Think about this: You have hundreds of big and small opinions about yourself. Perhaps a majority of these self-appraisals seem to appear from nowhere. That may seem like a frightening, hopeless predicament, but it isn't. A big part of effectively resisting self-appraisals that drag you down is steadily improving your positive self-talk. The result: You don't have to be who your negative thoughts tell you that you are any longer.

Your conscious or unconscious mind may try to tell you what to think about yourself with messages, or "texts," that can be positive or negative. You don't have to let those texts be what drives you. Get a grip on those texts by consciously sending positive texts to yourself.

Self-talk is powerful. You have more influence over yourself than you think. Positive self-talk takes work, but it is worth the work.

When you're in the middle of making positive change, it can be challenging to see how you're growing, but you are. Trust the process and keep moving in the same direction. You are making more progress than you might think.

If you have a poor image of yourself, you may be focusing way more on who you are not rather than on the beautiful uniqueness of who you are. Life is not all about popularity and accomplishment. Replace self-criticism with self-appreciation.

Do you ever think, "I'm my own worst enemy?" Try replacing it with this thought: "I will continue to grow in my attitudes and actions until I become the best version of myself!"

There is nothing prideful in periodically saying to yourself, "I'M BETTER THAN OKAY. I'M AWESOME!"

On a scale of 1 to 10, rate your self-worth. What was your score? Why not one point lower? Higher? What would it take for you to start seeing yourself better? Pick one thing that you can improve and decide what the next right step toward that thing is. But remember, your worth is not based on your behavior, accomplishments, body, intelligence, or anything else. You have worth and value simply because you're you!

Do you resist or resent change? Remember, change is a necessary part of life and is not always as scary as it might seem. Why not tell yourself this: "I will be more adaptable when facing change because I know change can push me to be a better and stronger person."

What is one thought process, attitude, or action that you can begin replacing with something better? Start today-think, move, and then don't give up!

Allow your attitude to climb to a higher altitude by deciding to look at envy, laziness, or self-doubt square in the face and proclaim, "I will not give in to or be intimidated by your negative pull. My life has a much higher calling!"

No matter how cool, popular, or successful we may be, we need reinforcement, often coming from ourselves first. "I do intend to have an awesome day today," OR "I'm counting on it: I WILL have enough strength and energy to handle today's challenges," OR "I will look for an opportunity to help and encourage someone else today." That's reinforcement. That's a great way to do life.

Many say, "I'm going to go hang out with friends" without thinking if they are quality friends! For further thought, positivity can be a friend, too. "I'm going to take the next hour to hang out with positivity" will make your day far better!

Imagine this: You make a no-turning-back decision to take 10%—yes, just 10%—better care of yourself intellectually, emotionally, and physically. You can do 10%! Bigger and better changes will come when you make those minor improvements over time.

Remind yourself every day that your worth is not contingent on your behavior, accomplishments, body, intelligence, or anything else. You have worth and value simply because you're you!

You have the mental power within you to persist in self-talking your way to being a better person. So, start talking!

Your self-worth is not determined by anyone's opinion of you.

You can do more than you realize; you won't know until you try. Remember, it's okay to make mistakes while you're learning.

Do you feel stuck or trapped in your circumstances? Divide your day into three parts- morning, afternoon, and evening. Look for a small ray of hope in each part of your day. Do this as often as needed until those positivity particles add up to a rainbow of hope.

Do you hyper-focus on your weaknesses while largely ignoring your strengths? Take time to name at least three things you're good at and celebrate those gifts. Now, identify a few areas within your control that you would like to grow in. Take baby steps to improve your weaknesses, and steady strides to develop your strengths.

You can do it! Identify two or three things that you like about yourself. Enjoy the positives and consider how you could continue to grow in those areas this week.

Sometime in the next two weeks, pause for a few minutes for a progress evaluation. Mentally or in your journal, list three reasonably important areas in life (personal, school/career, or a goal). Even if your life has had some ups and downs, you've likely made a little positive progress in one or two areas. Now, pat yourself on the back. You've done well.

There is more - much, much more to you than you may realize. How so? You are a multi-layered, unique person. Embracing and exploring your potential vs. shrinking back from it is crucial to your future. You will find you have an abundance of untapped potential!!

Give yourself an "encouragement appraisal." Even if you feel like some of your desires and goals got stuck in nowhere land, focus for a few minutes on one area where you can see you are making some progress. Savor that self-approval and allow it to give you the energy to move forward a little more in another stalled-out area.

When you feel a little like a failure, a loser, or unworthy, find a private place and say this aloud, with authority, three times: "Life isn't even close to being done making me into the special person I WILL BECOME!"

Get some help soon! Suppose you often find yourself thinking dark thoughts or thoughts of self-harm. In that case, that's a glaring light, a signal to value yourself enough to find someone (or several someones) to talk to who will help you redirect your thinking and encourage you to enjoy, rather than dread, the extraordinary life you have.

Here's an assignment: Write a story about yourself with an ending that makes you smile. What's that? Do you like the idea but are too lazy to write the story? That's ok. Do it the lazy way. Go for a walk or go to a quiet place. Set a timer if you need to. Spend a half hour imagining something in your life with a happy ending. It will be comforting for your soul!

What should you do if you hear, read, have a "friend" tell you, or think "self-harm is a thought that I should be entertaining?" RUN. Run right out of the room or away from the computer screen. A good run to get you out of breath can help clear your mind.

Don't settle for "I can't help it" or "That's just how I am." Determine who you WANT to become and choose to move in that direction. Soon, you will be proud to say, "That's the way I have become," instead of "That's the way I am."

Research helpful exercises for the mind, body, emotions, and overall self. Find one or two that work for you. Some people opt for singing, dancing, jogging, journalling, a hobby, or many more options. These activities can help give you a break from whatever is causing you stress. Start looking for a new activity or work toward being more consistent with a current activity.