SELF ESTEEM AND YOU
Events happen in our lives that make us take a closer look at ourselves. Often in doing that, we condemn ourselves for things we have no control over. Physical, mental and economic factors also affect our self-esteem.
Many years ago my X left me for someone else. He walked out on not just me, but his 4 sons as well having had an affair for months before leaving. These events lead me to believe I was ugly, unlovable and unworthy of being loved. My self-esteem was at an all-time low. It was a very low point in my life because my opinion of myself was so deeply wounded. It took me some time to realize I am worthy of love and that I am a good person. Once that opinion began to change I started taking control of my life again. I surrounded myself with friends who built me up. These people taught me to know my self-worth and helped me rediscover my self-esteem.
Not having enough self-esteem can affect our potential and can lead us to tolerate abusive situations believing we don’t deserve better than that. However, having too much self-esteem can give us feelings of entitlement; being unable to learn from our mistakes and even lead to narcissistic behavior. We need to develop a healthy level between self-respect and having an accurate self-knowledge.
A few things you can do to build your self-esteem are - be yourself, don’t try to be anything you are not. Who you are is what makes you special. Be happy in getting to know you. Stop comparing yourself to others. Learn to like your uniqueness. Take the time to celebrate your successes no matter how small they are. Be thankful in all things. Showing gratitude and appreciation for all you have will reflect on you. Try not to take yourself too seriously, learn something new, push yourself out of your comfort zone from time to time and finally treat yourself to something special.
Having good self-esteem is a process. It begins with you and ends with you. Never forget you are a miracle and worthy of being loved without having to do a single thing.