Are you the type that is doubtful of the praises you get and often think you don’t deserve it? When deep down you know in your heart you do and you’re worth more but there’s something inside you that denies it, a voice that says you don’t deserve any recognition.

If you find yourself most of the time feeling like this, you probably view yourself lower than you are. You might have low self-esteem issues. This is just one of the many signs that can prove your problems in terms of confidence and self-worth.

Feeling bad or low about yourself can either be just a phase, occasionally or worse, almost always. Whichever it is you’re at the moment, it’s time you take action and rebuild your self-esteem. Here are the common indicators and ways you can conquer your self-esteem conundrums.

You find compliments hard to believe

One of the most common signs of a low self-esteem is finding discomfort in compliments or uncertainty on how to take them. Finding it hard to accept compliments or recognitions especially when it comes to personal and professional accomplishments means one thing: you need to build up your self-worth.

Before you answer every compliment with “that’s not true” or anything in the same vein, take a second to remind yourself of simple etiquette. Hence, just smile and say “thank you.” It’s the best response you can give that doesn’t any more diminish your self-esteem.

You have a habit of comparing yourself to everyone

This does nothing to boost your confidence, in the contrary, comparing yourself to other people—friends, siblings, relatives, colleagues, significant other, etc.—pushes your self-esteem further below. A lot of people do this, though, and it can be unconscious but too much of it when you’re fully aware can have a negative effect on you.

Fight any urge of comparing yourself to others when it comes to career, skills, and personal life. Instead of wasting your time mentally listing their success vs. yours, focus on the betterment of your own.

You lack social skills

You could be an introvert, an extrovert, or somewhere in between (ambivert), but the reality still stands: communication and social skills are important and it’ll take you from the bottom to the top.

Socializing can be draining especially if you’re the type who’d rather stay at home. However, it’s something you can’t avoid altogether since you’ll find yourself in a social situation everywhere—at your workplace, at a friend’s party, etc. observe how others do it and learn from them. Faking your confidence works great, too. If you want, you can try that!

You worry too much about how other people see you

Stop wrapping your head around pleasing other people and trying to figure out how they perceive you. You can’t please everyone and you can’t let their perception of you keep you from being better.

Focus on what matters, not on other people and how you think they should perceive you because this will only hold you back. So long as you’re not stepping on other people, you do you.

You don’t give yourself credit

If you’re low self-esteem issues prevent you from taking credit for a hugely successful project, grabbing opportunities, taking chances, accepting well-deserved recognitions, you ought to get things straight otherwise you’re the one keeping yourself from reaching your dreams.

You can be passive-aggressive

Passive aggressiveness is a common behavior among people with low self-esteem. They aren’t confrontational and keep their thoughts to themselves almost all the time. Hence, an ugly outburst erupts when they reach their breaking point.

To avoid this, learn how to manage your feelings and how to talk about it. Communicate. Learn the healthy ways to handle what you feel and how to deliver your message across appropriately. It will save you a lot of relationship in the future.

Any other tell-tale signs of someone who has low self-esteem? What are the other ways you think they can do to overcome them? Share your thoughts with us!

About the author: Aside from providing tips and hacks in personal and career development, Chie Suarez is also a resident writer for The Fordham Company—one of Australia’s top celebrity management companies and a major celebrity speakers bureau.