Self-esteem is how you feel about yourself, overall and in specific areas. This article looks at answering: How is self-esteem developed?
Benefits of High Self-Esteem
It’s about having a reasonable opinion of yourself, and it impacts all areas of your life. You feel good about yourself and your abilities when you have high self-esteem.
You’re more likely to take on new challenges because you believe you can succeed. You’re also more likely to be happy and satisfied with your life.
Low self-esteem, on the other hand, can be very damaging. It can lead to many negative thoughts and feelings, like self-doubt, guilt, and shame. It can also cause problems in relationships, work, and school.
Factors Affecting Self-Esteem
Age
Studies show that children’s self-esteem can be affected by their age, as they are more likely to compare themselves to their peers and feel inadequate if they do not measure up.
As we get older, our self-esteem can also be affected by our age, as our expectations for ourselves change as we get older.
Disability
Those with physical or mental disabilities often feel inadequate or ashamed, leading to lower self-esteem. This can be further compounded by societal attitudes, leading to discrimination or exclusion.
Socioeconomic
Those from lower-income backgrounds often struggle to feel good about themselves compared to those from higher-income backgrounds. This can lead to feelings of inadequacy or inferiority, further lowering self-esteem.
Illness
Those with chronic illnesses can feel like they are not living life to the fullest, leading to feelings of inadequacy and depression. This can further affect self-esteem, making it more challenging to feel good about oneself.
Physical abilities
Many people feel good about themselves when they engage in physical activity, which can lead to feelings of accomplishment and self-efficacy.
Those who do not participate in physical activity may feel like they are missing out on something, leading to lower self-esteem.
Thought Pattern
Negative self-talk, such as believing we are not good enough or lack certain qualities, can lead to low self-esteem.
The good news is that we can work on changing our thought patterns to more positive, empowering ones to improve our self-esteem.
Genetics
Research has shown that genetics can also play a role in self-esteem. Studies have found that people with a family history of mental health issues, such as depression or anxiety, may be more prone to developing low self-esteem.
How High and Low Self-Esteem is Formed
One of the first things to understand about self-esteem is that it’s not static. It ebbs and flows throughout our lives, often in response to the events and relationships we experience.
Two key factors contribute to our self-esteem: how we compare ourselves to others and judge our worthiness. We develop high self-esteem when we see ourselves as better than others or when we see ourselves as worthy of positive attention and admiration.
Low self-esteem, on the other hand, is typically the result of seeing ourselves as inferior to others, not being good enough, or deserving of positive recognition.
These comparisons can be internal or external and can happen consciously or unconsciously. But it’s important to remember that they are just that—comparisons. They aren’t necessarily reflections of reality but rather interpretations we make about ourselves.
How to Have High Self-Esteem
High self-esteem requires much work and dedication, but it’s ultimately worth it. Here are some steps you can take to start building a foundation of positive self-esteem:
- Acknowledge your strengths and celebrate them. Every day, think about something you are proud of yourself for or something you’ve accomplished. Write them down if it helps. This will help you recognize the good in yourself and boost your confidence.
- Develop a growth mindset. Instead of viewing yourself as stagnant, choose to embrace challenges, setbacks, and failures as learning experiences that will help you grow as a person. This will reinforce the idea that you can overcome anything and help develop resilience.
- Surround yourself with positivity. Negative people can be toxic and discourage you from reaching your potential. Find people with similar values or interests that support and encourage you to be the best version of yourself possible!
How to Have Healthy self-esteem
So you want to boost your self-esteem? Here are seven steps that should get you moving in the right direction:
- Accept yourself for who you are. You’re not perfect, and that’s okay.
- Don’t compare yourself to others. This is a road to misery.
- Don’t put yourself down. It’s not doing you any good.
- Focus on your strengths, and give yourself credit where it’s due.
- Take care of yourself both physically and emotionally.
- Surround yourself with positive people who will build you up, not tear you down.
- Practice self-compassion. Be gentle with yourself when things don’t go your way
How Self-Esteem Affect Your Life
Self-esteem affects our behavior and the decisions we make. When we have high self-esteem, we are more likely to make positive choices, take risks, be creative, try new things and be confident in our abilities.
On the other hand, low self-esteem can lead to low self-worth, insecurity, and a lack of self-confidence. People with low self-esteem often struggle to take risks and make decisions that could benefit them in the long run.
Furthermore, self-esteem can affect our relationships. People with healthy self-esteem tend to have better relationships with others, as they are more likely to feel secure and are less likely to experience codependency.
On the contrary, people with low self-esteem tend to attract unhealthy relationships, as they are more likely to feel lonely, clingy, and needy.
Moreover, self-esteem also affects our physical and mental health. People with high self-esteem are more likely to have better physical health, as they are more likely to take care of themselves.
People with low self-esteem are more likely to be in poor physical health, as they are more likely to engage in unhealthy behaviors.
In terms of mental health, people with high self-esteem tend to be more resilient. In contrast, people with low self-esteem are more likely to experience depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues.
Finally, self-esteem affects our outlook on life. People with high self-esteem tend to have an optimistic outlook and are more likely to have a positive attitude toward life. On the other hand, people with low self-esteem tend to have a more pessimistic view and are more likely to have a negative attitude.
Why You Should Work on Self-Esteem
Self-esteem is a crucial factor in your overall well-being, and it’s linked to how you approach life. It affects your relationships with others, how you handle stress, and your quality of life.
When you have low self-esteem, you may be more prone to feeling down or anxious; however, when your self-esteem is high, you may be better equipped to handle difficult situations and bounce back from them.
You might also find yourself seeking more opportunities for growth and learning instead of avoiding challenges.
And if that wasn’t convincing enough: research shows that people with healthy self-esteem are more likely to achieve their goals and live happier lives.
So by building a strong self-esteem foundation now, you can make sure that your future version of yourself will thank you later!
We hope this article was able to answer your questions about: How is self-esteem developed?
If you want to discover more information about improving self-esteem, follow the link to our other pages on this topic.
