What is self-esteem? It is simply the belief that you are worth something – and in some cases, it is based on a particular level of achievement. This may include personal success, a love relationship or professional success.
Self-worth is our own assessment of our worth. Self-esteem incorporates impressions about ourselves and other prevailing feelings, including confidence, power, competence, happiness, worth, success, failure, power, respect, likability, and other emotions. These impressions are formed by our thoughts and feelings concerning ourselves, our abilities, our past experiences, our opinions of others, and our environment. So self-esteem reflects what we think and feel about ourselves, but it also includes an important component of positive psychology – the ability to have a healthy sense of self-confidence.
What is self-confidence? Self-confidence is the ability to accept and appreciate our own good qualities and good ways, as opposed to dwelling on our negative attributes. A good self-image includes the capacity to perceive ourselves as competent and capable individuals. Self-respect and self-confidence are closely intertwined. A confident person is also one who is able to accept and appreciate the good qualities in himself. A positive self-image fosters a healthy self-esteem.
Self-respect and self-confidence can be improved by making small, constructive changes in your life. By taking control of your thoughts and actions, you can enhance both aspects of your personality and become better at controlling your reactions to stressful situations. Many people believe they need to be perfect in order to build self-esteem. While it is true that you need to keep your head held high, this need not prevent you from enjoying personal relationships or making mistakes.
A more practical explanation for why some people think they lack self-confidence is because they fail to pay attention to their internal feelings. Research has shown that most people evaluate themselves based on how they feel rather than on what they think. If you focus on your inner thoughts and feelings rather than your outward appearance, you will likely have higher self-esteem. People who evaluate themselves strictly on appearance have low self-esteem and tend to feel unattractive and worthless. Paying attention to your internal state, rather than outward appearances, allows you to determine your level of self-worth. When you feel good about yourself, you will be much more likely to take action, which increases your self-evaluation and your success rate with whatever it is you are trying to attain.
The second aspect of the definition above that relates to healthy self-image and self-confidence is that having a strong sense of self-image and having a strong sense of self-confidence are positively correlated. High self-esteem and self-confidence lead to high self-image and confidence, which in turn leads to a high level of well-being. In other words, the more confident you are, the more comfortable you will be and the easier it will be for you to let yourself go and have fun. High self-esteem and self-confidence also lead to a high level of happiness, which will allow you to experience everything life has to offer, whether it be good health, great relationships or wealth.
The third aspect of this definition is related to relationships. Low self-confidence and lack of self-image are commonly associated with dating struggles. When a person has low self-image and lacks self-confidence, it can often be difficult for them to open up to new people and make new connections. This is not the case when you have a healthy level of self-confidence and esteem. You will be able to accept the love that you receive and let yourself relax and do the things that you enjoy most when you have high self-confidence and self-esteem.
The fourth aspect of the definition relates to your ability to be self-reliant. When you work on this aspect of your personality, it can help you to be independent, which will lead to higher levels of self-esteem and self-efficacy. In many ways, independence is one of the keys to happiness. When you work on increasing your self-reliance, you will be able to take control over the situation that you are in and use your self-reliance to your advantage. The more self-reliant you become, the more likely you will be to make wise decisions and to rely on your strengths and your resources when you need them most.