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Good self-esteem is a staple in healthy relationships and a part of almost every goal and achievement in our lives. And, more so, great self-esteem and inner strength looks irresistible on a woman. So it is extremely important to work on it and make changes that affect it in a positive way. The list of changes is now in!

At Bright Side, we strongly believe that happy, healthy people are successful people. And for our lovely female audience, we’ve collected 13 crucial ways to become just that.

1. Accepting that she doesn't have to be perfect at everything.

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These days, women are pressured into thinking that if they have a great career or an amazing family, but don’t have everything going on, they’re a failure. But not every road can be taken in our lifetime and when you achieve great levels of success and choose to make yourself happy — you very well deserve a pat on a back. It is a very mature thing to choose your way and stick with it. You can be quite perfect for yourself and the people around you without being a jack of all trades.

2. Not having a cheap appearance.

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It’s okay if your eyes light up at the sight of a big sale. But It is way more practical and fulfilling to have one piece of clothing or makeup that is high quality instead of buying 10 cheap ones for the same amount of money. In hindsight, that one thing will probably last you way longer anyway. Not to mention that makeup has an impact on your skin and organ health — and those are irreplaceable.

3. Having a healthy relationship with her body.

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It’s one thing to love and accept your body and it’s another to make good decisions for it. People love to excuse the neglect of their health by saying, “I’m not my body.” Well, guess what? You are. And it is truly one part of yourself that you’ll have forever, so stop abusing yourself with fast food and destructive diets and exercise. The health of your mind and body lies in balance.

4. Not letting her age dictate the quality of her life.

Lesbian couple married after 72 years together. pic.twitter.com/1qHIiRwvvW— ♛The Empress♛ (@SILVICULTRlX) May 15, 2017

Maybe you grew up with a mindset that giving everything to the youngest child of the family was the right thing to do or maybe your parents put great emphasis on respecting the elderly. Where are you in this great scheme of things? The thing is — only you can decide. You can give up your comfort, put it in a mental box until you turn 60 and suffer through life — but your life is happening right now! None of us know what the future holds and it is up to you to start living your better life today, rather than later.

5. Loving workouts.

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You can pick any type and any amount of exercise that suits you. Our bodies were designed to perform physical activity and that is what makes us happy. Endorphins (joy hormones) are produced in your brain when you are exercising, so to get through the initial discomfort and to the good part — give yourself 21 days (the amount needed to set a habit) and see how you feel after. Also, taking before and after pictures are a total confidence boost.

6. Being honest about her flaws.

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Nobody is perfect, including you. Even Cher isn’t perfect — and she’s Cher! So, face your flaws — they don’t make you less of a great human. If anything, they are what make you human. Accepting this can be liberating and a first step toward working things out so that they don’t prevent you from having quality relationships and well, a life.

7. Being skilled, talented, and proud about it.

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We often feel vulnerable in this big scary world. Instagram and Facebook posts can often make us feel like other people’s lives, bodies, and achievements are better than ours. It is hard to keep in mind that social networks are just a facade for regular people’s lives. So take a moment to sit down and put on paper all of your talents and skills, all the things you are great at and you’ll see — you are way stronger than you think you are, even at your lowest times in life. If you are feeling way too critical to praise yourself, ask your friends to help. They know why they love you after all.

8. Not letting people she doesn't like into her life.

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We don’t choose the people we go to school or work with, yet our free time is ours to spare. Don’t waste it on people who only make you feel bad or give you less than you deserve emotionally. Learning to say “no” to things you don’t want to do is an invaluable skill and is a sign of mental maturity.

9. Taking responsibility for her health.

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If you are over 18 years old, it is legally nobody’s responsibility to take care of you. And the faster you own up to this, the better your life will be. You can be scared of dentists or physicians, but remember — they are there to help you and when you know things that are going on in your body, you are half-equipped to fix it.

10. Not letting herself be pressured into doing things she doesn't like.

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To drink at a party, just because everybody is drinking or to stay in a relationship with a person because your family loves them (but you don’t) is distracting. Peer pressure is not only a teenager’s problem — we face it every day in the form of fashion or advice from friends. But when you start making decisions based on your own priorities and feelings you eventually have bigger ownership over your life and though it brings more responsibility. Every goal achieved will also bring way more satisfaction, since it’s your own.

11. Having respect for time.

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Some call it “being fashionably late” while others call it “disrespectful”. Either way, your time is the only resource you’ll never get back. When we manage our time wisely, we can achieve great things and have a better sense of control over everything that happens to us.

12. Being able to rest sometimes.

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We can’t stress this enough: charging batteries are crucial to physical and mental health. Good sleep, doing things you enjoy, and giving yourself some time in the day is something that has a positive impact on your body and mind. After all, you can do no good if you don’t feel good.

13. Understanding and avoiding manipulation.

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Yes, when we lean into things we “entourage” them to happen, but a bad ending is also not our fault — kind of. This also leads us to being miserable on account of others and lets us accept the role of victim. Be careful — being a victim is addictive. And it does nothing for your self esteem.

Did all these things seem logical to you? Or did we forget something else that makes your self-esteem thrive? Be sure to share your thoughts in the comments and share this article with ladies you think might need this as a reminder.

Preview photo credit Love and other drugs / Fox 2000