and rewarding yourself for your positive thoughts, actions and behaviors. When you are on your own side, you are less reliant on other people to tell you of your worth.

    Everyone needs a social network and to feel loved and appreciated by their peers; this is necessary for good self-esteem. However, loving yourself is the most important thing. If you are always dependent on other people to tell you of your worth, you are not being your own cheerleader. By being dependent on yourself to know your worth and to know your own strengths and weaknesses, you are freeing yourself from the imprisoning perspective of others who do not know you as well as you know yourself.

    When you can pick yourself back up after you fall, you are demonstrating that you love and respect yourself and want what is best for you. When you are being your own cheerleader, you are being your best friend – and this is your key to success.

  • Feel Good About Yourself

    Feel Good About Yourself

    Imagine for a second a world where you truly believe you can do anything; where the words “I can’t” no longer exist as part of your vocabulary. A place where you are as great as you always dreamed you could be. Now imagine that as your reality. Sounds great, doesn’t it?

    Here’s a few tips on how to feel good about yourself every single day!

    –Discover yourself: Get to know you. Listen to what you are thinking and feeling. Know what you want and why you want it. If it helps, keep a journal to help you understand yourself better.

    –Make a list every day: On the list write at least three things you really like about yourself. For instance, “I like how I can make people laugh even in uncomfortable situations” or “I like my eye colour.” It can be absolutely anything you like about yourself. This will help remind you why it’s great being you.

    –Remove the word can’t: Stop saying “I can’t do that” before you even try. Fear of failure is common and sadly it prevents most of us from doing things we’ve always wanted to do. To overcome this, think positively – don’t think of the worst possible scenario. Picture yourself succeeding. Some of the greatest experiences you will have in this life will come from overcoming things you thought you couldn’t do.

    –Treat others the way you want to be treated: It’s karma, baby; the idea you get back what you send out into the world. So send out the good, and always remember to treat others fairly and kindly.

    –Be prepared: One of the best ways to improve your self-confidence is by being prepared. Whether it’s a test you need to study for or a big basketball game coming up, make sure you are ready. Stop putting stuff off and get to it. You will feel more confident if you are ready to face what’s ahead.

    –Be grateful: Don’t dwell on what you don’t have. Be thankful for all you do have.

    –Exercise: It’s a great way to immediately boost your mood. It also helps in the long term to boost self-confidence. You will be healthier, happier and more sure of yourself.

    –Listen to your favorite song: Nothing gives me an instant boost of confidence and energy, especially in the morning, as my favorite song. It really helps me have the right attitude to face the day with.

    The most important thing to remember is to think positively. If you believe you are good enough, the world will see you that way.

  • Why Should I Change My Attitude?

    Why Should I Change My Attitude?

    Have your parents or teachers ever told you to “change your attitude”?

    It’s amazing how your attitude can have so much to do with how successful you are in life. It affects areas such as friendships, motivation and overall feelings of fulfillment within your personal happiness.

    When you find yourself in situations that cause stress, anxiety or that make you upset, you need to take a step back and re-look at the situation and see things from a different perspective. Don’t let that negative attitude affect your life, which can lead to a cycle of a bad situation becoming worse.

    * Attitude is how we treat others
    * Attitude is the way we approach life
    * Attitude is contagious
    * Attitude is how we respond to challenges
    * Attitude affects our health
    * Attitude affects our relationships
    * Attitude is our personal trademark
    * Attitude determines if we fly or fall

    It’s difficult to recognize the importance of attitude without seeing the evidence of it in your own life.

    Honestly, changing your attitude is the first step in taking control of your life. Do you like the way you feel? Are you good company? Are you  productive at school? Is your negativity bringing other people down?

    Do you want to be happy?

    A conscious decision to change your attitude starts with making changes in how you look and feel in different situations. Concentrate on finding solutions to bad situations moving forward. You may even recognize that things are not such a big deal. Over the first week you will begin to see changes – first small ones, then larger ones.

    Never underestimate the power of your attitude. How you view things will have a direct impact on how happy you are, and how successful you will be. You need to make sure you are constantly checking your attitude to ensure it is on track.

    Remember: don’t sweat the small stuff!

  • The Importance of Being True to Yourself

    The Importance of Being True to Yourself

    Each and every single one of us has a unique set of values, beliefs, and even inspirations that make us who we are as individuals. Naturally, as we progress through life, these very important elements that lie at the very core of our existence will slightly alter and adjust in a manner to allow for the new experiences and situations that we have endured. Life is much like a sea… at one time; we may drift peacefully and quietly atop the glistening waters. Then, there will be situations in which we must work to keep ourselves afloat waters that are ferocious and ominous in nature.

    Yes, it is true, there will be treacherous waters and frightening and intimidating clouds that linger among us throughout life, but it is essential that we each realize the importance of being true to ourselves. Is it not true that in the roughest of seas men learn to survive? Is it not among the violent waves that men learn to welcome and appreciate the calm surfaces of the water? Is it not true that when men face the evil of the storm that they relish in the calm that occurs after the thunders and treacherous waves have passed? If you are searching for the importance of being true to yourself, consider the man that was consumed by something much larger than he.

