DEFINITION:
This refers to the way we think and feel about ourselves. It is the way we rate ourselves, the respect we accord ourselves and the confidence we have in ourselves. if we have confidence and are self assured we will have healthy relationships however if our self esteem is low we might put up with things which we should not such as bullying or violence in a relationship.
SIGNS/ATTRIBUTES OF HIGH SELF ESTEEM
Someone with self esteem generally feels good about their ability to participate confidence and social situation and happy with the way they are.
- Self confidence – I believe that I can achieve good things and that I make positive contributions to my environment and relationships.
- Sense of self worth – I believe I am important and deserve to be treated well
- Self care – I will look after myself well
- Positive – I generally think in a positive way.
- Relating well with others – I will support my friends and my family in what they do.
- Good communication – I know how to ask for things I want and need and am able to listen to others.
- Participation – I will join a team or activities or try a new hobby
- Self discipline and ambition – I have some ideas about the future and what I want to achieve.
- Learn from mistakes – I make mistakes and accept it, I see mistakes as opportunities to learn so that I don’t repeat the same.
SIGNS OF LOW SELF ESTEEM
A person with low self esteem can be very critical of themselves viewing themselves in a negative way, feeling other people don’t think highly of them and that they are not very good in school, sports or interacting with friends or peers.
- Isolation – I feel lonely and isolated a lot most of the time.
- Self doubt – lacking confidence is thinking I am not good in anything and I know other people think like that.
- Self neglect – I don’t feel important and don’t care how I am good.
- Vulnerability and over-sensitivity – people are always criticizing me and the way I do things, I can do anything right.
- Anxiety – I tend to worry about things and feel anxious a lot of time.
- Aggressiveness – humiliating and intimidating others in order to hide in policies questions and cowards who use aggression as an effort of attack.
- Low performance of tasks because of difficulties in concentration.
- Hopelessness – I am hopeless about everything.
- Fear – I am afraid to try new things.
