Self

4 Powerful (And Free!) Ways To Boost Your Self-Esteem In 24 Hours

Photo: getty
4 Powerful (And Free!) Ways To Boost Your Self-Esteem In 24 Hours

Your self-esteem is directly related to the quality of people you attract into your life. High self-esteem attracts your best romantic match. And when you’re in top form, you radiate beautiful positive energy, making you irresistible to the highest quality partner.

Feeling like your self-esteem could use a little jumpstart? Instead of moping about how down you feel about yourself, here's how to be more confident and comfortable in your own body. And when you apply it to your dating life, you can expect to find the results you've been looking for. It all starts with you. 

RELATED: 8 Ways To Recover Your Confidence When You Feel Totally Humiliated

1. Give yourself a makeover.

When you look your best, you'll have a boost of confidence and make a great impression on your first date. First impressions are made in 5-10 seconds. Your appearance and body language are of vital importance.

When you are comfortable with your appearance, you will naturally act with more confidence on your date. Update your wardrobe, hire an image consultant, or go to a department store and get a makeover. It doesn't take much for an instant makeover, and the results will help you radiate beauty wherever you go. 

2. Find a cheerleader.

This doesn't mean you should hire someone dressed in a short skirt with pompoms. Find a personal cheerleader, someone who's in your court, a good friend or family member who can give you encouragement, especially when you are down about your romantic status.

Dating is filled with lots of "failures" — dates that don't work out, relationships that peter out, people who break your heart. Sometimes it's hard to keep a positive perspective as you seek that special someone.

Have a cheerleader on hand that you can call or visit when you need a boost. It will make a huge difference to your attitude about your love life, and the added bonus? It will add value to your cheerleader's life too. People love knowing they've made a difference in someone else's life. 

RELATED: 10 Scientific Ways To Massively Boost Your Confidence

3. Visualize your goals. 

Simply visualizing your romantic goals will give you a clearer idea as to what type of person you want to attract and how to find him/her. When you have clarity about what you want and change your dating patterns, you release "feel good" adrenaline into your body, which will trigger a boost in your confidence.

If you are unhappy with some aspect of yourself, visualize the person you want to become. Then take the steps to work on those traits. Be specific and clear in your goals and visualization. If visualization is not your thing, try writing, drawing, or recording your goals. 

4. Change your perspective on failure.

If your dating "failures" (bad first dates, no dates at all) bring you down, your self-esteem can suffer. Change your perspective. View failure as a learning curve, a natural part of life, and you will be so much happier.

It is common to experience rejection before you are successful in any area of life. Dating is a journey, a learning experience, something to evaluate and draw new skills from.

After every date, keep a journal. Analyze and articulate what went well and where you need improvement. The quicker you learn from your mistakes, the quicker you will succeed. Failure means you're out there dating. You're taking risks and opening your heart. And that's the only way you're going to find love. 

RELATED: 12 Attractive Things Strong, Confident Women Do Differently

Sandy Weiner, founder of Last First Date, is devoted to helping women achieve healthy, off-the-charts love in the second half of life. She's also the host of Last First Date Radio, an acclaimed show about attracting and sustaining healthy relationships in midlife.