self esteem

Building a good or healthy self esteem at a young age

2008-08-04T00:30:00.000-07:00

As self esteem is a feeling of beliefs in own self of achieving our goal to success. Building a good or healthy self esteem at a young age is advantage to the child towards the road to success. Kids with as a strong self esteem also turns up to be the best student in the school and even has the respect of their class mate and their teacher. Kids with high self esteem always looks cheerful and have easily time in handing school works and resisting to negative pressure.

When your kids started to grows up as a parents one should guild and teach the child the important role of promoting a good self esteem. As success always start with failure. If you find that you are defeat in first place and dare not to challenge again. You will never be success in many thing as you will have the negative thought in you to try again. As a parents one should tell the kids to try again and give the child the confidence and support to go for it. Kids with low self-esteem may not want to try new things and always scare of loosing or defeat.

Change Low self esteem into high self esteem

2008-05-15T02:22:00.000-07:00

People with low self esteem always depends on others to give decision and could not decided by them self on a simple things and has a low image and negative thinking of themselves.People with low self esteem always scare to get help from friends or someone close to them because they are scare they will turn him down. This people mostly content in what they have and dare not accept promotion or decision making. People with high self esteem are people who had positive thinking and always do things for people to respect them. This people always make decision about their jobs or works and always high aim.

Since our self esteem is parts on how others people respect us in the past and the present and how we begin to treat ourself as a worthwhile person, Start to challenge your past negative experience and change it to positive one. Ask people for help if you thing you need help. In order to have a high self esteem we must do things for people that can easily be notice with appreciation and respect. Always remind yourself of your strengths and achievements and see your failure. The way one to see to that is to make a list of the things you do. Change the failure into success and success into greater success.

A self esteem is a internal power inside us

2008-03-18T02:11:00.000-07:00

Most people who have low self esteem always has a negative self image. They always fear or scare or failure in doing a things. Before a thing could be done their is always a feeling of losing. This people are always contented to what they are and have no room of improvement or upgrading. To change our self image we must had a positive thing for people to respect and gain trust. To change our self esteem from low-esteem to high self esteem we must change our awareness. A self esteem is a internal power inside us to be the best and a sense of confidence. People who have high self esteem are the person who are holding top position or leaders.

In order to improved our self esteem we must set ourself a goal in which we believe we can reach our destination goals that we planned for. To be honest to our self. Analyze all of the negatives things and to put them into perspective. Created high expectation in ourself. Think about the goods things and all the good qualities in you and change all the bad ones.

Sexually abused children may have low self esteem

2007-11-29T01:49:00.000-08:00

Children who are sexually abused may have low self esteem whem they grows up and are usually conflict with themselves if the rapist is someone who is known to them ,like a family member. The sad fact is that children everywhere and anywhere are vulnerable to sexual abuse. The number of reported sexual abuse among children is growing in Malaysia.

However most sexual abuse cases happen in their homes and perpetrated by those entrusted with the child's well being. Most of the times the cases went unreported as people tent to keep silent about their children in close doors. The effects of abuse vary from one victim to another. Most children are left behind again after sometimes because their had to works and was left alone to rcalled the past. Service center of this types to help children of sexual abuse are not much in this country. If mose center would this, be build to help this children and help them to build their self-esteem.

Good and bad self-esteem

2007-10-02T01:06:00.000-07:00

Good Self- esteem always started from our childhood time. The enviroment where we are staying and most of the credits of good self-esteem comes from the parents, how the parents brought the children up. You are having a good self-esteem you will be respected by all your friends, even the teacher in school. Low self-esteem always mostly comes from poor family where their parents has no time to guild them and the enviroment their are staying are crowded.

Inorder to have a good self-esteem we must respect others and elder people so that they can respect us. Good in study and sports and school ativities. For low self-esteem they are always yell or beaten by their teacher. Always tried to find trouble with your school.

Having high self esteem is to respect and be respected

2007-07-25T20:45:00.000-07:00

People who have high self esteem are always respected by most people in your community or in your work place. I had a friend whom everyone in our working place respect him even our boss and all the senoirs and the superiors staff not because he is very smart but of the ways of his dressing. his body fixtures and face, his taking and his respect and helpful to others people.

