"Build self esteem with a makeover."
Knowing who you are and appreciating your best qualities is the first step to finding that true, honest love. Your relationships will suffer if you do not take the time to know yourself and accept yourself. Gaining a healthy sense of self esteem will be the best thing you can ever do for yourself.
Improving your outward appearance can help you feel more beautiful, inside and out. While physical appearance is not nearly as important as intellect or charm, it is easier to alter. Try a new haircut, or experiment with clothing styles. While some features might not be easily changed, such as weight, accepting and accommodating these features can help you look and feel your best. Avoid clothing that is too tight or revealing; instead, go for something that is more sophisticated and mysterious.
You should present yourself in a way that is flattering and respectful. If you normally wear sweatpants when you do grocery shopping, try wearing jeans and a decent casual top. You might meet someone anywhere you go, and dressing presentably will give you a head start to making a good first impression.
Know Your Personality
It is important to know both what is good about your personality and what could change. Learn to admit that you might be overbearing or too quiet, and gradually work yourself out of these habits. It can take a long time to change bad habits and communicate more effectively with others, but it will happen.
On the other hand, if you know you are fun to be around, do not let anyone tell you otherwise. Embrace your positives and do not deny yourself the recognition you deserve because of them. It is far too easy to focus on your flaws and forget about just how lovable and endearing you truly are.
A big DON'T would be to change yourself to try to gain approval from whoever you are talking to. When you meet someone who is worth dating, you will not have to hide who you truly are in any way. Besides, it would not be much fun to try to date someone who does not know the real you.
Worry Less
Everyone goes through the experience of saying one "bad" thing and being embarrassed about it for far too long. Chances are, the other person will not even remember, so the best thing to do is to change the subject or just move on in the conversation. A person is much more likely to notice the enjoyable parts of the conversation.
Your biggest critic is yourself. The more comfortable you are with yourself, the more confident you will be. When you improve your self esteem, you will feel lovable no matter what you are wearing or how many awkward moments you have.