    In order to be true to yourself in the midst of peace and calmness, you must stand firm in your beliefs when staring opposition in the face. This is what assists in developing who you are, this is what defines you… your ability to overcome and learn.

    Many times in life, we will be faced with temptations that may defy who we are as individuals. It is so much easier to go with the natural flow of the tide than to push against it. It is human nature to want to experience as little complications as possible. What you must consider is if you are denying yourself of some important lesson, of something much bigger than you or you ever imagined. If floating with the direction of the tide defies you as an individual, and you feel as if you will not gain any type of insight as to who you are, or it does not allow you to stand alongside of your personal beliefs and convictions, turn that boat around and push with all of your might against the tide.

    It is better for a man to be true to who he is, rather than deny himself of all the rewards he will experience as standing alone in his personal convictions and beliefs.

    Being true to yourself is a very rewarding experience. Many experiences and situations will come your way and threaten the very existence of your unique stand in life. We pass over many different waves in life, many ships come in, and many ships pass us by. In many cases, animals of the wild such as sharks will want to engulf us in order to define their existence. Stormy skies will sometimes linger over us, and violent wars sometimes rest on the banks of life. In all of these things, you must stand strong in who you are. Allowing these situations to overcome you, violate you, and even control you in any way, just may be the point in which you lose sight of the horizon, sight of who you truly are.

  • Where Are You? Finding Yourself

    Where Are You? Finding Yourself

    Imagine your life as a timeline graph, from birth to present to future.

    Write down all of your major goals in your life that you feel you want to achieve. In turn, write down the events in your life that have already happened that you believe have affected you and have made you who you are today. This isn’t an exercise in wallowing but one about clarification and identification of issues that might be hampering your present potential and the blossoming of your true sense of self.

    Spend a little time writing with clarity about the past in your timeline. As much as where you’re headed is important, so is making peace with the past. A timeline is an incredibly objective method for marking down past occurrences in your life that you consider to have been major. You can look at them as formation blocks and as changing experiences along your timeline without imbuing them with too much emotion (as you would  within your personal diary) . Keep it simple, real and condensed to the major effect or lesson learned from each past incident.

    When analyzing negative past experiences, look to the positive learning message in it and don’t dwell on the mistakes or the negatives. Everyone has these blips in their timeline but pretending they are either worse than they were or non-existent, won’t do you any favors. Instead, recognize that if it had not been for those past experiences you would not be where or who you are today. If there has been an abuse situation, remember, abuse thrives when kept secret; telling someone is the antibiotic.

    Finding yourself is an enlightening experience and you become self sufficient . It  is a time of harmony because you develop that philosophy or belief system that will carry you throughout the rest of your life. When you love yourself and who you are, you will savor and enjoy both life’s pain and pleasures.

  • Don’t Be THAT Girl

    Don’t Be THAT Girl

    “Your hair is so ugly!”

    “Did you gain weight?”

    Have you heard some of these or other worse things uttered in the hallways? Were you the one who said some of those nasty things? A recent article from the New Zealand Herald found that 85 per cent of teenage girls have experience some sort of bullying. The most shocking thing is that, when it comes to girls, some of this bullying is coming directly from their friends.

    If you’re the victim of a friend’s torment you may be blaming yourself first and bringing unnecessary doubt and confusion to yourself. Rachel Simmon, author of Odd Girl Out, found that “one of the chief symptoms of a girl’s loss of self-esteem is the sense of being crazy, of not being able to trust one’s own interpretation of people’s actions or events.” If you don’t understand why your BFF is turning on you, it may be her problem – not yours.

    Now, if you’re on the other side of the equation and are part of bullying, please think about your actions. It’s a false position of power to be the bully. Girls may form cliques and have their own way of dressing, talking or sharing of a secret. Leora Tanenbaum states it simply in her book Catfight – “the ironic thing about being included is that it necessarily entails exclusion.”  Bullies need to ask themselves why they are excluding others. There isn’t a guarantee that you’ll stay in the exclusive clique forever; you may just end up being the outcast.

    Some would tend to think that bullying would involve violence, but this isn’t always the case. Getting a group of friends to ostracize, say hurtful things and spread rumours about you are all forms of bullying, too.

    The one thing someone being bullied should do is also the thing they will most likely avoid: to talk to your parents about what you’re experiencing. If you’re too scared to do that, you should talk to an adult you trust. Sometimes it’s beyond your own control when it comes to bullying. It’s important to let someone in a position of authority know what’s going on. High school should be a place that will give you four years of great memories, not something you should dread.

