self esteem : How To Build Healthy Self-Esteem

What others visualize or verbalize about us and what we experience in our surroundings or day to day activities often effects the perception of who we think we are. If we hear or experience more positive than negative things about us, we are likely to have greater self-esteem. If we hear or experience more negative things than positive things about us, we are likely to have lower self-esteem.

Therefore a person who has just been fired from his job would likely have a lower self-esteem. A child who has been repeatedly been told that he or she is no good would likely develop low self-esteem.

An employee who is always reprimanded by his boss will likely have low self-esteem. A spouse who feels unloved and unappreciated will have, or eventually develop over a period of time, a feeling of low self-esteem.

Low self esteem complicates a person's ability to rise above his present station in life. Lack of self esteem is unhealthy. Low self-esteem is like a self-fulfilling prophecy in that it helps perpetuate individual's dulled senses, feeling less creative, less productive and lacking that extraordinary zest for life.

Low self esteem can make a person depressed and physically sick. In extreme cases, low self-esteem can drive individuals to self-destruct or negatively impact another person's life in some manner.

There are two viable ways in which to combat the lack of self-esteem. The first way is something that you can do yourself right now. The other way would require the help of a professional.

Let's pay particular importance to the first method. Not only is it free, but this simple and easy exercise can be done right now!

You will experience a greater sense of self-esteem knowing that you were able to help yourself in fulfilling your own desires, ambitions or goals.

The first stride in directing yourself towards a lasting turnabout is to take that first step or action and accomplish something. Start with the little things that can be easily completed. Once you accomplish something, proceed to set your sights on completing additional little tasks or working on other areas where improvement is desired. Let these cumulative efforts and accomplishments build on each other. Making yourself proud of your progress, for good reason, will provide you the fuel to continue this process or journey.

Are you a couch potato? Start moving around and do some exercise! Do you smoke? Quit smoking!

Do not be too ambitious. Remember, you are advised to accomplish little things first. If your desired tasks still seem overwhelming at first or like daunting challenges, attack these projects in smaller pieces or activities. This will help jumpstart your momentum in the right direction.

A ten minute walk a day is already a little accomplishment. Cutting back smoking by half is already a little accomplishment.

Though these little things may seem insignificant, they will have a snowball effect on the development of your self-esteem. This will lead to the ultimate realization of all your goals, the discovery and release of the high self-esteem hiding and waiting "within" you!

by Raul R. Bancod and John Urman