Building Self-esteem: Self-esteem and all that it impacts!
Hi everyone! I hope you are well. Time for the first post in our building self-esteem series. Today is a bit of an introductory post to the topic, the intent is for you to better understand why working on your self-esteem is so important and how it can hold you back from a better life.
Think of self-esteem as your internal GPS. It helps you navigate life with confidence, knowing you're worthy and capable. It's how you see yourself - your strengths, weaknesses, and everything in between. When your self-esteem is high, you're like a superhero, ready to take on challenges and embrace new experiences. But when it's low, things get rocky. You might feel insecure, doubt yourself, and struggle to reach your full potential. How far can we go with a GPS that is not working well?
What does this self-esteem impact? Pretty much everything
- Relationships: With strong self-esteem, you attract healthy connections based on mutual respect and appreciation. You also communicate better, set boundaries, and avoid unhealthy attachments.
- Mental health: Feeling good about yourself is your shield against negativity. You bounce back from setbacks easier, experience less stress and anxiety, and enjoy a more positive outlook on life.
- Motivation and achievement: When you believe in yourself, you tackle goals with gusto. You're less afraid of failure, take risks, and keep striving for success.
- Physical health: Self-esteem even influences your physical well-being. You're more likely to make healthy choices about food, exercise, and self-care when you value yourself.
This is all well but how do you know you can benefit from building self-esteem? Some of us already have an idea of where we stand in terms of our self-esteem, others don’t and that is okay. We can look at the symptoms/signs of low self-esteem to check if we may benefit from working on this area of life. I can not put enough emphasis on the fact that we are not trying to label ourselves with low self-esteem as the label is of no use to us, we are here to work on ourselves! This list is here to help you decide if working on your self-esteem can improve the quality of your life. Beyond that, there is little benefit to knowing your level of self-esteem.
Here are the signs of low self-esteem!
- Negative self-talk: Tendency to engage in negative self-talk, putting themselves down and focusing on their flaws. They might say things like "I'm not good enough," "I'll never succeed," or "I'm a failure."
- Difficulty accepting compliments: have trouble accepting compliments, brushing them off, or deflecting them. They might believe the compliments are insincere or that they don't deserve them. This may not apply to you if you come from a culture where disregarding compliments is considered a part of humility/humbleness.
- People-pleasing: go to great lengths to please others, even if it means sacrificing their own needs or wants. They might do this because they believe they need to be liked or approved of to be worthy.
- Fear of failure: may be afraid to take risks or try new things because they're afraid of failing. They might avoid challenges or opportunities altogether, believing they're not capable of success.
- Social isolation: may withdraw from social activities and relationships because they don't feel like they belong or that they're not good enough for others.
- Poor self-care: may neglect their physical and emotional health. They might not eat healthy, exercise regularly, or get enough sleep. They may also engage in self-destructive behaviors, such as substance abuse or self-harm.
If the list resonates with you. If half or more of it applies to you then this series may be of benefit to you. You can still participate even if you do not relate to any of the above points. It is perfectly okay and even encouraged to participate regardless of your self-esteem level.
Discussion Questions:
- Based on the information presented, what aspect of building self-esteem are you most curious about or interested in learning more about?
- Think of someone you admire who is successful in their field (Can be a mentor, actor, influencer, etc) and reflect on how a lack of self-esteem could have impacted their career/success.
- If you could choose one area of your life where you'd like to see the most positive impact from building self-esteem, what would it be and why?
You may answer a minimum of two questions or all of the above questions! (The instructions apply to everyone who is working towards the Braving Self badge and intends to partake in the whole series. If that is not you, you can participate however you like!)
@Hope
In the first answee, I mean fear of failure😅
@HopeI am most curious about fear of failure and difficulty accepting compliments. I have touched on these in the last but I am not sure I fully understand where this gets in my way.
One area I would like to I would like to see the most impact is in people pleasing. I know I so this in particular with family. I am pretty good at not sacrificing in other areas. When it comes to family, it's a whole different ballgame.
@Hope
What aspect of building self-esteem are you most curious about or interested in learning more about?
I'm most curious about how self-esteem directly impacts motivation and achievement. I find it fascinating how our belief in ourselves can influence our willingness to take risks, overcome failure, and keep pushing toward success. I want to learn more about specific strategies to boost self-esteem in this area to improve my ability to tackle challenges and stay motivated.
If you could choose one area of your life where you'd like to see the most positive impact from building self-esteem, what would it be and why?
I’d like to see the most positive impact in my relationships. Building stronger self-esteem would help me communicate more effectively, set healthier boundaries, and engage in connections that are based on mutual respect. It would allow me to have more confidence in expressing my needs and trusting my worth in all my personal or professional relationships.
@Hope
Based on the information presented, what aspect of building self-esteem are you most curious about or interested in learning more about?
