National Self Esteem Month

You may be familiar with May as Mental Health Month or International Nurses Day, but did you know that May is also National Teen Self-Esteem Month?

You might wonder what self-esteem is.

Your overall view of yourself — how you feel about your abilities and limits — is known as self-esteem. It's even referred to as self-respect.

National teen self-esteem month is a terrific way to raise awareness about how important it is for our teens to be self-aware and confident in their skin. The impact of their self-esteem on their physical and mental health is critical, and it is a major emphasis of the awareness month.

Teenage years are notoriously challenging for most young people, so this is a great way to check-in and make sure we're doing everything we can to support and nurture the teenagers in our life, whether they're family or friends. Teens must deal with the added demands of social changes, new relationships, increasing scholastic expectations, peer pressure, and unattainable cultural ideals reinforced by the media, society, and often parents, in addition to the physical, hormonal, and emotional changes that are occurring. With the added burden of being a teenager, it's logical that teenagers' self-esteem can be easily damaged and difficult to heal.

National teen self-esteem activities

• 1. attend a seminar or program

• 2. Show how much you care by writing a nice note to a teen you know.

• 3. Commit to the 31-day challenge

• 4. Avoid negative self-talk and criticism

• 5. Make sure you have open channels of communication, and if you don't, seek help setting them up.

• 6. Ascertain that you can be trusted to guide and counsel them, encouraging them to make their own decisions within fair limits.

• 7. Allow them room and show an interest in their lives as they mature.

how to start loving yourself

• Stop comparing yourself to others.

• Don't worry about others' opinions.

• Allow yourself to make mistakes.

• Remember your value doesn't lie in how your body looks.

• Don't be afraid to let go of toxic people.

• Process your fears.

• Trust yourself to make good decisions.

• Take every opportunity life presents or create your own.

• Put yourself first.

• Exercise.

• Be kind to yourself.