Self-care involves many things: a healthy diet, exercise, having friends, and don’t forget about a good sense of oneself relative to self-esteem and self-image. Self-esteem and self-image are important in being comfortable and confident in your own skin.
Self-esteem isn’t just for young people but everyone, regardless of age. My 97-year-old mom has high self-esteem; she knows who she is and values who she is as a person.
She knows that she is worthy of respect and love.
What might you say if someone asked you to give an opinion of who you are?
People with self-esteem can say they have confidence in themselves; they love who they are and have self-worth.
On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate or measure your self-esteem and self-image?
A 10 rating for both is great!
People who feel deserving of love and respect regardless of their economic, educational, cultural, religious, or any other background have good self-esteem and self-image.
But it’s not unusual for our self-esteem to fluctuate from time to time or over time.
For instance, unemployed people’s self-esteem may be low if it’s difficult to find employment.
Whether high, moderate, or low, self-esteem is having confidence in one’s worth and abilities. Various things and circumstances like unemployment and isolation can affect one’s pride, dignity, and self-worth.
Your self-esteem is about you and your feelings about who you are.
People who love and respect themselves, give, and expect the same from others have high self-esteem. Remember what the Staple Singers said about respect, no one is going to give a “good cahoot” if you don’t respect yourself. In other words, don’t expect others to respect you if you don’t respect yourself.
People with low self-esteem doubt themselves and have a low opinion of their abilities and worth.
Children who grow up in an environment of negativity, social stigmas, or family trauma can lead to low self-esteem even into adulthood. Verbal and physical abuse can be internalized and result in low self-esteem.
Children and adults can suffer from low self-esteem. I‘ve never heard of anyone suffering from having self-esteem.
Signs of Low Self-esteem
People who lack or have low self-esteem may exhibit physical and mental signs.
People dealing with fear and other inhibitions may break out in a cold sweat, become depressed, or experience anxiety around others.
Everything we do requires confidence; therefore, maintaining a high level of self-esteem improves our quality of life and self-image.
Who doesn’t need and want a good self-image?
Self-image is how one mentally sees or views themselves in life. It’s a subjective or self-view we have of ourselves and what we perceive others think about us. How we see ourselves relative to our personality, character, possessions, status, and experiences impacts our self-image.
People who try to keep up with the Jones will constantly manage their self-image. Using others and things as benchmarks and validations can create an unhealthy and weak self-image.
Physical attributes can also affect our self-image; some of these include traits from birth. People like or dislike their noses, foreheads, lips, ears, and other hereditary features that involve appearance.
Don’t let others downplay your self-worth due to temporary challenges.
Be tolerant and show yourself compassion.
Self-worth and confidence should have nothing to do with being perfect.
Maintain a positive attitude in pursuits and outcomes.
Character before image.
Remember, you are more than a conqueror.
Be well.