Over the next few weeks, I am looking at common thoughts that people with low self-esteem have, found within this Buzzfeed article, and how we can possibly address them. For the full list, click here.

Firstly, let’s address the wording ‘stupid thing’. The awful thing about low self-esteem is that nobody seems to see how important and damaging this issue can be in life. Having a low sense of worth can wreak havoc on your life, and is often the catalyst for anxiety, depression and other mental health issues. There needs to be more accessible help out there for children and adults to address self-esteem, which is why I began Boost!

Secondly, the main issue here is how low self-esteem can ruin relationships. Remember the often-used saying: Nobody can love you until you love yourself. Everyone has probably heard this before, and for good reason. You are your most important advocate in life, and if you have a low opinion of yourself, you will refuse to believe that anyone else can love you. This is not healthy for any relationship.

How can we address this issue?

• If you are single, hopping from man to man and believe you have low self-esteem, stop dating. You need to be in a good place within yourself first, or there is little hope in a relationship working out long-term. Spend time learning how to loving yourself. Here are some tips on how to start. 

• If you are in a relationship and feel like your low self-esteem is ruining it, you need time to focus on yourself. If you can, be upfront with your partner – explain how you are feeling – it will help them to understand your behaviour if you are putting up high barriers and rejecting their affection. Make sure you spend quality time away from your partner – with family/friends and doing some activities you enjoy alone. Start a new hobby if you spend a lot of time sat on the couch.

• Start challenging your negative thoughts. If you are constantly putting yourself down, telling yourself you’re not good enough for your partner or that nobody will ever want you, you must start taking action to stop these negative thoughts. Otherwise, you will be stuck in a vicious cycle of low self-esteem. Use this practical guide to help you conquer this.

I hope these three tips will get you started – keep checking into Boost for more inspiration!