Books that improved your self esteem?

One of the ways I’ve seen people coached through this is by building self respect, not self esteem. The difference is subtle and it was described to me as “one you earn, the other is given”. One comes from within yourself, the other comes from outside.

So getting self respect is a simple matter. You earn it. You build it. How? Through action that makes you respect yourself. Start with the big four. Sleep. Diet. Exercise. Mindfulness. If you’re doing all you can, and you’re proud of yourself, it simply does not matter what others think. THIS is how you build confidence and positivity. It’s not given, it’s earned.

**Sleep** *Why Sleep Matters* –Matthew Walker

**Diet** *How Not to Diet* — Michael Greger

**Exercise** *Spark* –John Ratey

**Mindfulness** *Waking Up* –Sam Harris

I’ve seen some psychologists add a fifth column for education. You might consider reading *Shop Class as Soulcraft* by Matthew Crawford. Who do you respect in the world? Copy their effort and ethics and no one can take that away from you. Discipline is its own reward.
One last tip…rather than setting goals, set deadlines. 50 pushups by noon. Finish a book per week. Bed by 10pm. Fill out 5 job applications before breakfast. Whatever you’re thinking of doing, do it. Goals without deadlines are nothing more than cotton candy dreams. If you REALLY want something to get done, set a deadline.

Here are a few books to get your ass in gear:

*Do Hard Things* –Steve Magness

*The Comfort Crisis* –Michael Easter

*Make Your Bed*–William McRaven

**Do the things that make you proud of you! It’s the actions that matter.**

If sleeping, eating, exercise, and meditation don’t reshape you into your best self, you can alway try the psychiatry-ish route. I just finished *Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before* by Julie Smith, a well-known mental health expert. It was well researched, well written, and I can see the appeal for a lot people who are wired differently than myself. I found it helpful but redundant