Believing in yourself, self confidence and self esteem can be massive barriers to gaining and keeping employment. For more information about how Pathway Group can help you with pre-employment training and confidence building please call: 0121 707 0550 or e-mail: info@pathwaygroup.co.uk

1. Why Believing in
Yourself is Important

2. Sometimes it is easy to get trapped in a cycle
of putting yourself down.
However it isn’t good for you, your future or others
around you and breaking the habit is important!

3. Self-esteem and confidence can have a major
impact on your ability to find a job and then
to keep it so here is our guide to overcoming
negative self-esteem and confidence issues
and to start believing in yourself.

4. Studies say that the five people who you interact
with the most will have the most effect on you, how
you act towards others and deal with life.
If you know that there are people around you who
only bring you down and stop you from achieving
as you should, cut them out. It might sound harsh
but you need to do this for yourself. It might look
like you are loosing friends but its the only way
to change yourself so that you can attract new,
encouraging friends.
Stay away from people who bring you down

5. Don’t believe it
Sometimes we can get into a cycle of putting ourselves
down. It might be something that you have developed
from childhood or from always being told that you
aren’t good enough in school or by friends, family
or other people. These things can have lasting
effects and sometimes we don’t even realise it at first.
DON’T BELIEVE in the negative things.
No-one has the right to tell you that you are
beneath them so just don’t listen to it. We know that
it is harder than it sounds but every time
someone puts you down make a conscience
decision not to let it affect you and let it go.

6. If people start to say something enough we will start to
think it and speak it over ourselves. This isn’t right.
Start to bring yourself up on it when you say things
that aren’t positive about yourself.
Ban commonly used phrases such as ‘I’m stupid’, ‘I’ve
always been dumb’, and ‘I’m ugly’ ‘I’m fat’ etc, etc.
If you say these things into your life you are
just reinforcing them. Stop it!
Stop saying it

7. To get something back you need to give it.
Giving encouragement can often go against our
nature however it is important that you get into a
cycle of building others up.
People like to be around others who make them
feel good. This is not to say that you should go
overboard and suck up to people because
no-one likes that but just saying that you
appreciate something someone has done
or that they did a good job can go a long way.
Be encouraging

8. Sometimes the hardest obstacle is admitting that
you put yourself down or ‘enjoying’ the habit.
We all get used to habits and sometimes cutting a
habit can feel strange and so you give up because
you don’t feel yourself. However bad habits are bad
habits for a reason so you have to come to a point
where you want to make an active decision every
day to break the habit.
Want to change

9. Say encouraging phrases to yourself
This might feel a bit strange at first however it is
important to changing your attitude towards yourself.
Write down a list of things that you like about
yourself; this could be something about your
personality , looks, how you act to other etc.
Then think about things that people have
complimented you on in the past.
• Is there a theme to these compliments?
• Do you believe them or do you throw them
away as soon as someone says them?

10. Say encouraging phrases to yourself
We are more critical of ourselves then others and
don’t want to seem egotistical so it may take you a
while but it is important to remember compliments.
Identify any negative thoughts in both sections that
you think about yourself and take some time to reflect
on why you think these things. It may be something
that some has said in the past, something you have
done that you have never forgiven yourself for etc.

11. It is important that you identify these things so that
you can move on. Perhaps write a list of things that
have been said to you and that you have said about
yourself then rip it up or burn it.
This will help you to overcome the negative
emotions and is a fresh start.
Say encouraging phrases to yourself

12. Once you have done both of these things remind
yourself of the new positive things during the day.
Maybe write a note about how you are great
and leave it somewhere you will see it or have
a picture of yourself and write positive words
around yourself. Do whatever feels most
natural; just make sure that it is positive.
Within a few days you will hopefully notice a
difference in the way that you respond to
compliments and your self-esteem/confidence.
Say encouraging phrases to yourself

13. Remember these things take time. Don’t worry if you
find it hard or don’t notice a difference at first, these
things take time however know that the most
important thing is that you have identified it and you
are doing something about it.
Finally,

14. If you think confidence and self-esteem might be
a barrier to you or someone you know gaining
employment please talk to our Pathway2work
team. They are professionals who can help you
overcome a multitude of barriers to you gaining
employment.
Call: 0121 707 0550
E-mail: info@pathwaygroup.co.uk
For More Information