INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Ask yourself why you feel less confident about your beauty. In some cases, this may seem like a simple question because there is an obvious connection to your physical appearance. For example, someone may have made a comment to you directly about a specific feature. But in other cases, the connection may be more subtle. Media portrayals often narrowly define beauty, which can make people feel inferior.). There may even be an indirect connection to your decreased confidence. For example, uncertainty about the future may create anxiety. Because you cannot easily control or alleviate this anxiety, you focus more on other, smaller sources of anxiety that you can control, such as your looks. There are a number of different cognitive behavioral techniques to improve your “beauty self-esteem.” These techniques focus on evaluating the source of your self-esteem, questioning your negative opinion of your looks, and thinking about ways to think about your looks more positively. Take a good look at yourself in the mirror. Focus on sitting or standing up straight while looking in the mirror for maximum confidence while doing this exercise. Think about your favorite physical attributes and write them on a list. Write a sentence about each of these qualities, such as: “I have long curly hair. It looks so full and bouncy, especially just after I leave the hair salon.” This exercise also requires you to appreciate the qualities that are part of your personality or character. Write a sentence about each of these traits. For example, you might write, “I help others. I volunteer every week for a local charity and always call my friends back right away when they need to talk.” Combine your lists of personality traits and physical features. Rank the qualities, putting the one you think is your best or most important. This will help you determine which qualities are most important to you. Most people tend to rank personality features above beauty features. This emphasizes that that our self-esteem is influenced more about how we feel about our personality. Other people tend to be influenced by our personalities as well. When you look at yourself in the mirror, you might think certain thoughts. But consider where those thoughts come from. Whose words are they? Are they your own words, or someone else’s words? Do the words remind you of bullies, parents, or friends? When you consider these words, think about whether these descriptions are true. Are your hips really that big? Are you really that much taller than other people? Is that really a bad thing? If your friend was asking you about her looks, think about how you would talk to her with appreciation, acceptance and kindness. When you’re thinking thoughts about yourself, ask yourself if this thought about yourself is a kind thought, and whether you’d say it to a friend. Consider how you would talk to a friend. Now think about how you can talk to yourself that way. Find what you like about yourself in the mirror. From now on, whenever you look in the mirror, look at this attribute first. Tell yourself what you like about this attribute. This helps you stop focusing on what you perceive to be your “flaws.” Instead, you’ll focus on your positive attributes. Soon, you’ll see more of your attributes as positive.

SUMMARY: Identify the source of your lack of confidence. Look at yourself in the mirror. Write down 3 positive things about your looks. Write down 3 positive personality traits. Rank these 6 traits in order of importance to you. Look at yourself and see what thoughts come into your head. Question the accuracy of your thoughts. Quiet negative thoughts. Talk to yourself positively.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Today's generation is chock full of people that feel unaccomplished. You could get all existential about your life, but that won't get you anywhere. Instead, put your mind to something and do it. The action of getting something done will show you that you can overcome challenges, and make you feel capable, useful, and worthwhile. It can be anything. Run a 10k. Overcome your shyness. Become a wine connoisseur. Whatever you can see yourself enjoying for a long time will be worth your while. But remember: the harder it is, the bigger the payoff. Losing 5 pounds is great, but losing 10 might make you feel twice as good. This is similar to the previous step. But mastering something, becoming a true expert, will give you a sense of identity, knowledge, and a great feeling of internal satisfaction. Whatever you're good at now, throw yourself into 150%. The payoff will be unimaginable. When you become an expert, you know you're truly good at something. There is no room for doubt, no room for negativity. This can become a haven of positivity, reassurance, and relaxation. And, inevitably, it'll be a part of your everyday life. So if you've been hiding the fact that you play the bagpipes for 8 years now, let 'er out. This is also similar to the last two steps -- in fact, they can all be intertwined. Your resolution could be to become a painter. But back to the point -- creating something is so validating, especially in today's world. We walk through turning on lights with  the flick of a switch, talking to people through screens, and sitting down as we scoot down the highway. Everything is done for us. Create something yourself and you become one of the few who are resourceful, knowledgeable, and tuned in. Once more, it doesn't matter what it is. Sure, a new irrigation system for the Congo would be super great for the world at large, but making a duct tape bag gets you thinking creatively, too. What can you do with your set of talents and skills? This doesn't work for everyone, but it could work for you. Ever gone on a run and felt a thousand times better after (or three times better)? That's it. That's the feeling. Putting your body to work might get your brain on the right track. It's too easy to get cooped up at the office and consider the 20-foot walk into Starbucks to be your daily gallivant with nature. Go for a walk. Get outside. Feel the sun. You'll wake up, you'll feel more energized, and you'll feel more mentally energized. Old habits may be impossible to erase from your brain, but they aren’t impossible to break. Instead of trying to eradicate old habits, develop healthier, stronger alternatives that bypass the old ones. Developing new habits takes time, but once they are established, they’re with you for life.  Do some exercise! Go swimming and try a dive that you have never done before. Go to a dance class and try a style of dance that you don't know. Or try a whole new sport! Volunteer. Working with children, puppies, and the poor are great ways to feel good about yourself. And the feeling is almost instantaneous. Want to feel happy? Go to the hospital with a puppy and ask for the cancer ward. Done.

SUMMARY:
Make a resolution and stick with it. Master something. Create something. Tap into your energy. Form new habits.