5 Tips in How to Take Pride in Yourself
Here are five simple tips which will help you to take more pride in yourself. By following these tips, you’ll not only feel better about yourself but you’ll be able to be more productive and make more of a contribution to your loved ones and your community.
The first tip is to decide to accept yourself as you are, right now. We can get so picky and perfectionist about ourselves that we never feel good enough. Self-acceptance doesn’t mean resting on your laurels – it just means knowing that you’re a good person, flaws and all.
Self-criticism is actually very paralyzing, and the harder you are on yourself, the more you tend to shut down. When you stop being so critical of yourself, you actually free up a lot of energy which you’ll then be able to put to good use.
Tip number two for taking more pride in yourself is making an effort to do your best at whatever it is you’re doing. Again, this isn’t about trying to achieve perfection, but rather, seeing every task as an opportunity to express your unique gifts and talents, whether it’s cooking a nice meal, preparing a document for work, mowing the lawn or helping your child with their homework.
The third tip for how to take more pride in yourself is to be more friendly and helpful to others. This doesn’t mean being overly-nice or a doormat, but it’s about making the effort to smile a bit more, to help someone with a door or give up your seat on the bus. It’s spreading a little good cheer and brightening someone’s day. The added benefit of this is that you’ll not only improve your self-pride, you’ll have made yourself and a lot of people a whole lot happier, and the effects are lasting.
Tip number four is to do a good deed. Maybe you have a neighbor who needs help around the house, or who is older and lonely. Visiting them from time to time will mean a whole lot to them and will make you feel really good about yourself. Maybe you can volunteer at your child’s school, or be a big sister or brother to a child who needs a good role-model. You could help out at the community food bank or volunteer at the local animal shelter. All of these are activities which will boost self-pride.
The fifth and final tip for taking more pride in yourself is to be a more active part of your community. Recycle, compost, and keep your property clean and tidy. Bring your old clothes or furniture to the Good Will or Salvation Army and participate in community events, whether they’re block parties or food drives. Get involved with your child’s school and vote when there’s an election.
Yes, all these things take some time and energy, but they also give back a lot. By making a contribution you’ll be investing your energy wisely in developing greater pride in yourself through efforts which will pay dividends to everyone for years to come.
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Dr. Marcia Sirota is a Toronto-based board certified psychiatrist specializing in the treatment of trauma and addiction, as well as founder of the Ruthless Compassion Institute, whose mandate is to promote the philosophy of Ruthless Compassion and in so doing, improve the lives of people, everywhere.