I guess the relationship aspect, since being an introvert and highly sensitive seems to affect this area
Think of someone you admire who is successful in their field (Can be a mentor, actor, influencer, etc) and reflect on how a lack of self-esteem could have impacted their career/success.
Yes I am sure they got where they did because they believed they could - anx others supported them in that belief
If you could choose one area of your life where you'd like to see the most positive impact from building self-esteem, what would it be and why? I guess as I mentioned firstly in the relationship area because I often feel my relationships with othersis whT causes my self esteem to plummet
@Hope
- Based on the information presented, what aspect of building self-esteem are you most curious about or interested in learning more about? I am interested in learning more about changing and rephrasing negative thoughts to positive thoughts.
- Think of someone you admire who is successful in their field (Can be a mentor, actor, influencer, etc) and reflect on how a lack of self-esteem could have impacted their career/success. Lack of self-esteem may not have had a positive impact in their lives and career. They would not have been who they are today.
- If you could choose one area of your life where you'd like to see the most positive impact from building self-esteem, what would it be and why? One area of my life where i would like to see the most positive impact from building self-esteem would be motivation and achievement because when on achieving something I feel more confident and accomplished. I feel good about myself.
@Hope
What aspect of building self-esteem are you most curious about or interested in learning more about?
I’m really curious about how self-esteem affects our ability to take risks and bounce back from failure. I’d love to learn how to build that kind of confidence where setbacks don’t hold you back, where you can keep pushing forward, even when things don’t go as planned.
Think of someone you admire who is successful in their field and reflect on how a lack of self-esteem could have impacted their career/success.
One person I really admire is Ratan Tata, the former chairman of the Tata Group. He’s led the company through some incredible transformations and has earned so much respect, both in India and internationally. If he didn’t have strong self-esteem, I think he might not have taken some of the bold, risky decisions that shaped his career.
If you could choose one area of your life where you'd like to see the most positive impact from building self-esteem, what would it be and why?
If I could choose one area of my life where I’d like to see the most positive impact from building self-esteem, it would definitely be in my relationships. I think when you feel good about yourself, you're better able to communicate honestly, set healthy boundaries and attract people who truly respect and value you for who you are.
So I think building better self-esteem would help me create stronger, more balanced connections where I don’t feel like I’m constantly doubting myself.
@Hope
Discussion Questions answered:
- Based on the information presented, what aspect of building self-esteem are you most curious about or interested in learning more about? -How to build self-esteem if it is low.
- Think of someone you admire who is successful in their field (Can be a mentor, actor, influencer, etc) and reflect on how a lack of self-esteem could have impacted their career/success. -I believe any of them would not be happy nor be at their levels of success without it.
- If you could choose one area of your life where you'd like to see the most positive impact from building self-esteem, what would it be and why? -My overall happiness. My successes and my ability to bounce back from my failures.
@HopeBuilding Self Esteem
Values Clarification
3 Buckets
Most Important
Accountability: Taking responsibility for your actions.
.Integrity: Doing the right thing, even when it's hard.
Passion: Chasing what ignites your soul.
Resilience: Bouncing back from challenges and never giving up.
Important
Authenticity: Being true to yourself and living with purpose.
Empathy: Feeling what others feel and caring deeply.
Gratitude: Appreciating what you have and saying thank you.
Curiosity: Asking questions and wanting to learn more.
Least Important
Sustainability: Caring for the planet and living responsibly.
Collaboration: Working together and achieving shared goals.
Humility: Knowing your limits and valuing others' contributions.
Open-mindedness: Embracing different perspectives and ideas.
@Hope
- Based on the information presented, what aspect of building self-esteem are you most curious about or interested in learning more about?
Although all these factors are very interesting, I'm most curious about self-care. I have always struggled with regular exercise and having a proper healthy diet due to school and extra tuitions. That would be a factor I would like to concentrate more on.
- Think of someone you admire who is successful in their field (Can be a mentor, actor, influencer, etc) and reflect on how a lack of self-esteem could have impacted their career/success.
I have many people I admire, my friends who have done well in academics, and others who have excelled in sports. But it's probably my cousin who's done both academics and sports really well and is now attending one of the best universities in the world. It's not that she hasn't doubted herself at times, it's not she hasn't cried or felt burnt out, it's her ability to get back up because she knew she was strong enough to continue. One thing I've noticed is positive self-talk, how she mutters to herself "i can do this, i got this, I'll do this." If she at one point doubted her strength and gave up she wouldn't be attended the university she is attending now, she wouldn't be studying so much for the law degree she's been dreaming to achieve for years. Hence, I completely agree on the fact that self-esteem does you wonders, taking you places you've only dreamt of.
- If you could choose one area of your life where you'd like to see the most positive impact from building self-esteem, what would it be and why?
Probably academics and personal life. Sometimes my negative self-talk makes me lose friends because i think they are better off without me which obviously isn't the case. It would do me good to know I deserve the positive treatment I get, and that people love me for me.