To gain respect is to respect others people wheather they are from poor or rich family. The ways you talk to others and most important is your dressing and of your high self esteem. He was our union leaders and all of us respect his dicision making. He has no problem with the company excutives and the boss and always the negotiation are very fair to both side. He was later promoted to a executive in our company and then a manager in others big firm. He join a political party and at the age of fifty became an assamble man in my community.

A good self esteem, a respect by others

2007-06-26T03:35:00.000-07:00

A good self esteem is very important to oneself as its gives confident and the power to believed and respects one own self. To be a good leaders and respects by others. To gain self esteem you had to work hard for if for people to respect you and love you as you cannot buy respects.

Having a good self esteem its help you to hold your head high and a power to decision making and also gives you courage to try new things. Teach you kids to build their self esteem and when the kids gets older, they can have a bigger role in developing their self-esteem. Achievements - like getting a good grade on a test or making the All-Star soccer team - are things kids can be proud of. So are having a good sense of humor or being a good friend.

Overweight can lead to low self-esteem

2007-05-18T00:38:00.000-07:00

Don't we all want to lose weight, It is everybody dream of lossing another extra five kg if we are overweight. The pressure is certainly out there, rake thin modelswearing a super thin jeans, and glossy magazines carring features and model looking slim and beautiful. While you enjoy the body you have and be proud of it, you should also aware that overweight can be dangerous to your health and well-being.

If you are overweight it means health problems and lack of physical prowess and sometimes it can lead to low self-esteem and depression. So this is what you have to do now. Start with your daily exercises and eating right. An enormous amount of discipline and will-power is needed to curb those fingers from reaching out for an extra donut or a piece of cake.

Study found student from broken homes had low self- esteem

2007-04-17T23:30:00.000-07:00

In the latest UKM study and interviewed of female student found that 887 student except one admitted to have sex according to a universiti kebangsaan Malaysya study.The study also showed that aparts from sex, most of the respondents took drugs, were involved in pornography, secret societies, vandaldalism and truancy.

It is sad and stocking to find all except one of the respondents admitted to having experience sex. This is painful finding but it is a reality that we have to accept. From the study, the state government aims to formulate a special training module to promote hogh moral values among girls.

The study also find that the female students aged between 15 and 16, were at a high risk of being involve in various discipline problems, including those related to sex. The problems commited by these students were due to external pressure like coming from broken homes. Most of the students were poor in their academic achievements, communication skills and had low self esteem, self control as well as problem solving capabilities.

High and low self esteem people

2007-03-12T02:38:00.000-07:00

For many people who have high self-esteem are people who are repected and trust by other peoples. Building your self esteem is how you would estimate in yourself, the important, the value and the look in your yourself. To have self esteem you have to have a positive attitude and high thinking in yourself. Must have the confident in whatever you do in yourself. Value and the liking in yourself. Able to take critise from other people and independent taking the views of others and also trusting in your own judgement. Self-Esteem is important in knowing what you can do, be proud of yourself and hold your head up high, it gives you courage to try new things and to believe and respect yourself.

Suffering from low self-esteem people are people who will struggle to associate in themself, lack self assurance and self respect. There will not think highly of themself and only knows how to criticize themself or other people. Having low self-esteem is you always look down on yourself and thinking that you are not important or useless. People with low self esteem are people who are always satifies in their jobs and no hoping for a promotion.

Building high self esteem in yourself

2007-02-01T23:05:00.000-08:00

In life every person has a self esteem, Some have low self esteem and some have high self esteem. People with high self esteem are always respect by others and most are from happy family. Building your self esteem is within yourself, the people you mixed, the things you done and build. The respect you had on people and people had on you.

A high self esteem allows you to be leader rather than a follower. A decision making rather than a lisener, the value in yourself and treat yourself with high respect. Discipline your ownself with the right talks and minds. Praise yourself if you done a good jobs and also to praise others if a good jobs is well done. Think and focus on positive than negative. Excerises given more than reciving.

Building high self esteem is not a easy jobs as you need times, patient and a positive thinking. Forget the words failure in the dictionary and always focus your minds on w.w.w.- win,win,win attitude.

