Neurodivergence & Self-Esteem: Strategies to Cultivate Confidence
As someone navigating and perceiving the world with a neurodivergent brain, you’re likely to face unique challenges that neurotypical people typically don’t have to contend with. Whether you’re dealing with overwhelming sensory processing, difficulty engaging in social interaction, or differing communication styles from most neurotypical people, your self-esteem has probably taken a beating over the course of your life. A healthy self-esteem is essential in living and enjoying a full and vibrant life.
Have you been struggling with self esteem lately? Here’s some advice, from our hearts to yours.
Recognize the Gifts of Your Neurodivergence Disorder.
At Spectrums.ai, we’re big proponents of the fact that neurodivergent people possess unique strengths and qualities. For example, people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are often skilled at paying sharp attention to detail and often excel at problem-solving. In fact, many of history’s greatest visionaries were neurodivergent. Shifting your focus onto the gifts that come with neurodivergence rather than ruminating on the challenges it presents is an excellent way to start boosting your self-esteem.
Focus on positive affirmations.
Skeptical about this one? Don’t be! A study published in the medical journal Psychology of Consciousness: Theory, Research, and Practice found that participants who repeated positive affirmations for five minutes a day experienced a significant increase in self-esteem and a decrease in negative thoughts.
Create a list of positive affirmations that you can repeat to yourself throughout the day. Write them down on post-it notes and stick them to your mirror, to walls, doors, or anywhere else where you’ll see them. Write them down in your phone’s ‘notes’ application and set reminders throughout the day to read your affirmations over.
By focusing on self-talk, you challenge your negative thoughts and beliefs that may be negatively impacting your self-esteem.
Engage in self-care.
While self-care is all the rage on social media, most people have a warped understanding of what self-care actually is.
Does self-care = excessive spending on needless luxuries? Nope.
Does self-care = sleeping in half the day and missing important deadlines? Not even close.
Does self-care = eating lots of ice cream? No…well, sometimes
Effective self-care that will serve you in the long-term involves engaging in activities that will bring you joy and relaxation. Good examples include doing exercise you enjoy, hobbies, and spending time in nature.
Develop and Depend on a Social Network
Who should be a part of your support network? Your friends? Your family? Your healthcare practitioners? In theory, anyone who is willing to offer emotional support and guidance should be a part of your social network. Establish a list of individuals whom you trust and will depend on in times of crisis. Not only do support networks provide you with reliable support when you need it most, they also offer a sense of community, which is an integral part in maintaining a healthy self-esteem.
Start Practicing Self-Acceptance (Like, Right Now)
Yeah, we know. Self-acceptance is a lot to ask for. The truth is that self-acceptance is difficult for anyone to achieve. That’s why it’s a practice. Those positive affirmations you just read about? Focusing on those is a great place to start your journey to self-acceptance. While it’ll probably take you years to get to your destination, the consistent effort to accept yourself (as you are, without judgment) will go a long way to reducing the feelings of shame and inadequacy that feed into a deteriorating self-esteem.
Prioritize self-acceptance.
This strategy may be the most challenging to achieve, but it is crucial for supporting healthy self-esteem. Self-acceptance involves embracing all facets of yourself, including your neurodivergent condition. While it may take time to develop (self-acceptance is a practice, after all), consistently making an effort to practice self-acceptance can significantly reduce feelings of shame and inadequacy, and improve your self-esteem.
By creating and maintaining a healthy self-esteem, not only do you benefit yourself, but you redefine society’s image of what constitutes a neurodivergent person and reduce stigma. Spectrums.ai helps neurodivergent people develop strong and reliable self-esteem.