Photography: Ben Weller for Harper’s Bazaar
Life Coaching: Finding Self Esteem When You Need It
Sam Wigan’s from Harper’s BAZAAR UK’s simple steps to achieving positivity and finding direction
Everyone’s sense of self-worth goes up and down from day to day. It can be hard, however, to stay focused and engaged when you are feeling at a low ebb. One way to maintain faith in yourself is to keep a ‘success journal’. This is especially helpful at those moments when you doubt yourself or question your self-worth.
Put simply, a success journal is a notebook that you use to record daily achievements or encouraging feedback. For example, if a client has a breakthrough or expresses their gratitude for work I have completed, I put that in my success journal. I do the same when I meet a personal goal. Anything life-affirming can go in, be it large or small.
Second, whenever you need a boost, simply dip into your journal to review a few entries. This is sure to enhance your sense of self, reminding you of all the good you are creating in the world.
Top tips for your success journal
#1. Ideally, keep a physical journal, rather than a digital one. There is something about the act of writing that anchors this exercise in your consciousness.
#2. Choose a journal that pleases you. This is a treasure-chest of all the good you create, so spend a little time or money on it.
#3. Consider having a special pen that you use for your entries.
#4. Set aside a regular time each day or week to reflect on, and record, recent successes. Entries may include positive feedback, compliments, value you created, goals you achieved or anything you experience as positive in yourself and your life.
#5. If you are having a tough week and can’t immediately identify anything, dig a little deeper. Maybe a positive sign is simply the fact that you have made time to focus on yourself.
#6. Review your entries whenever you want to, but especially when you need a boost.
Photography: Pamela Hanson for Harper’s Bazaar
Top tips for supercharging your goals
#1. Give yourself permission to choose a strongly desired goal, even if you don’t know how you’ll accomplish it.
“I want my business to be a success and to make a positive impact in the world.”
#2. Get specific, and be expansive.
“I want £150,000 or more in personal income, after tax.”
#3. Give it juice! Write it as if it’s happening and is deeply satisfying.
“It’s a complete thrill for me to be receiving more than £150,000 a year after tax in personal income.”
#4. Stay true.
Let go of needing to know the “how”. Read your goal daily and let it come alive within you.
#5. Acknowledge yourself.
If you do all of that, you are already ahead of the game and on the way to making this goal a reality.
For more BAZAAR at Work: how to get your voice heard and how to say it with confidence.
