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Self-Esteem
What is self-esteem?
Self-esteem refers to our overall sense of how important we feel or how much we view our personal value. It’s the beliefs and attitudes about ourselves, such as the extent to which we feel confident, capable, and deserving of respect.
Why is self-esteem important?
Self-esteem plays a crucial role in shaping our overall well being and can therefore have a significant impact on our lives.
Mental Health
High self-esteem is associated with better mental health, while low self-esteem can contribute to depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues.
Confidence
High self-esteem can boost our confidence and make us feel more capable of tackling challenges and achieving our goals.
Relationships
Self-esteem affects the way we interact with others and can impact our personal and professional relationships. When we have high self-esteem, we tend to have more positive relationships and are better equipped to handle conflict and criticism.
Decision Making
Self-esteem can impact decision-making and problem-solving skills. If we have high self-esteem, we’re more likely to trust our instincts and make decisions with confidence.
Resilience
High self-esteem enhances resilience and helps us bounce back from setbacks and failures.
What are 3 types of self-esteem?
High self-esteem
When we have high self-esteem, we feel positive about ourselves and believe in our abilities. It means we have a stable perception of ourselves, our self-worth, and our confidence. Often, it means we can make decisions independently, and cope well with challenges.
Low self-esteem
This is characterised by negative feelings and a lack of confidence in ourselves. When we have low self-esteem, we can feel inadequate and doubt ourselves. We can struggle with self-acceptance, fear rejection, and may avoid new experiences or challenges.
Unstable self-esteem
This refers to fluctuating levels of self-worth and self-confidence that can be influenced by external factors such as success or failure. If we experience unstable self-esteem, we could experience extreme highs and lows in our self-perception and be highly reactive to external events.
How do you develop your self-esteem?
There are many resources available that can help us improve our self-esteem.
Meditation and mindfulness practices
Practising mindfulness and meditation can help us improve our self-awareness, reduce stress, and build resilience. It helps us focus on the present and therefore develop a more positive outlook on life.
Positive affirmations
Positive affirmations are statements that we repeat to ourselves to reinforce positive beliefs and attitudes. Repeating these statements regularly can have us start to believe in our own worth and value, which can help improve our self-esteem over time.
Therapy
Speaking with a therapist or psychologist can help us identify and address underlying issues that contribute to our low self-esteem, and can give us the support, guidance, and tools we need to help us build it back up.