How hypnotherapy boosts self-esteem

As humans, we rarely give ourselves enough credit. In fact, so many of us are highly critical of ourselves, compare ourselves and our achievements to others, and generally don’t feel good enough.

Everyone lacks confidence every now and then, but low self-esteem is an issue if you regularly feel inadequate, compare yourself to others or if it’s affecting your social life. 

It can cause roadblocks to success, and it can prevent you from connecting with others and nurturing meaningful relationships. It can also mean that you struggle to handle failure and criticism, and are constantly looking for approval from others. 

But what is self-esteem and how is it formed?

No one is born with low self-esteem.

A baby doesn’t feel bad about itself for not being able to walk or talk yet, and a toddler doesn’t hate what they see when they look in the mirror.

Self-esteem, whether it’s low or high, is something that’s developed early in life through our experiences. It’s the overall confidence one has in their own worth and abilities. It’s the messaging and programming we receive in those early years that begins to shape how we view ourselves and the world around us.

It can be formed if you experienced unrealistic expectations from authority figures, such as parents, teaches or coaches. Or it can come from growing up in a society where your value derives from your accomplishments.

Poor body-image is also influenced by self-esteem and vice-versa. It can be hard to feel good about yourself if you don’t like how you look. Perhaps your mother was always dieting or making comments about her weight or how she looked. As a child, this is subconsciously programming you to be self-critical, and can lead to you having your own insecurities about your weight or your looks. 

Combine this with celebrity culture, social media, diet fads, the fashion industry and societal expectations, and it’s no wonder that young girls and women are riddled with low self-esteem and confidence issues.

Comparison is the thief of joy

Have you ever compared yourself to someone you consider “better” than you? Someone you consider more attractive than you, or with a better job or cooler friends?

People with low self-esteem almost always compare themselves to others. The interesting thing is though, that the comparison is usually not in their favour. 

We rarely consider how others view us either. I can guarantee there’s some aspect of you that someone else envies or wishes they had. Whether it’s a physical feature or personality trait, everyone has redeeming qualities that someone else would love to embody. 

A bottomless pit of approval

Another key aspect of low self-esteem is the need for validation and approval from external resources. 

For many people, invalidation starts very early and continues throughout their life in one form or another. As a result, many people learn that their fundamental sense of self-esteem and self-worth comes not from within but from others, and so they constantly seek other people's approval or attention.

Whether it’s a deep fear of rejection or extreme people-pleasing, everyday life for these people can be full of ups and downs. 

This is a problem because they’re relying on others’ to make them feel good. When they don’t receive validation, they might feel shame, guilt, anger, loneliness, anxiety or a plethora of other negative emotions, which can then lead to other negative behaviours.

How can hypnotherapy improve your self-esteem?

Hypnosis is a powerful intervention to target the root cause of low self-esteem and improve the way you view yourself. 

Regardless of what caused these unhealthy thinking patterns, hypnosis can help you cultivate a positive mindset and let go of limiting beliefs.

It can remove negative, overly critical thoughts that tell you how to feel about yourself. It can help you gain control over your inner voice and reframe it to be healthy, supportive and helpful towards growth and success. 

Through subconscious reprogramming, you can learn to trust yourself and evaluate your skills and strengths accurately, instead of relying on someone else’s opinion or interpretation of you. 

Hypnotherapy can help you feel increasingly more connected to yourself, and less fearful of rejection. You’ll gain the confidence and freedom to say what you think and do what you feel, without worrying what others might think of you.  

You’ll learn and accept that you can’t control much in your external world, especially what others think of you. But that you have complete, 100% control over your inner world - your reactions, which thoughts you pay attention to, and the stories you tell yourself.

“Remember, you have been criticizing yourself for years and it hasn’t worked. Try approving of yourself and see what happens.” - Louise Hay.