A lot of people find that slowly trying to change their thoughts can help. For example, after making a mistake, rather than just thinking ‘I’m useless, I’m giving up’, it can be helpful to think ‘okay, so I didn’t get it right this time, so I’ll do it differently next time’. Because low self-esteem can be very deeply rooted, it takes time to be able to do this, but it’s worth trying and practicing.
Remembering times when things did go well, and writing these down, can be a reminder of skills and strengths.
Comparing ourselves to others is unhelpful, as most people will see themselves as ‘less’ than the person they are comparing themselves to. Good self-esteem involves accepting our good and bad points.