The Self-Esteem Toolkit: 25 Resources Every Woman Needs to Feel Empowered
Build unshakeable confidence with this curated collection of books, apps, podcasts, practices, and tools designed specifically to help women reclaim their power.
Introduction: Building Your Arsenal of Empowerment
Self-esteem is not something you are born with or without. It is something you build—deliberately, consistently, with the right tools.
For women, this building process comes with unique challenges. We navigate a world that has historically told us to be smaller, quieter, less demanding. We absorb messages about our bodies, our worth, our capabilities that can take decades to unlearn. We often put everyone else’s needs before our own until we forget we have needs at all.
But here is the empowering truth: just as self-esteem can be eroded, it can be rebuilt. Just as negative messages can be absorbed, positive ones can be cultivated. Just as you learned to doubt yourself, you can learn to believe in yourself.
This article presents twenty-five resources specifically chosen to help women build, strengthen, and maintain healthy self-esteem. These are not random suggestions—they are carefully curated tools that address different aspects of self-worth: how we think about ourselves, how we speak to ourselves, how we care for ourselves, how we show up in the world.
The resources span multiple categories:
- Books that will reshape how you think
- Podcasts that will speak truth into your commute
- Apps that will support daily practice
- Practices that will build lasting habits
- Communities that will surround you with support
You do not need all twenty-five resources to begin. Start with one or two that call to you. Build from there. The goal is not to consume everything but to find what works for you and use it consistently.
Your self-esteem is worth investing in. It affects every area of your life—your relationships, your career, your health, your happiness, your ability to pursue dreams and recover from setbacks. When you believe in your own worth, everything changes.
Let us build your toolkit.
Why Women Need Specific Self-Esteem Resources
Before we explore the twenty-five resources, let us understand why women often need targeted support for self-esteem.
The Confidence Gap
Research consistently shows a confidence gap between men and women. Women tend to underestimate their abilities while men overestimate theirs. Women apply for jobs when they meet 100% of qualifications; men apply when they meet 60%. Women attribute success to luck and external factors; men attribute it to their own abilities.
This is not because women are inherently less confident—it is because we are socialized differently. From childhood, girls receive different messages about what is appropriate, what is possible, and what is valued. These messages accumulate into patterns that affect adult self-esteem.
The Impossible Standards
Women face contradictory expectations that are literally impossible to satisfy:
- Be ambitious, but not too ambitious
- Be attractive, but do not try too hard
- Be confident, but not arrogant
- Be nurturing, but also professionally accomplished
- Age gracefully, but do not look old
- Have opinions, but do not be difficult
When the standards are impossible, failure is guaranteed—and that failure erodes self-esteem.
The Body Image Burden
Women carry a particularly heavy burden around body image. The beauty industry profits from our insecurity. Social media presents filtered, edited, unrealistic images as normal. From early adolescence, many women learn to view their bodies as projects to fix rather than homes to inhabit.
Body image issues are deeply connected to overall self-esteem. Resources that address the female experience of embodiment are essential.
The Emotional Labor Load
Women often carry disproportionate responsibility for emotional labor—managing relationships, remembering details, anticipating needs, smoothing conflicts. This invisible work is exhausting and rarely recognized.
When you are constantly attending to others’ needs, your own sense of self can become unclear. Self-esteem resources for women must address this dynamic.
The Good News
While these challenges are real, they are not permanent. Women who engage with targeted resources—who consciously work on self-esteem—can and do transform their relationship with themselves. The confidence gap can close. The impossible standards can be rejected. The body image can heal. The self can be reclaimed.
The resources in this article address all of these dimensions.
Books That Will Transform How You Think (Resources 1-7)
Resource 1: “The Gifts of Imperfection” by Brené Brown
What It Is: A groundbreaking exploration of wholehearted living, examining the courage to be imperfect, the compassion to be kind to yourself, and the connection that comes from authenticity.
