SELF-ESTEEM AND ITS IMPORTANCE

 SELF-ESTEEM AND ITS IMPORTANCE

The opinion you form about yourself is known as self-esteem. It is about how much one values oneself and think your worth is. It is important to have a high self-esteem to ensure a healthy physical and mental life.

Low Self-Esteem and its impact:

• People with low self-esteem have a hard time evaluating their strengths and weaknesses.
• They often have an unrealistic, overall negative impression of themselves and tend to be pessimistic.
• The first step to build self-esteem is to take a realistic look at one’s strengths and weaknesses.

High Self-Esteem and its impact:

• People with high self-esteem are realistic about their strengths and weaknesses and are able to set goals and work towards them with optimism.
• They do not take other people’s negative impressions on them too seriously.
• Self-knowledge builds foundation for a high self-esteem.

ACTIVITY I

SELF-ESTEEM - ITS IMPORTANCE

A. The statements below describe self-esteem and how people with high and low self-esteem behave. Read the statements and mark true or false against each.

Sl. No.	Statement	True/False
1	Self Esteem means feeling good about yourself.
2	Self Esteem means feeling good about others.
3	Self Esteem means being proud of who and what you are.
4	A person who care about his health has high self esteem.
5	A person with low self-esteem is unhappy when others succeed.
6	High self-esteem means doing things that make other people happy.
7	A person with high self-esteem is always concerned about what other people may think of him.
8	A person with high self-esteem learns from others.
9	A person with high self-esteem feels good while making fun of others.
10	A person with high self-esteem is very confident and optimistic.
11	High self-esteem means being full of pride or having a “big head”.
12	A person with low self-esteem enjoys new experiences.

OVERCOMING LOW SELF-ESTEEM

Having low self-esteem can cause hindrances in the process of growing up. As one gets older and is faced with having to make tough decisions, especially under pressure, the more self-esteem one has the better decisions one can make. It is important that an individual understands and knows his or her worth.

Symptoms of low self-esteem are:

• Fears like – no one loves me, my friends do not like me, I am useless, etc.
• Feeling of shame – I am not rich, I am dark, I am a curse on earth, etc.
• Depressed feeling – That is feeling sad for a long time.
• Unrealistic expectations and feeling bad upon not achieving it.
• Body image problem – not liking one’s looks in general.
• Belief that the world is a ‘bad place’ – finding everything unfair to them.

Here are tips to overcome your self-esteem. Study them carefully and answer the questions in Worksheet below:

1. Love yourself: Take care of yourself. Remember that you are unique.
2. Do what you love: This would give you a good feeling.
3. Write down your good qualities: This would remind you of your strengths.
4. Develop long and short term goals: This can keep you motivated.
5. Have a sense of humour: Learn to laugh at yourself.
6. Help others – both people and animals: This brings pure joy and satisfaction.
7. Drop your negative friends: Because they pull down your confidence.
8. Celebrate success: Celebration boosts self-confidence and good feeling.

OVERCOMING LOW SELF-ESTEEM

1. Do you love yourself? Describe the ways in which you take care of yourself?
2. List the things that you love to do?

List of Things That I Love To Do
1	2
3	4
5	6
7	8
9	10

 3. List your good qualities

List of My Good Qualities
1	2
3	4
5	6
7	8
9	10

4. Have you ever laughed at yourself? Describe the situation.

5. Have you helped any person or animal in the recent past? Describe the situation.