High self esteem having attitude towards succeed

2006-11-22T00:21:00.000-08:00

Having high self esteem is a very important aspect of our life and must have the right attitude towards succeed. Never having the feeling in your brain that you can't do it if you haven't try doing it as success always begin with failure.

I had two friends working in the same company with myself working there and my very senior staff going for a promotion of one excutive post. One dare not except the post of his low self esteem afraid of cannot do it or cannot handle it or get sack if he cannot produce the result. The other friend with high self esteem except the post.

Now the one who except the most is a group manager of a leading hyper market in Malaysia while the other one is still holding a post as a senior supervisor in a supermarket in Penang. So never think of failure if you never try.

Building Healthy Self-Esteem

2006-10-29T21:09:00.000-08:00

Self esteem is related to your self worth and your value. Building self esteem is a first step towards your happiness and a better life.

A low self esteem is one of the leading causes of depression and working to boost your self esteem can increase your chances for success and happiness on both a personal and professional level. While many people realize that they need to boost their feeling of self worth it is not always easy to accomplish.

Think and speak positively. If you hear a compliment or positive statement about someone you know pass that compliment, thank him. Concentrate on speaking positively of others as well as yourself. The more you concentrate your energy on positive reinforcement for yourself as well as for others the easier it will become to be a positive person with a strong self esteem.

This also means becoming a more friendly person to those people who are a regular part of your life as well as strangers you simply pass at the store or on the street. Smile, nod, comment on the weather or life, and focus on giving others a reason to smile as well. Give yourself and others positive rewards for being and doing well.

Healthy Self-Esteem fosters your inner strength to walk your own path. You avoid succumbing to peer pressure. You have the confidence to say, “NO” to requests or ideas which are demeaning to your integrity or will sabotage your goals.

Healthy Self-Esteem allows you to become a leader, instead of a follower. You know what is best for you. With Healthy Self-Esteem you are able to make decisions, regardless of what others say or do. These are traits that we all want for ourselves and our children.

building our self-esteem

2006-10-19T23:12:00.000-07:00

Self esteem is the opinion you see in yourself. Having high self esteem is a very important aspect of our life. If you have a high level self esteem you will be confident, happy and sure of yourself in what you are doing. You would be highly motivated and have the right attitude towards succeed. In building self esteem, you must learn how to make the best out of worst situations. Striving to improve our self esteem is on everybody’s mind. This are the few steps to improved our self esteem

By building up our self-esteem. Frist we must change and improve our ways toward how we interact with others. Always keep a inventory to ourself and check about our progress of building our self esteem. Success always begin with failure. Never lower down yourself if you fail try it again because success will always comes if you belived in yourself.

Treat each person you meet as if she or he is truly important. As one day we might needs their help and also to respect a person is to gain respect from them.

Always feel good about where when we are now, and to exude self-confidence about anywhere we might find in ourself.

Set a clear goals for ourself before every interaction of the people we are going to meet that can help you reach those goals. Then decide how to approach each person accordingly. Apply this regularly and you will notice a difference.

Be proactive. Take the initiative. Be decisive. Let the other person know exactly how he or she can help you. Proactive people tent to be more successful in their career.

develop high self-esteem

2006-10-08T22:41:00.000-07:00

It is pretty hard to develop self-esteem when you are working on a job that doesn’t allow you to be exactly who you were meant to be.
If you do not have high self esteem . You can’t possibly feel good about yourself and what happens is, you start questioning your abilities. You start wondering about yourself and I not good enough or smart enough. When others who seem to be doing well and having success while you are still the same because you can't make up yourself what your abilities is and what you want to achive.

Lack passion for the job or career that you find yourself in, you will find that often times, you won’t be excited about it. Your lack of enthusiasm will cause your work to not be up to par. It has nothing to do with your abilities. You can’t be all that great at something if you are constantly watching the clock; waiting for your break or for the day to end because you are simply tired of being there.

In order to develop high self-esteem, you must start with being conscious of your self-talk—the things you say to and about yourself. Always talk, do and think positive. Forget all about the negative, cause you will never develop high self- esteem with all the negative in your minds.