Why Women Need It: Brown’s research-based approach gives permission to let go of perfectionism—the trap so many women fall into. She redefines success as showing up and being seen, not being flawless.
Key Takeaway: Worthiness does not have prerequisites. You are worthy of love and belonging right now, as you are.
How to Use It: Read slowly, one chapter at a time. Journal about the “guideposts” she offers. Return to it when perfectionism creeps back.
Resource 2: “Women Who Run With the Wolves” by Clarissa Pinkola Estés
What It Is: A collection of myths, fairy tales, and stories examined through a Jungian lens, exploring the wild woman archetype and the feminine psyche.
Why Women Need It: This book reconnects women with instinctual, passionate knowing that socialization often suppresses. It validates the parts of ourselves we have been told to hide.
Key Takeaway: There is a wild, wise woman within you who knows your truth. Learning to hear her voice is the path to authentic self-esteem.
How to Use It: This is not a quick read—it is a journey. Take your time. Let certain stories speak to you and skip others. Return to it at different life stages.
Resource 3: “Untamed” by Glennon Doyle
What It Is: A memoir and manifesto about breaking free from the expectations that cage women, embracing desire and intuition, and building a life true to yourself.
Why Women Need It: Doyle’s honest, urgent voice gives permission to stop performing and start living. She models what it looks like to trust yourself.
Key Takeaway: You are not too much. You are not too sensitive, too emotional, too ambitious, too anything. You are exactly yourself.
How to Use It: Read it straight through for the emotional journey, then return to highlighted passages. Share quotes with friends who need them.
Resource 4: “The Self-Confidence Workbook” by Barbara Markway
What It Is: A practical, research-based workbook with exercises to build self-confidence and overcome self-doubt.
Why Women Need It: Unlike books that only explain concepts, this workbook requires action. The exercises create real change through practice.
Key Takeaway: Self-confidence is built through doing, not just thinking. Small courageous actions accumulate into genuine confidence.
How to Use It: Work through it systematically, actually completing the exercises. Revisit challenging sections. Use it as a reference when specific situations trigger self-doubt.
Resource 5: “Body Positive Power” by Megan Jayne Crabbe
What It Is: A guide to making peace with your body, rejecting diet culture, and embracing yourself as you are—written with warmth, research, and practical advice.
Why Women Need It: Body image is central to many women’s self-esteem struggles. Crabbe addresses this directly with both passion and practicality.
Key Takeaway: Your body is not a problem to be solved. Diet culture lies. You can opt out and still live a full, joyful life.
How to Use It: Read for both information and emotional support. Follow Crabbe on social media for ongoing reinforcement of body-positive messages.
Resource 6: “Playing Big” by Tara Mohr
What It Is: A practical guide for women who want to speak up, stand out, and lead—addressing the inner barriers that hold women back professionally.
Why Women Need It: Many women have big dreams but shrink from pursuing them. Mohr identifies why and provides tools to overcome this pattern.
Key Takeaway: The voice of self-doubt is not the voice of truth. You can learn to hear it, name it, and act despite it.
How to Use It: Focus on chapters most relevant to your current challenges. Complete the exercises. Return to it when you face new professional situations.
Resource 7: “Self-Compassion” by Kristin Neff
What It Is: The definitive work on self-compassion, written by the researcher who pioneered the field—combining science with practical exercises.
Why Women Need It: Many women are kinder to everyone else than to themselves. Neff shows why self-compassion is not selfish but necessary.
Key Takeaway: Treating yourself with the same kindness you would offer a friend is not weakness—it is the foundation of resilience and genuine self-esteem.
How to Use It: Read for understanding, then focus on the exercises. Use Neff’s guided self-compassion meditations (available on her website) regularly.
Podcasts That Speak Truth Into Your Day (Resources 8-12)
Resource 8: “Unlocking Us” with Brené Brown
What It Is: Brené Brown in conversation with thought leaders, artists, and change-makers about the emotions and experiences that make us human.
