What is Self-Esteem? How Do We Obtain It?

What is Self-Esteem?

What does the question 'What is self-esteem?' mean to you in your mind?

i'm waiting for your response, dear reader :)

Self-esteem is defined as valuing ourselves, accepting who we are, and respecting our strengths and weaknesses. On the other hand, self-confidence shows how much confidence we have in ourselves by evaluating our own skills and abilities.

In our own lives, we can answer the question "What is self-esteem?" by asking ourselves some questions. Among these questions are "What comes to mind when I think of self-esteem?", "Is my priority myself?", "Do I consider my needs during the choices I make?", "Am I striving to fulfill my desires?" These answers to these questions allow us to see the definition and place of self-esteem in our own lives.

Self-esteem is closely related to making room in our lives for our needs, desires, and priorities. The more we can open up this space, the higher our self-esteem can be said to be. The level of self-esteem we possess affects our motivation, psychological well-being, and our relationships with both ourselves and those close to us. This is because when our self-esteem is high, we believe that we deserve to be valued, loved, and happy. Having this belief contributes to being in positive relationships and, in turn, enhances our well-being. When we have a positive perception of ourselves, we can recognize our potential and find the strength within ourselves to take steps in life that will be more satisfying.


After learning the answer to the question "What is self-esteem?" evaluating some of the characteristics and behaviors that indicate high self-esteem can help us gain awareness about ourselves.
People with high self-esteem:

• Avoid dwelling extensively on past negative events.
• Do not define their own worth through other people, meaning they don't see themselves as less or more valuable than others.
• Can express their needs.
• Have confidence in themselves.
• Maintain a positive attitude towards life.
• Can say no.
• Can recognize and accept their strengths as well as areas that need improvement.

How to Gain Self-Esteem?

Learning the answers to questions like "What is self-esteem, and what are the characteristics of self-esteem?" is the first step we take, but it may not be sufficient for increasing our self-esteem. Certainly, we are not condemned to the negativity that low self-esteem brings! There are some suggestions we can consider to increase our self-esteem.

Recognizing negative thoughts that lower our self-worth and replacing them with positive thoughts can enhance our self-esteem. All that is needed for this is a piece of paper and a pen. First, divide the paper in half. On one side, list our negative thoughts. On the other side, write down a positive thought corresponding to each negative thought.
If we find ourselves immersed in incessant negative thoughts, it may be necessary to be realistic and make an effort to see positive aspects of our life. We can use a gratitude jar for this. Write down three things we are grateful for each day on small pieces of paper, put them in the jar, and, in moments of unhappiness, start reading the notes in the jar. By doing this, we can better see how many things we have to be grateful for in our lives.

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