Self-esteem is the way each person evaluates himself or herself. It impacts all aspects of our lives – from personal relationships to education, to jobs, and much more. If the person with low self-esteem is our friend or relative, we are often afraid of saying something, so not to make things worse for them.
What can you really do to help and not hurt someone with low self-esteem?
- Recognize their feelings. Don’t try to oppose it, even if you are absolutely right. Most likely he or she won’t believe you. It’s much better to show that you understand these feelings and that you are ready to help or listen.
- Make an effort to spend time with your friend. You may have to initiate plans yourself and stick with them.
- Volunteer together or ask for their help. Make them feel needed.
- Practice “Good Listening”. Don’t know how to do it? We’ll tell you in our future posts.
- Provide a shoulder to cry on. If your friend wants to talk about his or her feelings or the cause of his or her low self-esteem, the most helpful thing you can do is listen while they process these issues.
What you should never do, if you have a friend with low self-esteem? Write in the comments!
