What is self-esteem? It is a personal level of value regarding one’s ability, traits, talents and abilities. It is the foundation upon which all of one’s future decisions and performances are evaluated. What is self-esteem? It is a person’s personal assessment of their worth as a human being.
Self-worth is the equivalent of your self image. It is an abstract belief about yourself. It is your inner critic that may lead to overconfidence, low self-confidence and low self-image. Self-worth encompasses various beliefs concerning ones’ physical attributes, psychological attributes and behavior. For example, you may have a very high opinion of yourself if you think you are handsome. Your personal behavior and your inner critic may lead to you having a low self-image because of the way you see yourself.
A healthy sense of self-esteem is based on your acceptance of yourself. A healthy sense of self-esteem also involves a strong sense of self-compassion. A healthy sense of self-compassion can be described as a strong sense of empathy for others. It can be displayed by a sense of caring and sympathy towards the people around us. It can also be displayed by a strong sense of self-discipline and self-organization.
To obtain a healthy sense of self-discipline and self-organization, it is necessary to address the issues that lead to inner critics and to deal with them appropriately. The primary issue that leads to inner critics and to consequently, low self-esteem and consequently, low self-image is our negative self-talk. We generally talk negatively to ourselves and to others about our accomplishments, failures and concerns. We engage in self-critical speech when we examine our achievements and failures. Thus, the need to address this issue head-on is crucial if we are to build on improving self-esteem.
Another aspect of healthy self-image relates to our self-confidence. It may lead to low self-esteem if we have a low opinion of ourselves. We need to start believing in ourselves. We may begin by repeating to ourselves over again that we are good people, that we are capable of doing anything, that we are lucky and so on. If we do not believe our own words, beliefs and thoughts, we will find it very difficult to believe the opinions and perceptions of others. A healthy self-image includes a strong sense of self-confidence.
To achieve a healthy self-image, another issue that may lead to low self-esteem includes our fear of failure. People with high self-image esteem do not fear failing. They pursue their objectives, plan and work towards achieving them. Those with low self-esteem may fear failing at any task, however simple it may be. They also procrastinate, not taking adequate action towards success.
The ability to build on our self-confidence and to trust our own inner voice is very important. If we lack self-confidence and trust in ourselves, we will always think negatively, focus on our weaknesses and make excuses for failure. These negative thoughts only make it more difficult for us to achieve our goals. Thus, low self-image and self-confidence are closely linked.
The above factors are important if we are to build on our self-image and confidence. Low self-image and lack of self-confidence can affect all aspects of our life, including the areas of relationships, careers, health, finances, social and personal life and education. Therefore, it is important that we identify and address the issues that lie at the core of our issues. Once we have done so, the next task is to work on how to enhance our self-confidence and build on our self-image and confidence.