If you suffer from low self esteem, then hopefully this article will be helpful to you. The truth is that most people feel the effects of low self-esteem from time to time during their lives. Low self-esteem becomes a problem when we allow our feelings of low self-esteem to rule our lives.

This article gives you five simple ways that you can boost your self esteem, and start on the path to a more confident you. Use these simple to follow strategies and soon you could be looking in the mirror at the new you, comfortable in who you are and confident that others will see the same person.

Stop destructive and negative thoughts. We become what we think about. It makes sense then, to think positive thoughts. If you spend each day having negative thoughts about what might happen, or expect that good things won't happen to you, then guess what? Your thoughts and expectations are likely to become true, and nothing good will ever happen. So next time you start to have negative and destructive thoughts, firstly recognize that you're having them, and then replace them with something positive. It's tough at first, but in time and with more and more practice, it'll start to become second nature.

Celebrate failure. Someone once said that the formula for success was to double your rate of failure. Now that may seem a little odd, but if you think about it, it actually makes a lot of sense. Nobody can really succeed in something unless they make mistakes on the way. They then learn from these mistakes, move on and become better at what they do for the experience. So next time you make a mistake, don't beat yourself up about it. Think to yourself what you would have done differently if you'd known what you now know, and learn from it.

Take action - do things you've been putting off. The easiest and fastest way to change your life is to spend the first hour each day working on something that really means something to you. So if you're bad at time management, spend the first hour each day planning the day ahead. If you have lots of little things to do that have been eating away at you for days, spend the first hour doing them. Pay that bill. Send that email.

By taking action, we can stop the nagging feelings of anxiousness that constantly plague us. By taking action, taking the first step toward getting something done we can enjoy our life without constantly worrying about the price we're paying with our inaction. Once you've taken action, that alarm that was constantly going on in your brain is suddenly silenced. Now that is a fantastic feeling!

Put your behavior in perspective. A single mistake is not the end of the world. And a flaw in your character does not define you. So don't condemn yourself over a single failure or flaw. Realize that nobody's perfect, and that everyone makes mistakes. So why should you be any different! Accept that you can never be good at absolutely everything, and that you can never satisfy absolutely everybody. And if you make mistakes, then so does everyone else, so I learn from it and move on.

Acknowledge and list your good qualities, skills, and achievements. As I mentioned earlier, it's important to look at the positives in life and think good thoughts. Remember, 'We become what we think about.' Spend some time listing all your best attributes, the skills you have, and what achievements you've managed. Then try to add to this list each and every day with something new. Now this may seem a little daunting at first, but like most things in life starting something is the hardest part, so just give it a go.

In order to change our self-esteem, we really have to change how we view ourselves. Recognizing your good qualities, skills, and achievements in yourself will put you in control of your lives. You'll walk taller. You'll behave more confidently. You'll be at ease saying what you believe rather than worrying what other people are thinking about you.

Paul Heaton has put together a complimentary report on how to boost your self esteem quickly. To access it visit http://www.growyourselfesteem.com