Having healthy self-esteem can influence your motivation, your mental well-being, and your overall quality of life. However, having self-esteem that is either too high or too low can be problematic. Better understanding what your unique level of self-esteem is can help you strike a balance that is just right for you. Show
What Is Self-Esteem?Self-esteem is your subjective sense of your overall personal worth or value. Similar to self-respect, it describes your level of confidence in your abilities and attributes. This article discusses how self-esteem is defined, why it is important, and the factors that affect self-esteem. It also covers what you can do to help improve your self-esteem. What Is Self-Esteem?Key elements of self-esteem include:
Other terms often used interchangeably with self-esteem include self-worth, self-regard, and self-respect. Self-esteem tends to be lowest in childhood and increases during adolescence, as well as adulthood, eventually reaching a fairly stable and enduring level. This makes self-esteem similar to the stability of personality traits over time. Why Self-Esteem Is ImportantSelf-esteem impacts your decision-making process, your relationships, your emotional health, and your overall well-being. It also influences motivation, as people with a healthy, positive view of themselves understand their potential and may feel inspired to take on new challenges. Four key characteristics of healthy self-esteem are:
People with low self-esteem tend to feel less sure of their abilities and may doubt their decision-making process. They may not feel motivated to try novel things because they don’t believe they can reach their goals. Those with low self-esteem may have issues with relationships and expressing their needs. They may also experience low levels of confidence and feel unlovable and unworthy. People with overly high self-esteem may overestimate their skills and may feel entitled to succeed, even without the abilities to back up their belief in themselves. They may struggle with relationship issues and block themselves from self-improvement because they are so fixated on seeing themselves as perfect. Click Play to Learn More About Self-EsteemTheories of Self-EsteemMany theorists have written about the dynamics involved in the development of self-esteem. The concept of self-esteem plays an important role in psychologist Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs, which depicts esteem as one of the basic human motivations. Maslow suggested that individuals need both appreciation from other people and inner self-respect to build esteem. Both of these needs must be fulfilled in order for an individual to grow as a person and reach self-actualization. It is important to note that self-esteem is a concept distinct from self-efficacy, which involves how well you believe you'll handle future actions, performance, or abilities. Factors That Affect Self-EsteemThere are many factors that can influence self-esteem. Your self-esteem may be impacted by:
Racism and discrimination have also been shown to have negative effects on self-esteem. Additionally, genetic factors that help shape a person's personality can play a role, but life experiences are thought to be the most important factor. It is often our experiences that form the basis for overall self-esteem. For example, low self-esteem might be caused by overly critical or negative assessments from family and friends. Those who experience what Carl Rogers referred to as unconditional positive regard will be more likely to have healthy self-esteem. Healthy Self-EsteemThere are some simple ways to tell if you have healthy self-esteem. You probably have healthy self-esteem if you:
Having healthy self-esteem can help motivate you to reach your goals, because you are able to navigate life knowing that you are capable of accomplishing what you set your mind to. Additionally, when you have healthy self-esteem, you are able to set appropriate boundaries in relationships and maintain a healthy relationship with yourself and others. Low Self-EsteemLow self-esteem may manifest in a variety of ways. If you have low self-esteem:
Low self-esteem has the potential to lead to a variety of mental health disorders, including anxiety disorders and depressive disorders. You may also find it difficult to pursue your goals and maintain healthy relationships. Having low self-esteem can seriously impact your quality of life and increases your risk for experiencing suicidal thoughts. Excessive Self-EsteemOverly high self-esteem is often mislabeled as narcissism, however there are some distinct traits that differentiate these terms. Individuals with narcissistic traits may appear to have high self-esteem, but their self-esteem may be high or low and is unstable, constantly shifting depending on the given situation. Those with excessive self-esteem:
When self-esteem is too high, it can result in relationship problems, difficulty with social situations, and an inability to accept criticism. How to Improve Self-EsteemFortunately, there are steps that you can take to address problems with your perceptions of yourself and faith in your abilities. How do you build self-esteem? Some actions that you can take to help improve your self-esteem include:
Low self-esteem can contribute to or be a symptom of mental health disorders, including anxiety and depression. Consider speaking with a doctor or therapist about available treatment options, which may include psychotherapy (in-person or online), medications, or a combination of both. Get Advice From The Verywell Mind PodcastHosted by Editor-in-Chief and therapist Amy Morin, LCSW, this episode of The Verywell Mind Podcast shares strategies that can help you learn to truly believe in yourself, featuring IT Cosmetics founder Jamie Kern Lima. Follow Now: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts A Word From VerywellThough some of the causes of low self-esteem can’t be changed, such as genetic factors, early childhood experiences, and personality traits, there are steps you can take to feel more secure and valued. Remember that no one person is less worthy than the next. Keeping this in mind may help you maintain a healthy sense of self-esteem. Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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By Kendra Cherry
Thanks for your feedback! Which of the following terms is defined as a person's overall self evaluation or sense of self worth?Abstract. Self-esteem refers to a person's evaluation of his/her worth. The best-known form is global self-esteem: general, dispositional, and consciously accessible self-evaluation. Psychologists have argued that self-esteem is important because it signals how well accepted or culturally valued one is.
Which of the following is a definition of self“The individual's belief about himself or herself, including the person's attributes and who and what the self is.”
What is the term for an overall evaluation of selfself-esteem. an overall evaluation of self-worth.
What is sense of self quizlet?sense of self. your thoughts and feelings about yourself. four major factors that influence your sense of self. self-confidence, self respect, values, and attitudes. example of an influence on yourself.
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