LIVE CONSCIOUSLY: When you make a mistake, admit it and correct it, rather than ignore it or pretend it didn’t happen. Self-respect and power come from admitting your mistakes, learning from them and taking corrective action.

ACCEPT YOURSELF: When you look at yourself in the mirror, embrace your beauty rather than pointing out your flaws. True self-acceptance comes when you embrace your beauty and uniqueness.

BE RESPONSIBLE: Take responsibility for your actions instead of blaming others for your problems.Taking responsibility for your thoughts, words and actions will set you free from the pain of blame and guilt.

BE ASSERTIVE: You have the right to express your wants, needs and self-worth—and to have them treated with respect by others.Claim your needs as important, and respectfully assert yourself.

LIVE PURPOSEFULLY: You are capable of creating anything when your life has purpose, focus and direction. You have the potential to be so much more than you might imagine; the most important thing is that your life has meaning for you.

LIVE WITH INTEGRITY: Keep commitments to yourself and others. By honoring commitments, you demonstrate your integrity and credibility, and you earn respect.

RESPECTFUL SELF-TALK: Positive self-talk empowers you, makes you stronger and builds confidence. To eliminate negative self-talk do the following: (1) recognize it, (2) interrupt it and (3) replace it with a positive message.

RECEIVE FEEDBACK: By trusting yourself, you can keep others’ words in perspective without becoming defensive. Your strong sense of self-worth allows you to maintain your power and still hear what others have to say without feeling bad about yourself.

Source: Reprinted courtesy of the National Association for Self-Esteem, healthyselfesteem.org. Authored by Sharon Fountain, sharonfountain.com; Sean Stephenson, timetostand.com; and Bob Younglove, pathassociatesonline.com.