Today’s Solutions: November 04, 2026

What does it take to build long-lasting self-esteem? To answer this question, we have to understand that self-esteem is nothing more than how closely the person we are corresponds to the person we want to be—meaning that self-esteem is something that comes from within. Seeking approval from others will never lead you to lasting self-esteem. Sure, you might feel good for a moment after receiving praise, but it will only make you desire more and more praise to keep that feeling going. Rather than look to others, building satisfactory self-esteem can be done in three steps: First, take charge of that ideal-self. Listen to your soul and show up to the game of life as yourself. Second, learn to see yourself as you are and avoid exaggerated self-criticism. Accept that you are good enough and stop trying to fit into a group you don’t actually want to join. Third, quit that bad habit of looking for approval from others and instead, look inside yourself for approval, strength and confidence. These three steps will help shape you and the self-esteem you’re looking to build, but if you crave some more details for how to do this, have a look here.

Solutions News Source Print this article
More of Today's Solutions

Maya Higa built a wildlife sanctuary on Twitch, funded by the people who watc...

This article is part of The Optimist Daily's Local Changemakers 2026 series, spotlighting changemakers 30 and under. Earlier this year, on a trip to ...

Read More

Stanford scientists discovered bleached coral can heal through touch

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Two coral fragments fell over in a Stanford lab tank. When they touched, one healed the other. The ...

Read More

Study: Drinking the right amount of caffeine may lower diabetes risks

While too much caffeine from coffee may cause unpleasant side effects such as anxiety or insomnia, that doesn’t mean you should cut your caffeine ...

Read More

AI could identify chickens in distress and improve conditions

We’ve already written before about AI’s potential to improve pigs’ lives by listening to them. Now, scientists have found they can use AI on ...

Read More