We all want to feel good about ourselves, confident that we are capable of carrying out day-to-day tasks. Self-esteem is just one step above self-love and emotional stability; they both have the same effect on the individual. This blog post will describe why self-esteem is important and how to improve yours.
What Is Self-Esteem?
Self-esteem is a person’s overall evaluation of their own worth, value, and ability. It is a term used in psychology to describe how we feel about ourselves. It can also be referred to as self-worth or self-respect.
Healthy self-esteem can influence your motivation, mental well-being, and overall quality of life. However, having overly high or excessively low self-esteem can lead to problems. Better understanding your self-esteem level can help you strike a balance that is right for you.
Self-esteem consists of several key elements, including:
- Feelings of security
- Sense of belonging
- Self-confidence
- Identity
- Feeling of competence
Self-esteem tends to be low in childhood and increases during adolescence and adulthood, eventually reaching a stable and enduring level. This makes self-esteem similar to personality traits, which also tend to stabilize during adulthood.
Why Is Self-Esteem Important?
Self-esteem is important because it influences your decision-making process, relationships, emotional health, and overall well-being. Also, it affects motivation, as individuals with a healthy view of themselves recognize their potential and may be motivated to take on new challenges.
The four key characteristics of healthy self-esteem include:
- Having a solid understanding of one’s skills and abilities
- The ability to keep healthy relationships with other people as a result of having a positive relationship with oneself
- A realistic and appropriate expectation of yourself
- An understanding of one’s own needs and the ability to express them
Individuals who have low self-esteem tend to believe they are inferior and worthless. This often prevents individuals from taking on new challenges, seeking help, or developing the ability to function in an environment. On the other hand, individuals who have excessive self-esteem often believe they are superior to others. This can lead to feelings of entitlement and superiority, which in turn can cause problems in relationships with other people.
Every kid’s self-esteem increases with each experience of interactions through positive words. So as a parent, it is vital to building a kid’s belief that they can handle their own life and handle it well.
Theories of Self-Esteem
A number of theorists have written about the dynamics that contribute to the development of self-esteem. The concept of self-esteem plays a vital role in psychologist Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, depicting self-esteem as one of the primary human motivations.
Abraham suggested that people need both appreciation from other individuals and inner self-respect to develop esteem. Both of these basic needs must be fulfilled in order for a person to grow as an individual and reach self-actualization.
Several Factors That Affect Self-Esteem
There are several factors that affect self-esteem. Some of these include:
- Genetics
- Disability
- Age
- Physical Abilities
- Illness
- Thought Patterns
- Socioeconomic Status
Discrimination and racial inequality have also been shown to have damaging effects on one’s self-esteem. However, life experiences are believed to be the most important factor.
It is often the experiences that form the basis for self-esteem. For instance, low self-esteem might be caused by negative assessments from close friends and family. Individuals who are given unconditional positive regard are more likely to have healthy self-esteem.
Healthy Self-Esteem
If you have healthy self-esteem, you will feel comfortable with yourself and happy with who you are. Signs of healthy self-esteem include:
- You are able to make choices in life with confidence
- You have a solid understanding of your strengths and weaknesses
- You have feelings of confidence and optimism about your abilities
- You take responsibility for your own actions
- You have good social relationships with your family and friends
- You are the type of person that other people want to be around
- You experience a sense of accomplishment on a daily basis
- You know what you want in life and pursue it without being frustrated
- You feel like you can accomplish anything you set your mind to, no matter how big or small the project is
Having healthy self-esteem will take you a long way in life. The confidence and optimism will push you to pursue your dreams, despite the challenges that might come along. If you are working towards something and not getting the results you want, it could be because of low self-esteem.
Low Self-Esteem
A person with low self-esteem does not feel good about themselves and may even think they are worthless. Low self-esteem may manifest in many different ways. If you have low self-esteem:
- You might feel insecure or lack confidence.
- You might have a negative self-image and see yourself as unattractive.
- You may be less likely to take on new challenges because you are afraid that you will fail.
- You might need help in trying to meet new people, making friends, or dating because you do not believe that anyone is interested in you.
- You do not take responsibility for your actions.
- You may feel the need to manipulate other people into liking you in order to feel better about yourself.
- You may think that others are better than you.
- You may find expressing your wants and needs difficult.
- You may need help accepting positive feedback.
- You may need help saying no and setting boundaries.
