SELF-ESTEEM
Self-esteem is the disposition to experience ourselves as being competent to cope with the
basic challenges of life and as being worthy of happiness. It consists of two components: (1) self-efficacy, that is, confidence in our ability to think, learn, choose, and make appropriate decisions and (2) self-respect, that is, confidence in our right to be happy – confidence that achievement, success, friendship, respect, love and fulfillment are appropriate for us (Branden 1998).
Simply put, this means feeling able to earn a living and take care of ourselves; maintaining good relationships which benefit both parties; having the strength to persevere in our goals; having the
resilience to come back from adversity and feeling worthy of happiness, love and success.
Self-esteem is what I think and feel about myself, it is not what someone else thinks of me. I can feel competent at work while feeling a failure at relationships. I may excel at taking care of other people's needs and wants while being unable to assert my own. I might find myself willing to look honestly at my thoughts and feelings yet find it hard to accept them as true reflections of me. It is
possible to have a high level of self-esteem in one area and low level in another. It is also possible through certain practices to raise or lower your self-esteem.
The practice of making a commitment to understanding the self builds self-trust and the act of doing the opposite lowers it. Those who live mindfully feel more competent to deal with life’s
challenges than those who live mindlessly. When we learn to be aware of our mental states we begin to see how habitual and conditioned they are. Through the process of becoming more aware we begin to see more options and with more options we are likely to make a healthier choice.
When we start making healthier choices we increase our experiences of self-awareness, acceptance, responsibility, and assertiveness, which support the growth of self-esteem.
Together we can identify the practices which will best help you to live a more meaningful
and satisfying life.
To read more about Self-Esteem click on these links:
http://www.nathanielbranden.com/discussions/self-esteem/what-self-esteem-is-and-is-not/
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/self-esteem/MH00128
Self-esteem is the disposition to experience ourselves as being competent to cope with the
basic challenges of life and as being worthy of happiness. It consists of two components: (1) self-efficacy, that is, confidence in our ability to think, learn, choose, and make appropriate decisions and (2) self-respect, that is, confidence in our right to be happy – confidence that achievement, success, friendship, respect, love and fulfillment are appropriate for us (Branden 1998).
Simply put, this means feeling able to earn a living and take care of ourselves; maintaining good relationships which benefit both parties; having the strength to persevere in our goals; having the
resilience to come back from adversity and feeling worthy of happiness, love and success.
Self-esteem is what I think and feel about myself, it is not what someone else thinks of me. I can feel competent at work while feeling a failure at relationships. I may excel at taking care of other people's needs and wants while being unable to assert my own. I might find myself willing to look honestly at my thoughts and feelings yet find it hard to accept them as true reflections of me. It is
possible to have a high level of self-esteem in one area and low level in another. It is also possible through certain practices to raise or lower your self-esteem.
The practice of making a commitment to understanding the self builds self-trust and the act of doing the opposite lowers it. Those who live mindfully feel more competent to deal with life’s
challenges than those who live mindlessly. When we learn to be aware of our mental states we begin to see how habitual and conditioned they are. Through the process of becoming more aware we begin to see more options and with more options we are likely to make a healthier choice.
When we start making healthier choices we increase our experiences of self-awareness, acceptance, responsibility, and assertiveness, which support the growth of self-esteem.
Together we can identify the practices which will best help you to live a more meaningful
and satisfying life.
To read more about Self-Esteem click on these links:
http://www.nathanielbranden.com/discussions/self-esteem/what-self-esteem-is-and-is-not/
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/self-esteem/MH00128
DEBORAH HAARSTAD, M.F.T.
License #MFC21007
Santa Rosa, CA 95404
(707) 484-7242
License #MFC21007
Santa Rosa, CA 95404
(707) 484-7242