Improve yourself self-esteem with positive thinking

2006-09-29T02:44:00.000-07:00

One way to raise your self-esteem is to reverse the thoughts that are oppressing you. If someone scold you, think, They are wrong and I am a wonderful person. Similarly if you're thinking, I can't do this, change your thoughts to say, I will to do this and I will enjoy the process. Always think the positive than the nagative.
This will raise your self-esteem, your personality improves, as do all aspects of your life.

Use your fantasy to visualize yourself as a positive person. Be enthusiastic in your visualization. Give yourself reasons to believe in yourself. Do things that you have never done before which means a real challenge for you. Self esteem is based on your beliefs. The more rocks you are able to face on the road you're walking, the more you will believe in yourself and the more self confident you will become. Do a new and really challenging thing every day, and your confidence will soar.

How to improve your self esteem

2006-09-19T21:45:00.000-07:00

The following article covers a topic that has recently moved to center stage--at least it seems that way. If you've been thinking you need to know more about it, here's your opportunity.
Truthfully, the only difference between you and self esteem experts is time. If you'll invest a little more time in reading, you'll be that much nearer to expert status when it comes to self esteem.

How to improve your self esteem. Striving to improve our self esteem is on everybody’s mind. It doesn’t matter if you actively pursue this goal or you subconsciously working on improving your self esteem. The problem with this is that you really don’t know exactly what you want to improve. Set clear goals for yourself before every interaction. Know what you want.

Think about how the people you will be meeting can help you reach those goals. Then decide how to approach each person accordingly. Apply this regularly and you will notice a difference.
Treat each person you meet as if she or he is truly important.Teach yourself to develop good listening skills. Learn a way to remember the other person's name.

Exude self-confidence about anywhere you might find yourself tomorrow. Pay more attention to the other person than to yourself. Visibly respond to the other person. Smile, nod agreement, and address him or her by name. Apply all you listening skills to visibly respond. The body language is the most important part of a conversation. Creating a positive aura will benefit you in every thing you do.

self esteem : Secrets of Self-Confident People

2006-09-11T23:51:00.000-07:00

I don't get it. Why is my boss heading up my organization when there are much smarter people under him?' a seminar participant asked recently. It was obvious to all of us that she was frustrated.

Since I didn't know her boss, I couldn't really answer, but if her boss is like many managers I've known, the answer is simple -- self-confidence.

"Do you remember that girl in high school who really wasn't that pretty, or even nice, but she was still popular?" I asked. "She had something about her that attracted others to her -- self-confidence."

"Instead of getting angry, maybe it's time for you to take a page out of your boss' book. After all, he must be doing something right," I suggested.

I explained that someone who is confident is very attractive. And each of us has the power be self-confident. In fact, studies reveal that most of us secretly think we're better than everyone else. We rate ourselves as more dependable, smarter, friendlier, harder-working, less-prejudiced, and even better in the sack than other people.

"Some might feel that way," she retorted. "But I tend to be pretty hard on myself."

Self-confidence is available to us all. All we have to do is borrow the same three strategies that people who appear to be confident use.

First, we have to know our strengths; we have to know where we shine. Friends' feedback, past evaluations, and a variety of psychological instruments including the Myers-Briggs Indicator, The Birkman System, and the Enneagram can provide clues. I have found the book Now Discover Your Strengths by Marcus Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton, Ph.D., particularly helpful. (If you purchase the book, it will contain an identification number that allows you to take the StrengthsFinder profile on the Internet.)

Second, we have to claim our strengths, and sometimes that means "faking it till we make it."

We claim our strengths by seeking opportunities to use them and then promote our successes. When I was in public relations, I worked with a man who was a wonderful pitch person. He was the first to volunteer to pitch a story to the media and wasn't bashful about speaking about his successes.

There was a woman who worked at the agency who was also an excellent pitch person, and in my opinion she was much stronger than he. But because she didn't claim her strengths she watched him fly up the corporate ladder before her.

I have seen this happen way too often to women in the workplace. Women can find it harder than men to promote themselves, and when they don't, they do themselves a huge disservice.