Why Women Need It: Brown models vulnerable, honest conversation about hard topics. Listening feels like having coffee with a wise friend who sees you clearly.
Best Episodes to Start: “Brené on Shame and Accountability,” “Brené on Anxiety, Calm, and the Gifts of Intuition”
How to Use It: Listen during commutes, walks, or chores. Take notes on insights that resonate. Discuss episodes with friends.
Resource 9: “The Confidence Chronicles” with Erika Cramer
What It Is: A podcast focused on helping women build confidence, featuring interviews, solo episodes, and practical strategies.
Why Women Need It: Cramer speaks directly to women’s confidence challenges with warmth and practicality. Episodes are focused and actionable.
Best Episodes to Start: Begin with solo episodes on topics most relevant to your current struggles.
How to Use It: Subscribe and listen regularly. Pick one strategy per episode to implement.
Resource 10: “We Can Do Hard Things” with Glennon Doyle
What It Is: Glennon Doyle and her sister Amanda discuss life’s hard things—relationships, parenting, self-worth, and everything in between.
Why Women Need It: The podcast normalizes struggle and models honest conversation about the challenges women face. It is both entertaining and deeply meaningful.
Best Episodes to Start: Browse topics and choose what resonates with current challenges.
How to Use It: Listen for both companionship and insight. Episodes often include practical reframes and strategies alongside emotional support.
Resource 11: “The Self-Love Fix” with Beatrice Kamau
What It Is: A podcast dedicated to helping women develop self-love, address limiting beliefs, and build confidence.
Why Women Need It: Kamau addresses self-love specifically and practically, with episodes targeted at common challenges women face.
Best Episodes to Start: Episodes on self-worth, boundaries, and overcoming people-pleasing.
How to Use It: Listen actively, taking notes on strategies. Implement one idea from each episode.
Resource 12: “Happier with Gretchen Rubin”
What It Is: Practical advice for building habits and happiness, based on research and real-life experimentation.
Why Women Need It: While not exclusively for women, Rubin addresses many issues relevant to women’s self-esteem, including perfectionism, people-pleasing, and self-care habits.
Best Episodes to Start: Episodes on the “Four Tendencies” framework, which helps understand your motivation style.
How to Use It: Listen for specific strategies. Rubin’s approach is practical and implementable—choose tactics that fit your personality.
Apps That Support Daily Practice (Resources 13-17)
Resource 13: I Am – Daily Affirmations
What It Is: An app that delivers positive affirmations throughout the day, with customizable categories and reminders.
Why Women Need It: We receive negative messages constantly; this app provides a counterbalance of positive self-talk.
Key Features: Customizable affirmation categories, widget for home screen, reminder notifications, ability to save favorites.
How to Use It: Set reminders for key moments—morning, midday, evening. Read affirmations aloud rather than just glancing at them. Create a collection of favorites for difficult days.
Resource 14: Shine
What It Is: A self-care app designed primarily for women and people of color, offering daily motivation, meditations, and support.
Why Women Need It: Shine addresses self-worth in an inclusive way, acknowledging that different women face different challenges.
Key Features: Daily motivational texts, guided meditations, emotional support for specific challenges, community features.
How to Use It: Enable the daily text feature. Use meditations when facing specific challenges like anxiety, imposter syndrome, or difficult conversations.
Resource 15: Calm or Headspace (Meditation Apps)
What It Is: Leading meditation apps offering guided meditations, sleep stories, and mindfulness exercises.
Why Women Need It: Meditation builds the self-awareness necessary for self-esteem work. It creates space between stimulus and response, allowing for new choices.
Key Features: Guided meditations for various needs, courses on specific topics (like self-compassion), sleep support.
How to Use It: Start with short daily meditations—even five minutes makes a difference. Explore courses on self-esteem-related topics. Use as a tool for difficult moments.
Resource 16: Jour – Journaling App
What It Is: A guided journaling app with prompts designed to support mental health, self-reflection, and personal growth.
