So, you have finally decided to go for a self-esteem workshop.
Kudos to you!
I can’t tell you how important a step this can be in your journey of improving your self-esteem. Just thinking about it is a step in the right direction.
But since this is such an important thing, you need to make sure that you choose the best self-esteem workshop for you.
I am sure you are aware that not all workshops are the same. If not, consider this as a learning moment!
You see, it’s quite simple.
Even if a particular workshop is great, it might not be good for you, just like how a specific smartphone can be awesome but not suitable for you. Get it?
So, you need to weigh multiple workshops based on your own criteria and then choose the one that you think is best for you.
Only then will it be effective. So, let me quickly tell you about some of the things you need to consider.
1) See If They Are Experienced
If you are trusting someone with something as sensitive as self-esteem improvement, it is only obvious that you would want them to be experienced; someone who has organized a ton of workshops.
I am not saying that those who are not that experienced are not great at their job; they very well might be.
But tell me something.
How likely would it be for you to go to a doctor knowing that they aren’t experienced enough? Not too likely, isn’t it? The same applies here.
Before you make a decision, you need to see how experienced the instructors of the workshop are. They may be great at what they do, but for your own assurance, it would just feel better if they have a lot of experience in the way they conduct the workshop.
You can often find this information on their website, their brochures, or their social media accounts.
2) See If They Are Engaging Enough
I admit this one can be quite tricky to measure beforehand and you might need to ask around for this particular information.
But this is an important one in my view.
I mean, think about it.
If the instructors can’t connect and engage with you on a human level, they might not understand you and your needs clearly.
And if they can’t do that, how can they help you improve your self-esteem?
I am sure you have come across people in your life whom you instantly connected with. It happens, right?
You just inexplicably click with some people! And it is with these types of people that you are most comfortable sharing what you think and talking about your issues.
So, I think that the conductors of a workshop need to be able to form an energetic connection, capture your attention, and engage you throughout the sessions. Only then will you participate with zeal and move forward with your goal.
3) Seek Testimonials
Yes, I know what I said above.
Something that may be great for others might not be good enough for you.
But, hear me out. Hearing what other people have to say about a workshop can give you an idea about what the experience might feel like.
You can get valuable information from the current or previous participants of a workshop. You might get to know who the instructors are, what their style is, what the activities are, if they are engaging enough, how effective the workshop is, and so on.
Don’t these sound like important pieces of information?
They do, right?
I mean, they can tell you if or not you would be comfortable with a specific workshop and whether it might be effective for you or not.
Remember, you want to attend something that will improve your self-esteem. So, feeling comfortable with it should be one of the first criteria to pay heed to.
And this can be judged based on testimonials. You can often find these testimonials on the website of the workshop.
4) Check Out Their Social Media Profiles
Everyone has a social media account these days.
And I mean, EVERYONE!
Naturally, it is more than likely that self-esteem workshops or the instructors involved in them have their own social media accounts.
It is a good idea to check all of them out – whether it is Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Tiktok, and whatever else you can find!
The reason is quite simple. It gives you an idea of what they are all about.
You can study how they talk to their followers, how they reply to the comments on their posts, how they present themselves, and so on.
Bring out that inner psychologist and analyze as much as you can!
Ok, maybe you don’t need to go so far, but you get the point, right?
Your objective should be to determine whether a workshop is right for you or not. When you find the right one, you will just know.
5) See What Their Focus/Aim Is
There are many different types of self-esteem workshops out there.
Some might focus on quick and short term improvements while some may be more focused on long term development.
Then, there could be some that take a more holistic approach and deal with your overall mental and emotional growth.
Now, you as a person might prefer something over the other or it also might be that you have no preference at all.
So, it is a good idea to learn what the focus or the aim of a specific workshop is. They often highlight this when they are promoting their workshop through various channels.
So, it should be quite easy to find. Go through the aims of different workshops and choose the one that clicks with you. Yep, it’s that simple!
6) Check Out Their Methods/Activities
As a wise man once said, there can be multiple ways to reach the same destination.
Pretty wise? right?
Similarly, to improve your self-esteem, different workshops might use different techniques or methods.
There are literally countless activities that can be done to help you advance on this path.
Again, similar to the previous point, it totally depends on what you can connect and feel comfortable with the most.
Maybe you are a person who likes to listen to speeches and have conversations rather than take part in specially designed games. Or maybe you prefer group activities that enhance self-esteem rather than listening to someone talk.
So, I would say it is often a good idea to learn about the methods or activities employed by different workshops and choose the one you like best.
7) Take A Demo
If this is an option, nothing comes close to helping you make up your mind faster.
The best way to get a feel for something is to actually immerse yourself in it, wouldn’t you say?
So, if there are demos available for workshops that you have shortlisted, you should definitely go and take them one by one.
You will get to meet the instructors and other people taking the workshop, you’ll get to see the venue, the activities involved, and get more nuanced information that is not available elsewhere.
Doing so will not only help you make a conscious decision, but you might also get a strong intuition about which workshop is the right one for you.
Sometimes, the heart can tell you straight away what the brain struggles to figure out. I am sure the wise man from earlier has said this too!
8) Value For Money
There are as many prices as there as workshops.
It depends on a number of factors but the common ones are – duration of the workshop, complexities of the sessions, the experience of the instructors, location, timing of the year, and so on.
What you need to do is ensure that you are getting good value for your money.
Don’t just pay anything even if you feel an immediate need to improve your self-esteem or if the marketing material of a specific workshop looks really great.
Take some time and figure out whether you will get a good return on your investment. Yes, this is an investment too.
After all, you expect to grow emotionally from the experience, don’t you?
9) Duration of The Workshop
Improving your self-esteem is obviously one of the more important things in your life.
But, it’s not the only one. You may have studies, work, or personal obligations.
And needless to say, you have to tend to all of these. So, you will have to somehow fit the workshop in your schedule.
If you want to get the most of these workshops you really need to set aside enough time to work on it, otherwise it would be time and money wasted.
Therefore, it’s better to have a sense of the duration and timings of the workshop you will attend and make sure it is compatible with your schedule.
I know it sounds obvious but often we don’t plan enough in advance or we take it too lightly and we end up giving up before the end.
So, make sure that it doesn’t clash with something important or add stress in your life. That would be quite counterproductive.
Again, as with everything else, do what works best for you.
You can choose a workshop that spans only a few days or something that is even longer. You can choose a workshop that takes place in the mornings or one that is conducted in the evenings!
The choice is yours.
10) Is there continued support after the course?
The road to building your self-confidence is exactly that : a road.
It takes several steps, one after the other. One of these steps is attending the perfect workshop. After that, there will still be several steps to make.
A workshop that follows up on its students to ensure that all the lessons are internalized, and progress is being made is the one to go for.
This shows that they actually have your interests at heart, and their focus lies beyond the money they’ll get from you. It is the best way to grow.
No workshop can wave a magic wand over you and make you self-confident overnight. It takes time. If they are willing to put in the time with you, they are the perfect fit.
Final Thoughts
Choosing the best self-esteem workshop is no easy task. With these tips in your back pocket, it will be a little easier to land on your dream workshop.
And that’s half the journey towards boosting your self-confidence and esteem.
