Brigitte Sumner has some hints to help you feel good about yourself… you deserve it!

1: Breathe!

We forget often that the one commodity we really can’t live without is air. Take a few deep breaths and you will feel rejuvenated and as your brain and all your organs will get the oxygen pumping around you will feel better and more confident.

2: Smile more often

You will find that other people smile at you when you smile at them, this in itself makes you feel better.

3: Look after yourself

When you are run down you will feel miserable. Looking after your body, mind and soul (yoga is a great way to look after yourself ) will boost your self esteem and you know you look better.

4: Eat for fuel and for feeling great

Foods are linked to moods, the natural feelgood foods are seeds such as sesame and pumpkin. If you decide to eat meat, be aware that the mood of the animal when killed can influence your own.

5: Accept things as they are

You are not in control of many things, getting upset about the weather makes no difference to the weather! Control things that you can control. You are in the driver’s seat where it concerns your moods. Decide to be happy when you want to be.

6: Keep a gratitude journal

It is proven that people who are grateful for things in life are happier and more confident. It also changes your focus from what you do NOT have to what you DO have.

7: Be a keeper of your thoughts

Your language largely determines how you feel. Not only the language that we say out loud (this is just the tip of the iceberg) but also the language we use inside our head, i.e. our thoughts. Saying nice things to ourselves helps us to feel better about ourselves.

8: Move!

It is proven that when you move you move your lymph around in your body, this in turn strengthens your immune system, which makes you less susceptible to colds and pains, which in turn makes you feel more upbeat and confident.

9: Get fresh air

The air we breathe is often recycled and stale. Open a window or even better go outdoors and spend some time in nature. Our bodies need a minimum of 20 minutes of fresh air in natural light. This creates vitamin D and helps us fight depression.

10: Meditate

Emptying your mind and filling your thoughts helps you to refocus on what is important in life and to stay close to your core.

11: Make a list of things that have made you       proud

Write down a list of the things that you are proud of having done in your life. Reminding yourself of things that you CAN do rather than CAN’T sets you up to feel good about the future and challenges that lie ahead.

12: Make a list of things you are good at

List at least ten. This way you shift your attention from what you are not good at (yet!). Also, rather than keeping doing what you are not good at and failing at this, why not do what you are best at, excel and feel great and hire someone to do the things that are not your strengths but may be someone else’s.

13: Be your own best friend

We would never in a million years say the things we say about ourselves and do to ourselves to our best friend. If you were your own best friend, what would you say about yourself? What would you think about this person (you, your own best friend).

14: Live in the moment

We can’t change the past (no more “I should have”s) and the future is not here yet. Tell yourself to be present here and now. Very often we let the moment slip and do not enjoy it because we live too much in the past and future. Living in the moment makes you appreciate what is happening right here, right now, and makes you able to anticipate and enjoy more.

15: At the end of each day, write down 3 wins

What do you feel great about? Try not to beat yourself up, if you can’t find three things that you did great that day then you are probably too hard on yourself.

Brigitte Sumner is a sex and relationship expert. She appears regularly on US, UK, and European radio and TV and has been quoted in a number of leading magazines. She has her own coaching business and works with couples and individuals from all walks of life, either on a one to one basis or in group seminars. Her book Give Him Back His Balls gives simple, profound and fun solutions to create happy relationships for the 21st Century.