Why Women Need It: Journaling is one of the most effective self-esteem practices, and guided prompts make it easier to start and maintain.
Key Features: Themed journal prompts, mood tracking, streak tracking for motivation, various journaling templates.
How to Use It: Commit to one journaling session daily, even briefly. Let the prompts guide deeper reflection than you might do alone.
Resource 17: ThinkUp – Positive Affirmations
What It Is: An app that allows you to record affirmations in your own voice and listen to them with background music.
Why Women Need It: Hearing affirmations in your own voice is more powerful than reading someone else’s words.
Key Features: Record custom affirmations, add background music, set listening schedules, track consistency.
How to Use It: Record affirmations that address your specific self-esteem challenges. Listen during morning routines, commutes, or before sleep.
Practices That Build Lasting Change (Resources 18-22)
Resource 18: Morning Mirror Practice
What It Is: A daily practice of looking yourself in the eyes in the mirror and speaking words of kindness, acceptance, or affirmation to yourself.
Why Women Need It: Many women cannot look at themselves without criticism. This practice rebuilds the relationship with your own reflection.
How to Practice:
- Stand in front of a mirror, making eye contact with yourself
- Speak kind words: “I accept you.” “You are enough.” “I’m proud of you.”
- Start with 30 seconds; build to 2-3 minutes
- Notice and release any critical thoughts that arise
Frequency: Daily, ideally morning
What to Expect: Discomfort at first—this is normal. With practice, self-compassion in the mirror becomes more natural.
Resource 19: Accomplishment Journaling
What It Is: A daily practice of recording accomplishments, wins, and things you did well—no matter how small.
Why Women Need It: Women tend to minimize their accomplishments and maximize their failures. This practice corrects the imbalance.
How to Practice:
- At the end of each day, write 3-5 things you accomplished
- Include small things: “I drank enough water.” “I was patient when frustrated.”
- Resist the urge to qualify or minimize (“I finished the project, but…”)
- Review weekly to see patterns of competence
Frequency: Daily, evening
What to Expect: You will discover you accomplish more than you realized. Over time, this changes how you see yourself.
Resource 20: Boundary Setting Practice
What It Is: A deliberate practice of identifying where you need boundaries and practicing setting them, starting small.
Why Women Need It: Women are often socialized to accommodate others at the expense of their own needs. Boundaries are essential for self-respect.
How to Practice:
- Identify one area where you need a boundary (time, energy, relationships)
- Write out what you want to say
- Practice saying it aloud
- Start with low-stakes situations to build the skill
- Gradually address higher-stakes boundaries
Frequency: As needed, with regular review of where boundaries are weak
What to Expect: Discomfort and possible pushback from others. This is a sign boundaries are working, not a sign they are wrong.
Resource 21: Body Gratitude Practice
What It Is: A daily practice of thanking your body for what it does, rather than criticizing how it looks.
Why Women Need It: Body image is central to many women’s self-esteem. This practice shifts focus from appearance to function.
How to Practice:
- Sit quietly and bring attention to your body
- Move through each major area: feet, legs, torso, arms, hands, face
- For each area, offer gratitude for function: “Thank you, legs, for carrying me today.”
- Notice critical thoughts; let them pass without engaging
Frequency: Daily, or whenever body criticism arises
What to Expect: Initial resistance, especially for body parts you have criticized. With practice, genuine appreciation grows.
Resource 22: Weekly Self-Date
What It Is: A non-negotiable weekly appointment with yourself to do something you enjoy, alone.
Why Women Need It: Women often put themselves last. A self-date practices prioritizing your own enjoyment and company.
How to Practice:
- Schedule 1-2 hours weekly that cannot be given away
- Do something you genuinely enjoy (not productive or obligatory)
- Go alone—this is about your relationship with yourself
- Be fully present; avoid multitasking or phone scrolling
Frequency: Weekly
What to Expect: Initial guilt or feeling of selfishness. These feelings fade as you realize self-care makes you better for others.