Third, self-confident people fuel their confidence. All of us have days in which we doubt ourselves. I have worked with top CEOs and their self-confidence sometimes wanes too. Here are four tools I have used to help me when my self-esteem sags:

One: Create "a brag file." Reserve a file for those cards, notes, letters, e-mails, etc., that tout your successes. When I am feeling a little down, I reach for my brag file. I have been doing this for twenty years, and I am happy to report that my brag file has gotten pretty thick over the years.

Two: Practice positive self-talk. When your inner critic rears its ugly head, tell him or her to shut up. Then remind him or her of your successes. There's something about personalizing our inner critics that works. I have one client who calls her inner critic Sybil.

Three: Dress for success. Our appearance often reflects the way we feel about ourselves. Some mornings when my confidence is waning, I purposely reach for one of my power suits. My whole demeanor changes when I slip on that suit, and I feel better about myself.

Four: Make sure you have a strong support system. People either give us energy or rob of us energy. Take a minute to review who you spend your time with. Look closely at each person. Does he or she build up or tear down your self-esteem? Surround yourself with people who believe in you.

Confident people are magnets for success. Why not try these simple suggestions and watch your self-confidence soar.

By Randy Siegel

self esteem : Use and Misuse Of Subliminal Messages

2006-09-11T22:32:00.000-07:00

What are subliminal messages? A subliminal message is a message displayed for such a short period of time that your mind does not consciously register what it sees or hears. Instead your mind registers it sub-consciously. This means that your conscious mind cannot build and use arguments against the ideas exposed and thus you can be more susceptible to the unconscious idea. We’re talking about mind control from the outside that is working below the threshold of our awareness.

Like many others you may ask, is it really possible that the content or meaning of an event can affect people’s behaviour without their being aware of this event? The commercial and advertising businesses would probably pay millions to confirm whether or not such techniques are more effective than promotional communications of which people are aware.

Here are some examples of how such communications have been applied;

sexual imagery embedded in print and video advertising

film and video commercials containing briefly-flashed messages

messages in rock and other types of music barely heard in the background

sub-audible communications in self help audios

Examples of purposes of a hidden communication are;

to lead people to make non intended purchases

to get people to commit suicide

an aid for helping smokers to stop smoking

Controversy and ethics

There has been much controversy about using unconscious messages without willing or aware subjects. This is not a strange thing, because for years hidden persuasive messages have been used, to manipulate viewers or listeners to behave in ways they otherwise would not using imperceptible or masked stimuli. There have been two particular areas where the ethics of this practice have been questioned

In commercials and advertising

By fundamentalists and rock music

There’s no doubt of the insidious character of subliminal persuasion. There has been much criticism regarding the unscrupulous, unconscious persuasive methods many large corporations have used in their cravings for increased profits.

Another ethical inquiry has been targeted towards religious and political fundamentalists who have promulgated their belief of occult, satanic communications in rock music.

The self help market

The most useful application of hidden persuasive messages according to my opinion is the self help or self improvement market. This $50-millions a year industry is still expanding at a high rate. Subliminal self-help tapes, CD’s and mp3’s have been used by thousands of people all over the world and there are also numerous testimonials available showing their effectiveness in personal improvement. Examples of areas where concealed audios have been useful are

weight loss

breast enlargement

improvement in sexual function

self-esteem

improved bowling scores

and more. Some of these programs enable you to display your own unconscious communications and use them to change your life the way you want. These audios can be used anywhere; while driving your car, at work, playing with the kids, watching TV, doing workout, etc.

You use the subliminal program to display your own positive affirmations unconsciously in word or picture form. You are in total control of all communications which are displayed and also how they are displayed.

by Terje Brooks Ellingsen

self esteem : Psychobabble that shields the seriously selfish 2

2006-08-30T00:42:00.000-07:00

When someone says that he lacks self-esteem he says it as if he were denied something that is his of right. Merely by virtue of drawing breath, each person has the right to think well of himself. Are not all men created equal, in some not-quite-specifiable metaphysical sense? And is not man the paragon of animals, the beauty of the world, like unto a god? Should we not all, then, think well of ourselves?

