Have you tried self-esteem activities and exercises that just feel empty? How’s your confidence in fitting rooms? How about board rooms? What’s your plan for the next five years? What do you say when you talk to yourself? How are you building your confidence? How do you feel when you see your selfie?
If you’re breathing a little harder, writing off these questions, or looking for the nearest exit, then you’re like the rest of us. You’ve been hurt, you have scars, and you’re not completely confident in who you are. Nearly four out of every 10 men say they’d exchange a year of their life for a different body (more than women). One study says 91 percent of women say they’re unhappy with their bodies. By the time we’re 10, 80 percent of us are afraid of being overweight. But it’s not just body image. We wonder if we belong in our career, we question whether we should be parents, and no amount of likes ever feels quite like love.
We’re collectively asking, “Am I enough? Do I have what it takes? Am I beautiful?” We ask a paycheck, an app, sex, a spouse, a job, or our kids to tell us something they don’t know. All the while, God is kindly repeating His answers. He is saying: I love you deeply (Romans 5:8), I value you highly (1 John 3:1-2), I provide for you fully (Philippians 4:19), and I planned for you carefully (Ephesians 1:3-5).
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:10 NLT
So. Now you know the truth. But it’s one thing to know the truth and another to do something about it, right? Here are some of our favorite tools for doing something about the way we see ourselves.
17 Self-Esteem Activities:
Overcoming Body Image
- Watch Pastor Craig talk about body image. He takes a favorite song (Scars to Your Beautiful) and turns it into truth that could change the way you see yourself forever.
- Discover who is pursuing you. In The Pursuit, Amy Groeschel helps women see a God who loves to be pursued because He is the one pursuing you. There’s a 4-week study for groups too!
- Find your Altar Ego. We are not who others say we are. And we aren’t the broken self-image we see in the mirror. Pastor Craig shows us how to lay down who we think we are to become who God says we are. There’s a Bible Plan too.
- Look at the Man in the Mirror. In these two messages, Louie Giglio reminds us of who we are and how much we’re loved.
- Read Becoming Myself. This vulnerable book by Stasi Eldredge helps women stop trying to heal themselves, stop trying to become something by themselves, and realize they are not by themselves at all.
Building Confidence
- Learn to say, “I’m confident.” The Stay Positive message series is all about finding God-confidence. It’s so much better than self-confidence because it doesn’t depend on you, and it can’t be destroyed. Get the Bible Plan too!
- You’ll love these great finds about hope amidst depression and growing confidence in your dating, parenting, marriage, or faith.
- Did you know confidence can result from of a series of choices? So much of who you are is made up of everything that comes after you say the words I Choose. Watch the messages and read the Bible Plan.
Changing Self-Talk
- Get new Words to Live By. By the end of this 3-day plan, you will have discovered new self-talk and more than that: God’s words for you. Unlike many upstart resolutions, these daily declarations will renew your mind in a way that lasts.
Discovering Direction
- Find Divine Direction. Sometimes insecurity feels a lot like being lost because if we’re honest, we don’t know where we’re going. Find your way in this message series, LifeGroup study, Bible Plan, and book.
- What’s God’s dream for your life? It’s your chazown. This Bible Plan and experience will help you identify common themes, bring clarity to your unique passions, and lead you to the purpose God has just for you.
Healing Past Hurts
- Comfort isn’t what you think—it’s better. Find out why comfort really means together-strength. Start the Bible Plan, and find comfort smack dab in the middle of your pain.
- How are we supposed to make it through pain and loss? Pastor Levi Lusko lost his daughter to a severe asthma attack, and now he’s helping people heal from tragedy. Watch the messages, and read the Bible Plan.
- What keeps you from wanting to get close with family and friends? In these messages, learn biblical truth about overcoming labels, shame, and offenses. Because sometimes you just need to punch shame in the face.
Defeating Addiction
- You want some Bad Advice? Don’t watch these messages, or read this Bible Plan about avoiding and overcoming addiction, adultery, faithlessness, and dissatisfaction.
- Temptation is the seductive little voice that twists what you want into what you need. It distorts your thoughts until you’re trapped. But there’s always A Way Out. If you feel stuck, watch these messages, and start this Bible Plan with a friend you trust.
- Here are five things that are true about quitting every single addiction, four ways to protect your marriage from adultery, and five helpful realizations about destroying your porn addiction.
We hope these self-esteem activities help you discover purpose, find hope, and build confidence. Don’t let low self-esteem control your life. If you need some advice on how to build these activities into habits, click the link below.