Communities That Surround You With Support (Resources 23-25)
Resource 23: Women’s Circles
What It Is: In-person or virtual gatherings of women who come together to share, support, and witness each other.
Why Women Need It: There is something uniquely powerful about being seen by other women—sharing struggles and being told “me too.”
How to Find: Search for women’s circles in your area; check yoga studios, spiritual centers, and community centers. Virtual options are available through various organizations.
What to Expect: Usually includes check-ins, sharing (voluntary), sometimes meditation or ritual. The format varies widely.
How to Use It: Attend consistently to build relationships. Share authentically. Offer support to others, which reinforces your own worth.
Resource 24: Therapy or Coaching
What It Is: Professional one-on-one support from a therapist or coach trained to help with self-esteem and personal development.
Why Women Need It: Some self-esteem challenges have roots that benefit from professional support—trauma, family patterns, clinical anxiety or depression.
How to Find: For therapy, check Psychology Today’s therapist finder or ask for referrals. Look for therapists who specialize in women’s issues, self-esteem, or specific challenges you face. For coaching, seek certified coaches with relevant expertise.
What to Expect: A safe space to explore yourself deeply with expert guidance. Progress that might take years alone can happen in months with professional support.
How to Use It: Be honest. Do the work between sessions. Give the relationship time to develop.
Resource 25: Online Supportive Communities
What It Is: Facebook groups, Reddit communities, Discord servers, and other online spaces where women support each other around self-esteem, confidence, and empowerment.
Why Women Need It: Community support is available 24/7, connecting you with women worldwide who understand your struggles.
How to Find: Search social platforms for groups focused on women’s empowerment, self-esteem, body positivity, or specific challenges you face. Evaluate before joining—look for active moderation and supportive tone.
Examples:
- Reddit: r/BodyAcceptance, r/WomensHealth, r/DecidingToBeBetter
- Facebook: Search for “women’s empowerment” or “women supporting women” groups
- Specific communities around books or podcasts you enjoy
What to Expect: Mixed quality—some communities are transformative; others are not well moderated. Try several and stick with those that feel supportive.
How to Use It: Participate, not just lurk. Offer support as well as receive it. Set boundaries if engagement becomes unhealthy.
Building Your Personal Toolkit
You now have twenty-five resources. The question is: where do you start?
Start With Your Biggest Challenge
What is the primary way your self-esteem struggles? Choose resources that address that specific challenge:
- Perfectionism and self-criticism: Start with Brené Brown’s books and self-compassion resources
- Body image: Start with “Body Positive Power” and body gratitude practice
- Professional confidence: Start with “Playing Big” and accomplishment journaling
- Relationship patterns: Start with boundary setting and therapy
- General low self-worth: Start with affirmation apps and women’s circles
Choose One From Each Category
If you are unsure, choose one resource from each category:
- One book to read
- One podcast to subscribe to
- One app to download
- One practice to begin
- One community to join
This gives you a balanced toolkit without overwhelm.
Build Habits Slowly
Do not try to implement everything at once. Add one practice, use it until it is habitual, then add another. Sustainable change comes from layered habits, not sudden overhauls.
Track What Works
Keep notes on which resources resonate and which do not. Your toolkit should be personalized—if something is not working, replace it with something else. There is no one-size-fits-all approach.
Revisit and Adjust
As you grow, your needs change. A resource that was transformative at one stage may feel less relevant later. Periodically review your toolkit and adjust.