Impact of Low Self-Esteem
Research suggests that there are a lot of effects of low self-esteem. For example, having low self-esteem is linked to a number of mental health problems, including:
- Eating disorders
- Emotional distress
- Anxiety
- Panic disorder
- Internet addiction
- Stress
- Risky behaviors
- Social anxiety disorder
- Substance use
A lower self-esteem level may even play an essential role in developing certain mental health issues like depression. Research has also shown that individuals with low self-esteem tend to be more at risk for suicidal thinking.
Excessive Self-Esteem
Someone with an excessive level of self-esteem will have a very positive self-image and are often described as being full of themselves or mislabeled as narcissists. However, there are several distinct traits that differentiate these terms. A person with narcissistic traits may appear to have a high sense of self-esteem, but his self-esteem may be increased or low and is unstable, frequently shifting depending on the situation. Those with overly high self-esteem:
- Will be preoccupied with thoughts of success and achievement and feel they deserve special treatment
- They may be preoccupied with thoughts of themselves.
- They may receive a great deal of satisfaction from their own accomplishments and have a hard time being happy for others who excel at something they do not.
- They may believe that because they are special or gifted, rules or laws do not apply to them.
- Are overconfident in their abilities, even when the situation doesn’t call for it
The Dangers of Having Overly High Self-Esteem
Like low self-esteem, overly high self-esteem can also have a negative impact on one’s life. When a person has excessive self-esteem, he may struggle with the following four issues:
1. Relationship Problems
Overly high self-esteem can cause people to have unrealistic expectations about the world and the people around them. This leads to a lack of awareness, which can lead to relationship problems. For example, an individual may expect others to treat him with respect and kindness because he is special or gifted—even if his actions do not warrant such treatment from others.
2. Socializing Problems
Individuals with excessive self-esteem may find themselves becoming ostracised. It is because they are often not fun to be around. Most of us want to be with a person who is humble and down-to-earth. It is difficult to be around someone who believes he is better than everyone else.
3. Lack of Improvement
Individuals with excessive self-esteem do not improve themselves because they do not see any need to. They feel that they are already perfect in every way. They become blind to the faults and mistakes they have made. This acts as a barrier to self-improvement and maturity, which leads to negative consequences, not just for them but for others they spend a lot of time with.
4. An Inability To Deal With Criticism
Individuals with excessive self-esteem struggle when it comes to dealing with criticism. It is difficult for them to take criticism from others because they see themselves as perfect. They do not see the need for improvement because they do not believe anything is wrong with them. Criticism makes them feel threatened and angry, causing them to respond inappropriately.
Strategies For Improving Self-Esteem
Every individual is unique, and it is important to understand that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to improving self-esteem. Your self-esteem may be affected by a number of different factors, such as life experiences, genetics, and upbringing. That being said, the following strategies may help you improve your self-esteem:
1. Be Positive About Yourself
Think about the things that make you unique and wonderful. This includes your characteristics, your abilities, and your past achievements.
2. Set Goals For Yourself
This can help you feel like you have a purpose and direction in your life and focus on what is important to you.
3. Learn Something New
Try to learn something new about yourself every day. This will help you expand your knowledge and competencies and keep your self-esteem in check.
4. Avoid Negative Thoughts
Thinking positively can help prevent negative thoughts from creeping into your mind. Paying attention to your self-talk and challenging any negative reviews can help. For example, if you think that you are no good at something, challenge yourself by asking questions like “what evidence do I have to support that belief?” or “why do I think this way?” If you find it hard to change a negative thought, try to distract yourself by calling a friend or going for a walk
5. Focusing On Other People
Helping other people will help make you feel better about yourself. Doing things for others and being kind to those around you will help you feel more valuable and worthy.
6. Make New Friends And Socialize
Having new friends can be a great way to develop new interests and skills and enhance self-esteem. Spending time with people who are fun and upbeat will be a boost to your self-esteem as well.
Final Thoughts
When your self-esteem is at its best, the positive feelings you have about yourself and your abilities will allow you to feel confident and capable of reaching goals that are important to you. Conversely, low self-esteem will lead to feelings of inadequacy and insecurity, which can make it difficult to find success and happiness in life. Also, high self-esteem can lead to issues with relationships and in the workplace.
If you or your loved one are experiencing some of the warning signs listed above, it is important to seek help to determine if there is something you can do to improve your self-esteem. You may take the strategies listed above and apply them to your life.
Consider speaking with a reliable therapist about available treatment options, including psychotherapy, stimulant medications, or a combination of both. Hanei Health Solution has the experience to help you or your loved one find relief from low self-esteem. If you think that low self-esteem is affecting your daily life in any way, please call us at 443-978-1330 today.