There are several layers to the concept of self-esteem, which is not a purely psychological notion. It has, or ought to have, a moral content or dimension: for if it is possible to have too little self-esteem, it is surely possible also to have too much. And in deciding who has too much, we have to take into account the moral qualities of the person.

Does anyone not know someone who is too full of self-esteem, who is pompous, puffed up, self-important, vainglorious, self-regarding and altogether too pleased with himself? Whose achievements or qualities are minimal, yet who seems walled around by an awareness of his own assumed superiority? And is it not the case that such inflated self-esteem is one of the most unpleasant qualities anyone can have, drawing immediate censure from almost everyone? But in saying that someone has too high an opinion of himself, we are not using the language of psychology: we are using the language of morals.

It is always possible to argue that people such as I have described are exhibiting only a brittle carapace to protect themselves from their inner vulnerability and sense of their own worthlessness, but to do so is to empty the concept of self-esteem of all empirical content whatsoever. Would there be anyone in the world of whom it could not be said that he lacked self-esteem?

by Theodore Dalrymple

self esteem : Psychobabble that shields the seriously selfish 1

2006-08-30T00:39:00.000-07:00

We're taught that self-esteem is essential to our happiness. Not necessarily, writes Theodore Dalrymple

All happy families, wrote Tolstoy, are happy in the same way; all unhappy families are unhappy in their own way.

The same might almost be said of individuals: for the ways of happiness are few, while the ways of misery are legion. Self-destruction comes in myriad forms, and human ingenuity seems often to be directed solely at the maximisation of personal infelicity. If I didn't know better, I'd believe in Freud's death instinct.

I arrive in my hospital each day thinking that I have by now heard everything: that no human folly can now surprise me, that no conduct can take me aback. I am always proved mistaken, however: for overnight someone has devised a new and improved method of securing his own downfall, as well as that of everyone around him. I meet women who love men who drag them by the hair to a window and suspend them by their ankles out of the tenth floor, and I meet men who deliberately inject themselves with HIV-infected blood so that they will henceforth be attractive to Byronic women who think that fatal illness will make them interesting. One might suppose, therefore, that I am not easy to shock, surprise or appal, but every day new horrors are exhibited to tone up my nervous system, as it were. Truly the sleep of reason calls forth monsters.

Over the past few years, the self- destructive have increased not only in number but in the intensity of their self-destruction, and they have accepted a new and fashionable explanation for their own conduct: a lack of self-esteem. They confess it coyly, as if somehow revealing an innermost secret that they have never revealed to anyone before - except, possibly, to everyone else they know who has the time and patience to listen to them. They present the supposed fact of their lack of self-esteem to their doctor as if laying before him the inestimable gift of their most intimate confidence. The doctor is flattered and repays the compliment by taking what they say seriously.

But this mention of self-esteem is only an example of psychobabble, that extraordinary abstract language that conceals what it claims to reveal. Psychobabble reduces human cognition, experience and emotion to a few bloodless abstractions: but he who would know a man (to adapt William Blake slightly) must know him in minute particulars. An alleged lack of self-esteem tells us nothing about the person who suffers it: for such a lack is plausibly compatible with all human behaviour whatsoever, from the anchorite's retreat into a desert cave to the rankest megalomania.

by Theodore Dalrymple

self esteem : The costs and causes of low self-worth

2006-08-30T00:33:00.000-07:00

Low self-esteem has come to be seen as the cause for a wide range of personal and social ills, from crime and drug addiction, to educational failure and suicide attempts. For these reasons much effort is invested in raising self-esteem, particularly among young people. But can high self-esteem really be the magic bullet this effort assumes? Through a comprehensive review of the available research evidence, this report examines the case for this assumption.

Separate sections of the report look at:

• the popular image of high self-esteem as an all-purpose social ‘vaccine’, and scientific attempts to define and measure self-esteem;
• what is known about the links between low self-esteem and a range of problem behaviours;
• the origins of low self-esteem;
• the relative effectiveness of different kinds of interventions intended to raise self-esteem.

The report raises serious doubts as to the value of investing in programmes to enhance self-esteem, given the very limited impact such programmes are likely to have on most problem behaviour.