  • The Benefits of Volunteering in High School

    The Benefits of Volunteering in High School

    High school students, it’s time to get motivated! Volunteering while still in high school provides you with the framework for your future career path, as well as instills in you the importance of giving back to others. It may seem difficult to fit in volunteer hours with such a busy schedule of classes, studying and extracurricular activities, but with a little planning you can achieve your volunteer goals. Many not-for-profit organizations only require a few hours a week of your time. For example, the Ottawa Humane Society has a dog walking program that requires a commitment of 2 hours per week. If you love dogs, that is a very easy commitment to make! Even though you may not be reimbursed financially for your time, volunteering is something that can be put on your resume that will help impress future employers and university admissions officials alike. Below, a list of just some of the benefits that volunteerism can provide you:

    Impress Admissions Officials
    You’ve got the great GPA and amazing standardized test scores. But what makes you stand out from students with similar grades? The answer is what you do in your spare time. Volunteer hours and part-time jobs listed on your application will really make you shine. Volunteerism is a great way to show admissions officials that you not only care about the community, but are able to manage your time well enough to balance a volunteer job with your other commitments. By all means, don’t spend every spare minute working on your volunteer hours – you need to balance volunteerism with your personal life, too. But a sustained commitment to one particular cause over a year or two shows that you are willing to stick to something that you care about. This will be very impressive to admissions officials and work in your favour.

    Get Involved Outside of School
    Volunteering allows you to meet people you may not have had the opportunity to meet otherwise, especially if you are volunteering outside of school. If you have heard the term “networking”, that is essentially what you will be doing! You are forming a network of contacts that can help you get to where you want to be. If you already have a good idea of what you want to study in college or university, you can volunteer your time in that field. For example, if you want to study psychology, why not volunteer your time with the Canadian Mental Health Association? You can find volunteer opportunities for almost anything that interests you, so spread your wings outside of your school and gain immeasurable benefits!

    Earn Academic Credit and Scholarships
    Some high schools require you to put in volunteer hours in order to graduate. Others offer extra credits or scholarship opportunities if you do volunteer your time. Check with your high school’s administration office to see if any of these opportunities are available to you. If they are, take advantage of them! A scholarship will help you to cut down on your student loans when you reach university, and extra credits will look great on your transcript to help you land the university placement of your dreams. Check out studentawards.ca to find all of the different community service scholarships that are available – your volunteerism won’t only impress your university of choice, but also the officials who will be deciding whether or not you obtain your scholarship!

    Above are the curricular advantages to volunteerism. But let’s not forget the personal advantages that come from it, too. Giving back to your community and contributing positive energy to the world will do wonders for your self-esteem and self-worth. Volunteering is the way to go!

  • Confidence Boosting Tips

    Confidence Boosting Tips

    Imagine for a second a world where you truly believe you can do anything; where the words “I can’t” no longer exist as part of your vocabulary. A place where you are as great as you always dreamed you could be. Now imagine that as your reality. Sounds great, doesn’t it?

    As great as it sounds, many of us have a hard time when it comes to self-confidence and self-esteem. Maybe it’s because from an early age we are taught not to “toot our own horn” too much or we will seem arrogant or egotistical. Doctor Bobbe Sommers, a world-renowned psychologist, said, “Having a low opinion of yourself is not ‘modesty’. It’s self-destruction. Holding your uniqueness in high regard is not ‘egotism’. It’s a necessary precondition to happiness and success.”

    But what does that mean and how do we hold our uniqueness in high regard?

    I have compiled a list of confidence boosting tips that may help you gain the happiness and success you want from life.

    –Discover yourself: Get to know you. Listen to what you are thinking and feeling. Know what you want and why you want it. If it helps, keep a journal to help you understand yourself better.

    –Make a list every day: On the list write at least three things you really like about yourself. For instance, “I like how I can make people laugh even in uncomfortable situations” or “I like my eye colour.” It can be absolutely anything you like about yourself. This will help remind you why it’s great being you.

    –“Dress for the job you want, not the one you have”: This may be an old cliché, but it’s stuck around for a reason. One of the best ways to feel good about yourself and to boost your self-confidence is to look good. Have a shower, do your hair, brush your teeth, wear nice clean clothes and comfy shoes and head out in the world with your head held high. This will surely get you noticed and get people to take you seriously.

    –Remove the word can’t: Stop saying “I can’t do that” before you even try. Fear of failure is common and sadly it prevents most of us from doing things we’ve always wanted to do. To overcome this, think positively – don’t think of the worst possible scenario. Picture yourself succeeding. Some of the greatest experiences you will have in this life will come from overcoming things you thought you couldn’t do.

    –Treat others the way you want to be treated: It’s karma, baby; the idea you get back what you send out into the world. So send out the good, and always remember to treat others fairly and kindly.

    –Be prepared: One of the best ways to improve your self-confidence is by being prepared. Whether it’s a test you need to study for, a university application you need to complete or a big basketball game coming up, make sure you are ready. Stop putting stuff off and get to it already. You will feel more confident if you are ready to face what’s ahead.

    –Be grateful: Don’t dwell on what you don’t have. Be thankful for all you do have.

    –Exercise: It’s a great way to immediately boost your mood. It also helps in the long term to boost self-confidence. You will be healthier, happier and more sure of yourself.

    –Listen to your favorite song: Nothing gives me an instant boost of confidence and energy, especially in the morning, as my favorite song. It really helps me have the right attitude to face the day with.

    The most important thing to remember is to think positively. If you believe you are good enough, the world will see you that way.