Self esteem is usually defined as how a person feels and thinks about him or herself. Self esteem which is believed to be developed as early as the childhood years is largely affected by the treatment one gets from the people who are in close proximity. Parents, siblings and pre-school teachers and childhood friends are among the people that can affect a person's self esteem in his later life.

There are indeed a lot of individuals who suffer from low self-esteem which can affect all facets of one's life. Low self-esteem can have a major impact on a person's confidence, ability to build and maintain friendships and romantic relationships. Low self esteem can also affect his or her career development and performance at work.

Fortunately for these individuals, there are many ways to build self-esteem. Here are 4 effective ways on how to raise self esteem.

How to Raise Self Esteem #1 - Have a positive image.

A positive self image is simply to have an agreeable or favorable view of one self. This positive image should include the talents, abilities and physical attributes that one possesses. Focus on the positive image and love them for what they are. One cannot have a high self esteem if one does not like oneself.

How to Raise Self Esteem #2 - Avoid negative thoughts

Another effective way on how to raise self esteem is to eliminate negative thoughts in one's mind. Recognize these negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones at immediately. If a negative thought is allowed to linger in the mind for some time, these thoughts can turn into a habit and will be very difficult to get rid of then.

How to Raise Self Esteem #3 - Practice positive affirmations

Another powerful way where you can raise self esteem is through positive affirmations. These are positive statements that are meant to be read or recited repeatedly. You can learn how to practice effective affirmation techniques at the end of this article.

How to Raise Self Esteem #4 - Mingle with positive and supportive friends

Finally, you can also enhance and improve your self-esteem by mingling with positive friends and relatives. Supportive friends can help to introduce words of encouragement and praises. Their love and understanding can be a powerful tool to raise your self esteem to its maximum potential. Sometimes just knowing that somebody believes in you makes you believe in yourself also.