A healthy self-esteem may affect your mood, psychological well-being, as well as your general quality of life. If your self-esteem is excessively high or low can cause problems. Knowing your own self-esteem levels can assist you in achieving an equilibrium that’s perfect for you.
What Is Self-Esteem?
Within psychology the term “self-esteem” is used to refer to an individual’s perception of self-worth or value. Self-esteem can be defined as the degree to which you value and feel about yourself regardless of your circumstances. The self-esteem you have is determined by various factors such as:
- Self-confidence
- Feelings of security
- Identity
- A sense of belonging
- Confidence and feeling
Other terms often employed interchangeably with self-esteem are self-worth, self respect and self-respect.
Self-esteem can be low in the early years and rises during adolescents, and growing older, and finally becoming a relatively constant and lasting level. Self-esteem is similar to the character traits that are stable in the course of time.
Why Self-Esteem Is Important
Self-esteem can affect your decision-making as well as your relationships, emotional health, as well as your overall well being. It can also influence the way you feel because people who have an optimistic, healthy view of themselves realize their capabilities and are motivated to tackle new tasks. Positive self-esteem can be a factor in determining
- Be aware of their abilities
- They are able to maintain healthy relationships with other people because they are in a healthy relationship with themselves
- Have realistic expectations about themselves and their capabilities.
- Know their needs and are in a position to communicate their needs
People who have low self-esteem are less confident of their capabilities and be unsure of their decision-making processes. They might not be motivated to experiment with new things since they do not believe that they’re capable to achieve their goals. Individuals with low self-esteem could struggle with relationships and how to express their wants. They could also have feelings of low confidence and feel unloved and unworthy.
People who have a high self-esteem could overestimate their capabilities and believe they have the right to achieve, despite the ability to prove the belief they have in themselves. They may have difficulty overcoming relationships and may block their self-improvement since they are focused on being perfect..
Theories
Numerous thinkers have written on the processes that influence the development of self-esteem. Self-esteem is a concept that is a key element in psychological researcher Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs that portrays self-esteem as one of fundamental human motives.
Maslow stated that people need respect from others as well as self-esteem to increase self-esteem. Both needs need to be fulfilled for a person to grow as a person, and to reach Self-Achievement.
It is vital to understand that self-esteem is different in self-efficacy that is how confident you are that you will manage future events, performances or capabilities.
Also Read: Abraham Maslow Quotes
Factors That Affect Self-Esteem
There are a variety of factors which can affect self-esteem. Your self-esteem can be affected by:
- Age
- Disability
- Genetics
- Illness
- Physical capabilities
- Status socioeconomic 2
- Patterns of thought
Discrimination and racism have been proven to affect negatively the self-worth of individuals. 3 Additionally genetic factors that define a person’s personality may be a factor, however the experiences of life are believed to be the main element.
It’s often our experiences which form the foundation for the self-esteem of our entire group. People who are constantly subjected to negative or critical feedback from friends and family For instance, they will probably have low self-esteem. People who feel the kind of unconditional positive regard that Carl Rogers referred to as unconditionally positive feelings are more likely to have a positive self-esteem.
Healthy Self-Esteem
There are a few easy methods of determining whether you are confident in yourself. You’re likely to have good self-esteem if:
- Beware of dwelling on the negative past experiences
- You are, in your mind, just like everybody else, not better and certainly not more
- Tell us what you want.
- Be at ease
- Maintain a positive perspective about your life
- Say”no” when you’d like to
- Look at your strengths and weaknesses, and accept these as they are.
A healthy self-esteem will encourage you to attain your goals because you’re able to move through life knowing that you’re capable of achieving what you have set your heart on. Furthermore, when you have confidence in your self, you’re in a position to define acceptable limits within relationships and maintain an positive relationship with others and yourself.
Low Self-Esteem
Low self-esteem can manifest itself in many ways. If you are self-defeating:
- You might think that other people are more successful than you.
- You might find it difficult to communicate your desires difficult.
- You could be focusing on your weaknesses.
- It is common to experience anxiety doubt, self-doubt and anxiety.
- You might be a victim of negative thoughts about life and feel out in influence.
- There is a chance that you have a strong fear of failing.
- You might have trouble taking positive comments.
- It can be difficult to say”no” and setting limits.
- You can put the demands ahead of your personal needs.
- It’s possible that you have a difficult time gaining self-confidence.
Self-esteem issues can to cause a range of mental health issues such as anxiety disorders and depression disorders. It can also make it difficult to achieve your goals and keep healthy relationships. Low self-esteem can greatly affect your life, and increase your chance of having suicidal thoughts. 5
Excessive Self-Esteem
Self-esteem that is excessively high is frequently mistakenly referred to as Narcissism but there are distinct characteristics that separate these two types of. People with narcissistic tendencies can appear to have a high self-esteem but their self-esteem can be low or high, and fluctuate, continuously changing based on the current circumstance. 6 Those who have a high self-esteem:
- Are you obsessed with being perfect
- Focus on being always correct
- It is possible to believe that they will not fail
- They may think they’re more adept or more skilled than others.
- Might express grandiose concepts
- Can be overestimating their skills and capabilities
If self-esteem is excessively high, it could lead to relationship problems and difficulties in social settings and inability to take criticism.
How To Improve Self-Esteem
There are steps you can take to deal with issues that affect self-esteem. A few steps you can do to boost confidence in yourself include:
- Be more conscious about negative thinking. Learn to discern the negative thoughts that affect your self-esteem.
- Try challenging negative thought patterns. If you notice yourself engaging in negative thoughts, consider opposing your thoughts by positive and realistic ones.
- Utilize positive self-talk. Recite positively affirmations towards your self.
- Self-compassion is a skill that can be learned. Learn to forgive yourself for your past mistakes and take a step forward by accepting all aspects of your own self.
A low self-esteem may contribute to or trigger mental health issues, such as anxiousness or depression. It is recommended to speak with a physician or therapist to discuss treatments, which could consist of therapy (in-person and on the internet) as well as medications or any combination of the two.
Get Advice From The Verywell Mind Podcast
Hosted by Editor-in-Chief and Therapist Amy Morin, LCSW, this episode of The Verywell Mind Podcast offers strategies to aid you in learning to believe in yourself. It also features IT Cosmetics founder Jamie Kern Lima.
A Word From Verywell
Although some of the reasons of low self-esteem aren’t altered, like the genetics of the issue or early childhood experiences and personal attributes, there are actions you can take to feel more secure and appreciated. Be aware that no one is more worthy over the other. This will assist you in maintaining an optimistic self-esteem.