Self esteem is what you think of yourself. What value do you place on yourself. If you have a high value of yourself you have a high self esteem. If you you nuture negative thoughts about yourself you have low self esteem. To live a happy and meaningful life you must have a high self esteem.
You do not have to be wealthy or belong to a high social status to have a high self esteem. As a matter of fact it is well known that many people of high social standing have low self esteem. Conversely, many poor people, even in lesser developed countries are known to have a high self esteem. A high self esteem can be cultivated.
There are many things you can do to develop a healthy attitude towards yourself.
To understand this phenomenon, first examine your self-image. Look at your dress, grooming and personal hygiene. How do others see you? You do not have to wear expensive clothes or perfumes. Be objective and self-critical. Ask yourself are there things about the way you look that you can improve? I extend this line from a tv commercial that says “When you look good, you feel good. When you feel good you look great!” Yes, feeling good about yourself is self reinforcing.
Next is how well do you know yourself? Examine your self-confidence. Do you brood on your failures or do you relish your successes? How do your friends feel about you? Do know whether others think of you as a success or failure? Do you have the initiative to go out and do things that can build a positive image for you among your peers and elders? It just takes determination. Talk to yourself. Build the courage and will to go out and build a good reputation for yourself. There are many things in everyday life you can do to build a healthy respect from friends, family members, school and your community. Think about it, find some things to do and go for it!.
Make some time to ponder about yourself. Take a pencil and paper, list your strengths and weaknesses, your good qualities and those you can improve, your bad habits and good habits. Make a pledge to improve yourself by taking these one at a time and working on them. You can work on improving good qualities making them better. Work on the weaknesses to either eliminate them altogether or reduce them. Be persistent. Every so often do a self assessment to see how you are doing. Reward yourself occasionally with something you like and is affordable! In a year’s time I guarantee you will see a difference in yourself. Those around you will show more respect.
Remember, you are your own best friend. You~ can also be your own worst enemy. Self improvement is a lifelong process.~ Invest in yourself. As Nike says “Just do It!” We say “Just do it for you!”