Self-esteem rallies your courage and internal resources to see you through life challenges. Eating disorder recovery is one of the many tough challenges that will confront you in your lifetime.

Each challenge, successfully negotiated, gives your more strength and wisdom for the inevitable next.

Here are 13 more self-esteem builders so you can equip yourself. Surprise.  Many are fun! 

1.     Build self-esteem: Create and sustain traditions with friends and family. The predictability and stability reinforces bonding, relationships, security and a sense of well being in the worlds.

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2.     Build self-esteem: Create back up plans for car emergencies.
3.     Build self-esteem: Create back up plans for home emergencies.

4.     Build self-esteem: Create back up plans for financial emergencies.

5.     Build self-esteem: Create back up plans for social emergencies. (In other words, create back up plans so unplanned challenges are not

(altogether unexpected. Give yourself options you can quickly reach for.)

6.     Build self-esteem:  Make by your hand or with friends, special occasion cards for friends and family. You define the special occasion – perhaps a holiday, anniversary or birthday
– but perhaps a personal notable experience you recognize and appreciate.

7.     Build self-esteem:  Give yourself credit for effort, even before achievement.

8.     Build self-esteem:  Make a mobile that reflects your interests or goals or loves or words of encouragement your appreciate.

9.     Build self-esteem:  Make gentle fun of your foibles sometimes, like a stand up comic. Find humor in the absurdity of some of your habits. Laugh with good humor and
kindness at some qualities you take – perhaps too seriously – in yourself.

10.    Build self-esteem:  Return what you borrow.

11.    Build self-esteem:  Have a dignified ritual for your losses, i.e. ceremonies for the beginnings and endings in your life.

12.    Build self-esteem:  Send people you care about encouraging notes now and then that show you appreciate them.  Do this for yourself too!

13.    Build self-esteem:  Honor your spiritual practices. If you don’t have any, explore to discover what matters to you and develop a spiritual practice based on your authentic caring.

Which self-esteem builders are new to you?

Which are already in place?

Which seem easy?

Which seem like a challenge?

Please let me know.