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How Confidence Issues Hold Women Back

Aggressive. Overbearing. Bossy. Controlling. All these terms have been used to bring down confident women and make them feel inferior to their male peers. In the workplace, women have been afraid to speak up for fear of stepping out of line. This often comes at the expense of receiving credit for their ideas, earning promotions they deserve and being fully recognized for their talent and skills.

In their personal life, women who struggle with confidence may routinely settle for partners who treat them poorly or even lower their expectations to avoid being rejected. Self-confidence affects everyone differently, but the unique struggle that women face can have a major impact on their life and happiness.

Why Do Women Have Low Self-Esteem?

Self-esteem affects everyone regardless of their sex or gender identity. But women have been historically plagued by greater struggles with their self-image and confidence than their male counterparts. Part of this may stem from a cultural fixation on the female body and role. Rather than being encouraged to express themselves freely and live however they want, women have been told what is “proper” or “ladylike” and encouraged to follow a linear path. In many cultures, the idea that being desirable is more important than being self-realized and happy still persists.

There is also a stigma that all women have low self-esteem, which may perpetuate a problem that doesn’t even exist. Even this belief can cause women to feel like they are less confident than they really are.

What Does Your Confidence Look Like?

Rather than grouping all women together, individual counseling approaches the person for who they are. While being a woman influences your experiences, your confidence is entirely based on what you think and feel about yourself. Factors such as your relationships, family life, upbringing and current belief systems all play a role in how confident you feel you can be.

Some women latch onto the idea of having low self-esteem and keep themselves small. This can be a useful defense mechanism for someone who has anxiety or does not know how to assert themselves. Rather than feeling the constant stress and struggle, they can shrink into the background and avoid tension.

Of course, this never leads to long-term happiness. The good news is that even a lifetime of confidence issues can be helped through therapy.

Self-Esteem Redefined

Are you tired of being told how you should feel, or what confidence is supposed to look like? You do not have to live life by anyone’s standards but your own. If that sounds too good to be true, therapy could help you realize your full potential.

Through personal counseling, you can begin to unravel your self-confidence struggles and replace them with more affirming thoughts. Building genuine confidence, but anyone can do it if they are willing to believe in themselves. Learning how to persevere through your own self-doubt is one of the greatest achievements you can discover through therapy.

Find a Denver therapist near you by contacting us at Caring Heart Counseling. We are always here to listen and help you work toward becoming the greatest version of yourself
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10 Tips for Working from Home During COVID-19

Millions of Americans are working home to help curb the outbreak of the coronavirus, but remote work takes some getting used to. For many of us, work is strictly at an office, so the distinction between work and play was as simple as coming home. Now that you’ll be spending most of your time indoors, it’s important to set yourself up for productivity to avoid burnout, overworking or too much procrastinating.

These 10 tips will help you adjust to working from home during COVID-19.

Get Dressed Everyday

Although it’s tempting to just wear your pajamas all day, getting dressed is one of the easiest ways to get yourself into “work mode.” The act of dressing yourself for work can help create a psychological division between relaxation and productivity.

Have Routine Breaks

It can be easy to slip into work at your desk or dining room table and completely lose track of time. Avoid this by taking your lunch break at the same time you normally do and getting up for at least 10 minutes every hour to stretch your legs.

Talk to Your Coworkers as Usual

You’ll need to communicate with your colleagues even more now that you aren’t physically able to check in with one another. Use Zoom, Slack and any other programs your company prefers as often as possible.

Turn Your Phone on Silent

Unless you need it on for work, ditch your cell phone during work hours. If you keep it by your desk, you’ll likely find yourself picking it up to scroll through Instagram or respond to text messages more often than you could at the office.

Avoid Social Media Rabbit Holes

Although it might be tempting to indulge what’s typically off-limits during the workday, social media can become a major distraction that ultimately lowers your work performance, which will increase stress.

Use Music to Limit Outside Distractions

Put in your headphones and turn on Spotify to drown out neighborhood noises and other distractions. Whatever you choose to listen to, make sure that it helps you focus and doesn’t unintentionally draw your mind away from the tasks at hand.

Set Boundaries Between Your Work and Home Life

It’s best to distance yourself from work and relaxation by avoiding any domestic tasks during the day. In other words, don’t stop working to do laundry, vacuum or wash the dishes. All of that can be taken care of after your shift is done for the day.

Get Plenty of Sun

Set up your workspace near a window, or take a walk outside if you can. Sunlight is a natural mood-booster, and staying close to nature will help you avoid cabin fever. If you do go out for a walk, remember to practice social distancing by staying at least 6 feet apart from others.

Set Small Goals

Some people may feel overwhelmed without the structure of their office and the presence of their coworkers to guide them. It’s okay if your workflow is thrown off, but you can make it through one day at a time by narrowing your responsibilities down to the most essential tasks.

Have an End-of-Work Ritual

When the workday is done, make sure you help “switch off” your brain by closing your laptop, changing into something more comfortable and doing something relaxing. Close your laptop, set your status as “away” in chats and avoid answering emails or doing anything off the clock.

Adjusting to working at home is a challenge, and you may find yourself more stressed, anxious or even depressed now that you aren’t able to go out every day. If that’s the case, we can help. Contact us today to learn more about our virtual therapy services during the coronavirus.