SELF-ESTEEM

Self-esteem refers to a person’s overall sense of his or her value or worth. It can be considered a sort of measure of how much a person values, approves of, appreciates, prizes, or likes him or herself. It's s a “favourable or unfavourable attitude toward the self”. Self esteem is not always constant. Which means you can measure it and also improve on it.

Hold on, what is there to know about self-esteem, I mean why bother myself about it. If that's the thought on your mInd, then let me run you through a tiny lane on why you want to care about how your self esteem rates.

“Self-esteem is as important to our well-being as legs are to a table. It is essential for physical and mental health and for happiness.”
Your Self-esteem says a lot about you. It speaks volume of your relationship with yourself and other people. It depicts your overall satisfaction in life and how successful you really can be. If you think you are just another human on the surface of the earth, that you are irrelevant, and don't deserve much, you would not bother to do anything that will help promote your interest. After all who cares.

Signs you might be having issues of Low Self Esteem

You find it hard keeping relationships
You avoid taking risks or trying new things
You engage in addictive avoidance behaviors
You struggle with confidence
You find it difficult creating boundaries
You give more attention to your weaknesses
You are often unsure of who you are
You feel negative experiences are all consuming
You struggle to say no
You find it difficult asking for your needs to be met
You hold a pessimistic or negative outlook on life
You doubt your abilities or chances of success
You frequently experience negative emotions, such as fear, anxiety or depression
You compare yourself with others and often you come in second best

You people please
You’re easily angered or irritated
You feel your opinion isn’t important
You hate you
What you do is never good enough
You’re highly sensitive to others opinions
The world doesn’t feel safe
You doubt every decision
You regularly experience the emotions of sadness and worthlessness

Now you might want to know, what influences low self esteem

1. Perfectionist – results in feeling inadequate and frustrated; goals not reached
2. Genetic – low self-esteem might run in family
3. Anger turned inward – won’t directly express anger
4. Rarely experienced success – feels worthless because of many failures
5. Overprotected – haven’t learned how to cope, doesn’t feel respected
6. Neglected – results in feeling worthless
7. Autocratic or punishing environment – feels helpless and believes that the world is a bad place
8. Age
9. Life experience
10. Health
11. Social circumstances
12. Comparing oneself to others
13. Thought pattern.

How to improve your self esteem
1. Build a consistent positive self-image
2. Increase social interaction, assertiveness and social skills
3. Engaged in fun activities
4. Experience success
5.Say “stop” to your inner critic.
6. Use healthier motivation habits.
7. Take a 2-minute self-appreciation break.
8. Write down 3 things in the evening that you can appreciate about yourself.
9. Do the right thing.
10. Replace the perfectionism.
11. Handle mistakes and failures in a more positive way.
12. Be kinder towards other people.
13. Try something new.
14. Stop falling into the comparison trap.
15. Spend more time with supportive people (and less time with destructive people). Yes, you know those that practically drain the life out of you with that obscene look, especially those guys who are really handy with horrible comments for you, avoid them like a plague.

Let me leave you to ponder on this words from Marianne Williamson:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?”