Meditation for self-esteem

True self-esteem comes from not believing the negative thoughts we have about ourselves. When we meditate, we learn that thoughts are just thoughts, and they don’t have as much control over us as we may think. See what great things can happen when we meditate for self-esteem.

• Quiet negative self-talk

Thoughts that make us feel not so great about ourselves will always pop up. But meditation helps us change how we talk to ourselves. We can reframe negative self-talk to self-talk that’s positive by choosing kind, loving words. Not critical ones.

When we sit still with the mind, let our negative thoughts come, then let them go, we’re teaching ourselves to be kind to our mind. The more we practice, the more we’ll be able to notice but not engage with self-critical thinking and tap into that confidence that was in us all along.

• Increase awareness

Awareness is the moment we notice and pay attention to our mind’s thoughts, patterns, and behaviors. With awareness, we can catch ourselves before buying into whatever negative thoughts or feelings pop up. Without awareness, we get easily thrown by them or feel like they’re controlling us. Maybe we think we didn’t perform well at work, so we say something critical like, “I’ll never get promoted.” Then we might start slacking because we don’t feel motivated.

Every time we meditate, we train ourselves to be more aware of our thoughts and feelings. With this new awareness, we can zoom out a bit and give ourselves a healthy sense of perspective rather than fall back into the cycle of negativity. When we realize the negative thought we’re having isn’t helpful, we can notice it, then let it go.

• Find self-compassion

Think about the way we treat a close friend. Chances are, we speak to them gently and sympathetically, no matter what they’re going through.

Now think about how we speak to ourselves when we feel like we’re in a tough spot. Do we give ourselves the same kindness and understanding we’d offer a friend? Most likely not. But imagine if we did.

Research shows that self-compassion is crucial for our well-being. And one study found that the best way to tap into our self-compassion is through mindfulness. Just 3 weeks of Headspace has been shown to increase compassion by 23%. As Headspace teacher Dora Kamau says, “If we are kinder to ourselves, we can accept ourselves as we are. And if we accept ourselves, we can love ourselves as we are.”

• Build resilience

When we’re resilient, our mind is cool, calm, and collected enough to help us “bounce back” from challenging events more quickly instead of letting them dictate how we feel about ourselves. So, when we have a hard day at work or a challenging situation with a friend, resilience helps us carry on confidently without getting stuck thinking about what we should have done or said.

Meditation has been shown to increase resiliency, making it easier to recover more quickly when we feel strong emotions. One study showed that 30 days of meditating with Headspace resulted in an 11% increase in mental resilience.

• Focus on gratitude

When we struggle with low self-esteem, we often return to a negative mindset out of habit. If we’ve been in this cycle long, it can feel normal to treat ourselves critically. But gratitude helps us see our circumstances in a new light.

Gratitude has a real impact on physical and emotional well-being. When we practice gratitude, we actually release happiness chemicals like dopamine and serotonin, which can help reduce more challenging emotions like envy, resentment, and regret. Research shows that when we practice showing gratitude through meditation, it can reduce anxiety and depression.