20 Powerful Quotes for Your Empowerment Journey
1. “You have been criticizing yourself for years and it hasn’t worked. Try approving of yourself and see what happens.” — Louise Hay
2. “A woman who knows her worth doesn’t measure herself against another woman but stands strong, calm, and self-confident.” — Unknown
3. “The most alluring thing a woman can have is confidence.” — Beyoncé
4. “You alone are enough. You have nothing to prove to anybody.” — Maya Angelou
5. “Self-esteem is the reputation we acquire with ourselves.” — Nathaniel Branden
6. “She remembered who she was and the game changed.” — Lalah Delia
7. “You are more powerful than you know; you are beautiful just as you are.” — Melissa Etheridge
8. “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
9. “I am not what happened to me. I am what I choose to become.” — Carl Jung
10. “The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud.” — Coco Chanel
11. “Owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing that we’ll ever do.” — Brené Brown
12. “A strong woman looks a challenge dead in the eye and gives it a wink.” — Gina Carey
13. “I am my best work—a series of road maps, reports, recipes, doodles, and prayers from the front lines.” — Audre Lorde
14. “There is no force more powerful than a woman determined to rise.” — W.E.B. Du Bois
15. “Talk to yourself like you would to someone you love.” — Brené Brown
16. “You are allowed to be both a masterpiece and a work in progress simultaneously.” — Sophia Bush
17. “She was powerful not because she wasn’t scared but because she went on so strongly, despite the fear.” — Atticus
18. “The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me.” — Ayn Rand
19. “Women who seek to be equal with men lack ambition.” — Marilyn Monroe
20. “Here’s to strong women: May we know them, may we be them, may we raise them.” — Unknown
Picture This
Close your eyes and imagine yourself one year from now.
You have been building your self-esteem toolkit consistently—not perfectly, but consistently. You started with one book that changed how you thought. You added a podcast that became a weekly companion. You downloaded an app that sends you reminders of your worth. You began a practice that felt awkward at first but now feels essential. You found a community where you are seen.
Something has shifted.
You look in the mirror now and the critical voice is quieter. It still speaks sometimes—it probably always will—but there is another voice now, louder and kinder. When you see your reflection, you no longer catalog flaws. You see a woman who has done hard things, who is worthy of love, who is enough.
At work, you speak up more. Not because you are never nervous, but because you have learned that your voice matters. You ask for what you deserve. You take credit for your accomplishments. You pursue opportunities that once would have felt presumptuous.
In relationships, you have boundaries. You know what you will and will not accept. You no longer shrink to make others comfortable or expand to fill their needs at the expense of your own. You can say no. You can say yes to yourself.
When challenges come—and they still come—you meet them differently. Not with self-criticism (“Why can’t I handle this?”) but with self-compassion (“This is hard, and I am doing my best”). You recover faster because you are not fighting yourself while also fighting the challenge.
You are not a different person. You are more yourself—the self that was always there beneath the doubt and criticism and impossible expectations. The self that knows her worth. The self that is, and always was, enough.
This transformation did not require magic or luck. It required resources and practice and time. It required showing up for yourself the way you have always shown up for others.
You have the resources now. The only question is whether you will use them.
One year from now, you will arrive somewhere. Where you arrive depends on the toolkit you build and use starting today.
Choose one resource. Start there. Build from there.
Your empowered self is waiting.
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Share with a woman who is struggling. These resources could change her relationship with herself.
Share with young women. Building these tools early changes the trajectory of a lifetime.
Share in women’s communities. Groups benefit from shared resources and common frameworks.
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Your share could be the moment another woman starts building her toolkit.
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Disclaimer
This article is provided for informational, educational, and inspirational purposes only. It is not intended as professional psychological, medical, or therapeutic advice.
The resources mentioned are suggestions, not endorsements. Individual experiences with any resource will vary. Some recommendations involve purchases; the author has no financial relationship with creators or publishers unless otherwise noted.
Self-esteem challenges can sometimes indicate or coexist with mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, or trauma-related disorders. If you struggle significantly with self-worth, consider seeking support from a qualified mental health professional in addition to self-help resources.
The author and publisher make no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or applicability of the information contained herein. By reading this article, you agree that the author and publisher shall not be held liable for any damages, claims, or losses arising from your use of or reliance on this content.
You are worthy of support. If self-help resources are not enough, professional help is available and can be transformative.
