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Mar 27, 2017 · Key points. Healthy self-esteem can be defined as a realistic, appreciative opinion of oneself. Some navigate the world—and relationships—searching for any evidence to validate their...
Jun 24, 2024 · In particular, it is possible to be highly self-confident and yet to have low self-esteem, as is the case with many performers and celebrities who are able to play to the...
- Overview
- Examples of high self-esteem
- Is high self-esteem the same as narcissism?
- The benefits of high self-esteem
- How to cultivate self-esteem
- The bottom line
High self-esteem can benefit your relationships and your overall well-being — and you can do a lot to boost your perception of yourself and your abilities.
How do you feel about yourself? What do you think about your qualities, characteristics, and identity?
If you have a positive perception of yourself, you might say you have high self-esteem.
Simply put, self-esteem refers to how you feel about yourself, says Dr. Shana Feibel, a psychiatrist at The Lindner Center of Hope and the University of Cincinnati.
Self-esteem differs from both self-confidence and self-worth.
•Self-esteem: This describes your enduring perception of your qualities, abilities, and characteristics.
At school or work
Feibel offers one example to consider: Think about how you might react if you overheard someone making fun of your outfit or the thoughts you shared in your literature class. If you have high self-esteem, the teasing likely won’t bother you much, since it doesn’t affect your internal perception of yourself. If you have lower self-esteem, however, you might take those remarks to heart. Maybe you start to second-guess your interpretation of the short story. Or, when you get home, you take your once-favorite outfit off and stuff it into a bag to donate. As another example, say you have a challenging work project. You’ve put a lot of effort into it, but you can’t quite get your results to align with what your supervisor asked for. If you have high self-esteem, you likely won’t internalize your lack of success, or take it to mean you’re bad at your job or incompetent. You might instead take a problem-solving approach by going back to your boss, admitting you’re stuck, and asking for a few suggestions.
In relationships
Self-esteem can also come into play in your relationships, particularly when a partner treats you poorly. If you have high self-esteem and your partner tries to put you down, you might find it easy to stand up to them, defend your good qualities, ignore their insults, and ultimately, leave a toxic or abusive relationship. On the other hand, long-term verbal or emotional abuse from a partner or other loved one can easily wear away at your self-esteem. You might begin to believe them when they say nobody else will want you, or that you deserve their unkind treatment. Here’s how to get help for relationship abuse.
People often link narcissism to extremely high self-esteem, but you can absolutely have high self-esteem without having narcissistic personality disorder (NPD), or any traits of narcissism.
First, it’s important to understand there’s a lot more to NPD than high self-esteem. People with NPD also tend to have:
•a sense of superiority
•grandiose or exaggerated fantasies about their abilities and talents
•a strong sense that they deserve admiration and attention
•less empathy for the feelings of others
“High self-esteem can be an integral part of a sense of good well-being and having good mental health,” says Dr. Sid Khurana, a Las Vegas-based psychiatrist.
Indeed, evidence links high self-esteem with better mental health and quality of life outcomes overall. According to 2022 research considering the various benefits of self-esteem, higher self-esteem may lead to improved:
•Social relationships: Higher self-esteem can make it more likely you’ll seek out connections with people who value you as much as you value yourself, which can lead to greater relationship satisfaction. What’s more, high self-esteem may also make it easier to handle rejection in relationships.
•Performance at school: As a natural consequence of high self-esteem, you may feel more motivated and engaged — which can make it more likely you’ll feel invested in studying and completing your assignments.
•Performance at work: High self-esteem may improve your relationships with co-workers and make it more likely that you’ll persist when faced with challenges, so you may feel more satisfied with your job and experience greater success as a result.
•Mental health: Higher self-esteem may lower the chances you’ll experience mental health conditions like depression or anxiety, in part because you’re less likely to engage in rumination. This pattern of fixating on the same dark, unwanted, or upsetting thoughts can factor into both anxiety and depression.
According to Khurana, your experiences in childhood — such as love and nurture, rules and expectations, rewards, and praise — shape your self-esteem as an adult.
If you have lower self-esteem, Khurana says, you may be more likely to:
•experience self-doubt
•engage in negative self-talk
•compare yourself to others and find that you fall short
•have people-pleasing and approval-seeking tendencies
Pretty much everyone questions their confidence and abilities from time to time, but if you mostly feel good about yourself and your abilities, you probably have fairly high self-esteem.
If you consistently doubt yourself or have trouble naming any of your strengths or positive traits, you may have lower self-esteem.
There’s a lot you can do to change these perceptions and cultivate a higher regard for yourself, which can make a difference in your overall well-being and your relationships — with others and with yourself.
Sian Ferguson is a freelance health and cannabis writer based in Cape Town, South Africa. She’s passionate about empowering readers to take care of their mental and physical health through science-based, empathetically delivered information.
- Sian Ferguson
Mar 9, 2023 · Key points. Self-confidence is about how well you can control certain aspects of your life. Self-esteem is about self-love and how you value yourself. Increasing your self-confidence...
Jul 6, 2022 · Low self-esteem can affect nearly every aspect of life. It can impact your relationships, job and health. But you can boost your self-esteem by taking cues from mental health counseling. Consider these steps, based on cognitive behavioral therapy.
- Think about the conditions or situations that seem to deflate your self-esteem. Common triggers might include: 1. A work or school presentation 2....
- Once you've identified troubling situations, pay attention to your thoughts about them. This includes what you tell yourself (self-talk) and your i...
- Your initial thoughts might not be the only way to view a situation — so test the accuracy of your thoughts. Ask yourself whether your view is cons...
- Now replace negative or inaccurate thoughts with accurate, constructive thoughts. Try these strategies: 1. Use hopeful statements. Treat yourself w...
- Repeat your negative thoughts many times or write them down in an unusual way, such as with your nondominant hand. Imagine seeing your negative tho...
Apr 25, 2024 · Your level of confidence even affects how you present yourself to others. Fortunately, there are several ways you can increase your self-confidence. Whether you lack confidence in one specific area or struggle to feel confident about anything, these nine tips can help you be more confident.
Jun 22, 2022 · 1. Identify troubling conditions or situations. Think about situations or conditions that have a history of deflating your self-esteem. Once you’ve identified troubling situations, pay attention to your thoughts about them. Common triggers might include: A work or school presentation. A crisis at work or home.
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related to: Can you have high self-esteem without a measure of self-confidence?Ask Your Doctor About This Option to Treat Symptoms of Major Depression. Learn More Here. Watch a Video To Learn More About This Treatment, Download Step-by-Step Instructions
Our Licensed Therapists are Ready to Help. Now is the Time to Put Yourself First. Personalized Therapy for a Happier You. Our Quiz Helps Match You to the Right Therapist.
Clients might start feeling better as soon as they hit send. - Self
Schedule routine check ins and ongoing prescription management to meet your needs. Grow Therapy works with licensed professionals who can prescribe medication for treatment.
