Self-esteem is more about liking yourself, feeling worthwhile, believing in yourself and knowing what you do well. In other words, Self-esteem is about the way we think and feel about ourselves.
We can say that it is your subjective sense of overall personal worth or value. Similar to self-respect, self esteem describes your level of confidence in your abilities and attributes. When we have good or high self esteem, we: feel good about who we are most of the time, believe in ourselves, and our qualities and strengths, believe we are worthy and deserving of all the good things in life, including love, kind friends and fun experiences. Newborns and very young babies do not really have self-esteem. That is because they do not yet see themselves as being their own person. Now this does not mean that new born babies are like a clean slate, because each of them has a personality and temperament.
When children are toddlers they start to develop an understanding of themselves, what they can do, and what makes them who they are. This is a very good stage to lay a foundation for a positive self esteem. Every parent, guardian or caregiver should not misuse this stage.
Having healthy self-esteem can influence your motivation , your mental well-being, and your overall quality of life positively. However, having self esteem that is either too high or too low can be problematic. Better understanding what your unique level of self-esteem is can help you strike a balance that is just right for you
I keep asking; What makes self esteem important? Self-esteem impacts your decision-making process, your relationships, your emotional health, and your overall well-being. It also influences motivation, as people with a healthy, positive view of themselves understand their potential and may feel inspired to take on new challenges.
There are many characteristics of healthy self esteem, but for our article here let me limit myself only to four main ones namely;
A firm understanding of one’s skills, the ability to maintain healthy relationships with others as a result of having a healthy relationship with oneself, Realistic and appropriate personal expectations and an understanding of one’s needs and the ability to express those needs.
People with low self-esteem tend to feel less sure of their abilities and may doubt their decision making process. They may not feel motivated to try novel things because they don’t believe they can reach their goals.
Those with low self-esteem may have issues with relationships and expressing their needs. They may also experience low levels of confidence and feel unlovable and unworthy. It is important to note that some of the causes of low self-esteem can not be changed, such as genetic factors, early childhood experiences, and personality traits.
However, there are steps you can take to feel more secure and valued. Remember that no one person is less worthy than the other. Keeping this in mind may help you maintain a healthy sense of self- esteem.
People with overly high self esteem may overestimate their skills and may feel entitled to succeed, even without the abilities to back up their belief in themselves. They may struggle with relationship issues and block themselves from self improvement.
Rev. Francis Osire