Self Esteem Word Challenge
Directions: This is an insight and self-awareness building exercise specific
to self-esteem and self-image. In this exercise everyone in the group will
consider different descriptive words and then discuss how they feel personally
about these word descriptions. As a group go through the list of words provided
below, one at a time. Group members are encouraged to share and discuss their
personal comfort level with each of the items of the list below, based on their
own self-assessment, using the following 1-5 scale as a guideline
5 – I have a high level of comfort with owning this word or
phrase in my life today
4 – I have a moderate level of comfort with owning this word
or phrase in my life today
3 – I am somewhat comfortable with this today, but I am
still working on it
2 – I am not yet comfortable with this
1 – I feel very uncomfortable or awkward with this
description
The
counselor should carefully guide group discussion, allowing group members to
share freely without judgement. It can be helpful to discuss why people have
different feelings, thoughts, and reactions. Group members are encouraged to be
supportive of one another to help make this easier for others to share their personal
strengths and challenges both openly and honestly
Descriptive Word/Phrase List
Strong
Beautiful
Capable
Talented
Intelligent
Resilient
Responsible
Loyal
Honest
Grateful
Successful
Valuable
Creative
Funny
Lovable
*
Start with: “I have… (Add
words below)
Courage
Potential
Opportunities
Purpose
Confidence
Hope
*
Start: “I am a good… (Add words below)”
Parent
Child
Friend
Worker
Listener
Relationship Partner
Role Model
Person
*
Optional – Come up with
and try some of your own?
_______
Some Self Esteem Builders:
Engage in Change
– It may take time drop a bad habit or work out a deep-rooted
personality issue but if we are working to change it, we can start to feel
better about ourselves. Making an effort counts
Positive
Affirmations – Writing down and saying
positive things about ourselves on a daily basis can build self-esteem. Choose
words that are realistic rather than overly lofty. For example, “I can do this”
or “I am capable” may be better for someone who may be struggling with self-esteem
than “I am the greatest” or “I can do anything!”
Positive Self
Talk – This is similar to affirmations but a little different in the
delivery. Positive self-talk needs to happen in the moment, either before or
during a time of challenge. The positive self-talk message we tell ourselves
should be specific to that challenge and also reasonable and believable. A good
example of positive self-talk would be when faced with a difficult task ahead,
saying to oneself “If I give it my all and don’t give up, I will make this
work”
Journaling – This is one of those “try it and you may just like it” ideas.
People are often resistant to keeping a journal but often when people really
give it a try, they find journaling to be extremely helpful. Writing down
things that you did well and goals accomplished each day, no matter how small,
can be a huge self-esteem builder
Goal Setting – Speaking of goals, they are essential for self esteem
building. Choosing achievable goals each day and then conquering them builds
momentum and belief in oneself and our abilities. Every time we reach a goal it
can build more and more motivation and hope, both of which contribute to
improved self esteem
Regular Physical
Activity – Exercise, sports, walking, running,
hiking, biking, etc. – These all can not only make us stronger and healthier physically,
but the increased activity can also make us feel better about ourselves. Try it
for a while and you will see!
Insight and Self
Awareness – When we look inside ourselves with a mind
toward self-improvement, we can find strength, ability, and potential for
positive growth. Living in denial is a recipe for poor self-esteem in the long
run. Learning to face our fears can be scary at first but incredibly empowering
over the long term. Asking ourselves searching questions like “how can I do
this better?” or “what reasonable changes can I make to start to improve?” can
provide the building blocks for self-improvement and improved self-image
Media reboot – Are you spending a lot of time either watching shows, surfing
the net or on social media? These things can rob us of joy especially if they
take too much of our precious time and attention. For example, let’s say you
spend a lot of time on a social media platform: Ask yourself questions like:
“Is this bringing me more joy or frustration?” or “Am I reading material or
comments that are making me angry and making me want to argue?” Many
individuals have improved their lives by ditching various forms of media.
www.takingtheescalator.com
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