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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Give your self-esteem a healthy boost

Have you ever had someone in your life that feels it is their mission to cut you down? Most of us have encountered someone along the way who seems hell-bent on trying to break us.

Sometimes the criticism can be direct, and sometimes it can come in a very surreptitious, passive-aggressive way. But when it comes, it can be destructive and can have an impact on your self-esteem.

Here, from Prevention Magazine, are three ways to keep your self-esteem in a world that might try to break it down:

Surround yourself with people who lift you up: There are two kinds of people, those that cut you down and those that lift you up. Choose to be around the ones who lift you up. Distance yourself from the ones that cut you down, even if they are family. Sometimes a healthy distance is needed to create a healthy person.

Throw out the scale: A number does not tell you how awesome you are, how smart you are, how funny you are, how beautiful you are or how important you are. It is just a number on a scale. That is all.

• Get outside: Countless studies show how important sunlight is for you, for your emotions and your well-being. If the Internet is the new smoking (who is not addicted to the constant draw of emails, Facebook, Twitter, etc), then take a break. Head outside, if just for five minutes. The sun on your face, a walk around the block, fresh air in your heart, head and lungs can clear the mental debris that can accumulate.