Do You Have Low Self Esteem?
Low self esteem can be devastating to an individual's personal,
work, and scholastic life. The constant feeling of inadequacy
and unworthiness can undermine attempts to succeed at even the
smallest things. If you find yourself plagued with such
feelings, you may need to ask "Do I have low self esteem?" Self
esteem is your own view of yourself, your capabilities, and your
attributes. It is impossible to succeed in life if you are
constantly second guessing and berating yourself over the
tiniest detail. Many individuals suffer from low self esteem, so
you are certainly not alone. Some individuals have recently
begun to question their self esteem while others have been doing
so their entire lives. Whatever your situation, honestly
answering these questions will give you a great deal of insight
into how you view yourself.
Are you nervous or awkward around other individuals? These
people can be coworkers, friends, family members, or even
strangers on the street. Do you ever look at anyone and think
you are not on the same "level" as they are physically,
mentally, or athletically? Do you see yourself as the least
important member of your family, group of friends, or office?
These persistent feelings can erode your self esteem. Most
likely, you are the only one who thinks these things. Ask your
friends, coworkers, and family members about your performance,
attitude, and personality. More than likely, you will be
pleasantly surprised. Remember to rank your own needs up there
with the needs of others. Quite often, individuals with low self
esteem strive to please everyone but themselves in order to make
themselves feel more adequate. This act usually backfires since
your focus is on those surrounding you instead of yourself. Dig
deep and figure out your own needs. Focusing on yourself for a
while will allow you to identify the root cause of your self
esteem issues so that you can begin conquering them.
Do you worry or obsess about your physical appearance? Are you
constantly trying to change your appearance for what you think
is the better? These feelings of inadequacy are quite common,
especially among children and women. Often, individuals notice
certain qualities about themselves as children due to comments
by a friend, family member, or school mate. These feelings
harbor themselves inside, making them stronger and
deeper-rooted. Some individuals obsess about their weight,
height, statue, bone structure, facial features, hair, and any
thing else under the sun. These issues can become the root of
serious problems, including eating disorders. Even the most
beautiful people in the world have some feelings of inadequacy
about their outward appearance. The people society deems
beautiful or perfect have secret issues about their own
appearance or body, so you are definitely not alone. Instead of
constantly worrying about those aspects you deem as negative,
focus on the positive. If you find yourself slipping into a
dangerous or deadly habit, seek professional help as soon as
possible. The world has learned to live with you, now you must
make the decision to live with yourself. Once you are
comfortable in your own skin, your self confidence will soar
sky-high.
Do you publicly berate yourself for fun? Is your idea of a good
conversation tearing yourself down at the expense of others?
Would you rather talk about your failures and weaknesses over
your successes and strengths? This is often the case with
individuals with low self esteem. Instead of accentuating the
positive, they verbalize that constantly criticizing voice they
hear in their own heads. Whatever the case, if you find yourself
to be suffering from low self esteem, there are ways to rebuild
from within. Seek help from friends, family members, colleagues,
self-help books, or professionals if necessary. Low self esteem
is a problem that should not be ignored.