There is always a debate about whether daily affirmations work – the kind of uplifting statements you repeat to yourself in the mirror each morning.
I find a more effective way to improve your mood and self-esteem is to create your own positive scripts for regular re-reading and study. On those days when you’re really down on yourself and think that you’re a failure, immersing yourself in a book crammed with notes about your qualities and accomplishments can restore your balance, brighten your spirits, and re-energize you for the rigors of the job hunt.
Keep a notebook close by and jot down every little success you’ve ever had. List your personal characteristics, work and non-work successes, little things you’ve done that made you feel proud. Record what other people have said to you as compliments or in gratitude. Note any awards or trophies you’ve ever won.
Describe your accomplishments, big and small: completing a difficult class, learning how to bowl or play a decent round of golf, teaching your teenager how to drive a stick shift, losing that last 10 pounds. No one reaches adulthood without a long string of...