Building confidence and self-esteem

Always putting yourself down? Or feel like you have no confidence anymore? You’re not alone - lots of people feel like this sometimes. But there are loads of ways to boost your confidence and self-esteem.

Bring out the best in you

Self-esteem is how you think and feel about yourself. Being confident means being comfortable with how you look and how you feel. And it means feeling good about yourself, your abilities and your thoughts.

Sometimes your confidence can go up and down depending on the situation you're in. You might be really outgoing outside of school but be really shy in class. This is completely normal. At school, you’re surrounded by lots of different people and it can be difficult to speak up and be yourself.

Building up your confidence can take time. But we’re here for you. Taking small steps can often lead to a big change. And you don’t have to do it on your own.

5 things you can try:

  1. walk with your head held high
  2. wear a bright colour or something new
  3. do something you haven't done before
  4. eat healthy meals
  5. exercise regularly.


Building your confidence can take time. But there are lots of things you can try to help you feel more confident in any situation.

Building confidence after bullying

Bullying or cyberbullying can really affect your confidence and sometimes it can feel like it's your fault, even though this isn't true.

Feeling better about yourself can take time, but our tips can help if you're struggling.

Watch: How to cope after bullying

coping with break-ups

Relationship worries can have a big impact on our confidence. People break up for all sorts of reasons, but it can leave you thinking, ‘What’s wrong with me?’

You might start to question yourself, the way you look or whether you should've done something differently. It’s natural to compare yourself to others too. But a break up doesn't mean that you're better or worse, and it doesn't mean that someone else won't like you for who you are.

What you can do to help: