For teens, self-esteem and self-confidence can be really hard to come by. As a parent, teacher, or community leader, it can be challenging to bridge this gap and make a meaningful connection—but it’s definitely possible! We’ve put together some ideas and activities that can help teach teens confidence-building strategies. Scroll through this list and see if any of these options appeal to you.


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Encourage the teen to design a shoebox that mirrors their self-image.

  1. Teens may learn a lot about themselves through this exercise. Provide an empty shoe box, along with lots of magazines, tape, markers, and other art supplies. Invite the teen to tape pictures, words, magazine clippings, and trinkets that represent how other people see them on the outside of the box. Then, ask them to add clippings, pictures, and words that represent their own self-image on the inside. Once the shoebox is done, discuss what they really like about themselves, as well as how they’d like to improve in the future.[2]
    • This is an especially great activity for older teens.
4

Advise the teen to make a gratitude journal.

  1. Research shows that practicing gratitude provides a self-esteem boost.[4] Invite the teen to jot down gratitude rituals they do already, like saying thanks before dinner. Then, ask them to write down things they’re thankful for, like electricity and food to eat, as well as people they’re thankful for, like friends and loved ones. Encourage them to write about past events that they now feel thankful for, along with specific moments when they feel grateful.[5]
    • The teen could also write about ways they’ve thanked people in their life, or ways to plan on thanking people in the future.
5

Encourage the teen to reflect on self-esteem throughout the week.

  1. A week-long exercise is a great way to build good self-esteem habits. At the beginning of the week, ask them to list some benefits of having high self-esteem. During the week, encourage them to think positive, encouraging thoughts. Invite them to write these thoughts on sticky notes and place them around their home. At the end of the week, ask the teen to reflect on their self-esteem, and how they feel after the week-long activity.[6]
    • As an extra activity, you could ask them to write an essay about their experience, or to create a collage that represents high self-esteem.
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Invite the teen to boost a fictional character’s self-esteem.

  1. Ask them to pick out a character from a film, TV show, or book. Discuss why this character has low self-esteem, and ask the teen to brainstorm a couple ways the character could boost their self-esteem. Then, talk about how the character’s life will be after they’ve improved their self-esteem.[8]
    • For instance, a shy character from a school-themed TV show might boost their self-confidence by joining clubs and making new friends.
    • A wizard character from a fantasy movie might boost their self-esteem by practicing their magic spells more often.
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Help the teen focus on positive areas for change.

  1. Ask them to reflect on different aspects of themselves. They might reflect on how they look physically, their personal body image, and how they use social media. For each individual aspect, ask them to write down 2 positive changes they can make for themselves. This is a great way to encourage positive thinking and build a healthy perspective.[9]
    • For instance, a teen might write that they need to spend less time on Twitter, or that they should spend less time comparing themselves to other people on Instagram.
    • Getting to really know yourself and understanding what you need to work on will help build confidence.
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Ask the teen to write down their positive traits and qualities.

  1. Develop a worksheet with different open-ended prompts. These prompts could be things like “I am unique because...” “I am proud of myself for...” “I feel good when I...” and “I have a natural talent for…” Ask them to fill in each prompt with lots of positive words and traits, so they can feel really good about themselves.[10]
    • “Goals for my future are…” “People say I am a good…” and “The traits I admire myself for are…” are other excellent prompts.
    • Positive affirmations like "I'm smart" or "I'm capable" are a great way to build self-esteem.
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Promote exercise and physical activity.

About This Article

Leah Morris
Co-authored by:
Life Coach
This article was co-authored by Leah Morris and by wikiHow staff writer, Janice Tieperman. Leah Morris is a Life and Relationship Transition coach and the owner of Life Remade, a holistic personal coaching service. With over three years as a professional coach, she specializes in guiding people as they move through both short-term and long-term life transitions. Leah holds a BA in Organizational Communication from California State University, Chico and is a certified Transformational Life Coach through the Southwest Institute for Healing Arts. This article has been viewed 22,845 times.
15 votes - 69%
Co-authors: 10
Updated: August 18, 2022
Views: 22,845
Categories: Confidence
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