Nicholas Emler

self esteem : Healthy Self-Esteem in Thirty Days

2006-08-24T03:40:00.000-07:00

Healthy Self-Esteem is your best weapon on the journey of life. Self-Esteem is the cornerstone of your emotional well-being and success in life. Self-Esteem stems from the knowledge that you are a valuable person. It is the understanding that there is no one who is exactly like you. No one talks like you; No one walks like you; No one has the exact color eyes or hair as you. Even identical twins have subtle differences in personality and characteristics.

Healthy Self-Esteem is realizing that no other person has your personality or your abilities, and it is being comfortable with your uniqueness that sets you apart. Healthy Self-Esteem is that calm sense of self-respect and integrity that deep down in your soul you possess self-worth and confidence in your ability and uniqueness.

Healthy Self-Esteem fosters your inner strength to walk your own path. You avoid succumbing to peer pressure. You have the confidence to say, “NO” to requests or ideas which are demeaning to your integrity or will sabotage your goals.

Healthy Self-Esteem allows you to become a leader, instead of a follower. You know what is best for you. With Healthy Self-Esteem you are able to make decisions, regardless of what others say or do. These are traits that we all want for ourselves and our children.

You can build Healthy Self-Esteem one minute at a time. Every waking minute:

• See yourself as having value.

• See yourself as having the key to what is needed in this world.

• Treat yourself with the highest respect. No one will treat you with more respect than you treat yourself.

• Employ self-discipline to follow through with any endeavor.

• Give yourself positive support by praising yourself for doing a good job, for doing what you do, and for doing things the best you can. “You can do it.” “You are good at everything you do.” “You did a good job.”

• Focus on the positive—avoid focusing on the negative.

• Focus on the glass is half full—avoid focusing on the glass is half empty.

• Give yourself praise and pats on the back for your achievements—no matter how small.

• Focus on the process of goal achievement, avoid bemoaning everything you need to do—your goals come to fruition more quickly.

• Be persistent in everything you do—persistence is the only path to goal achievement.

• Praise others for their accomplishments—when you compliment others you build your own self-esteem, because it’s impossible to sincerely praise others without feeling better about yourself.

• Give as much as you want to receive—What goes around; Comes around.

• Take pride in, who you are.

• Take pride in, what you do.

“Life is not easy for any of us. But, what of that? We must have perseverance and above all, self-esteem in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something, and that this thing, at whatever cost, must be attained.” – Marie Curie

In Thirty days you will notice subtle, but powerful differences in the out-come of your endeavors and you will notice you are feeling empowered, confident and focused on goals and achievements.

by Dorothy M. Neddermeyer, PhD,

self esteem : 10 Tips to Improve Your Self Esteem

2006-08-24T03:37:00.000-07:00

Striving to improve our self esteem is on everybody’s mind. It doesn’t matter if you actively pursue this goal or you subconsciously working on improving your self esteem. The problem with this is that you really don’t know exactly what you want to improve. You’re acting intuitively on external signals.

Do you know how to improve your self esteem? Probably not. To make it a little bit easier for you and to achieve your goals quicker I put together 10 tips that you can utilize right away.

1. Build up your self-esteem. You must take an inventory. What do you want to improve or change about the way you interact with others? Try to make only one change at a time. Always check you progress before making another change.

2. Celebrate your journey, not your destination. Learn to always feel good about where you are now, and to exude self-confidence about anywhere you might find yourself tomorrow.

3. Set clear goals for yourself before every interaction. Know what you want. Think about how the people you will be meeting can help you reach those goals. Then decide how to approach each person accordingly. Apply this regularly and you will notice a difference.

4. Be proactive. Take the initiative. Be decisive. Let the other person know exactly how he or she can help you. Proactive people tent to be more successful in their career.

5. Treat each person you meet as if she or he is truly important. (You'll be amazed how this works.)

6. Give a firm handshake; look the other person straight in the eye. Practice both of these. Your handshake should be just right. Not too firm and not too loose. Train yourself to notice something you like or find attractive in the person.

7. Listen! Listen! Listen! Teach yourself to develop good listening skills. Learn a way to remember the other person's name. If in doubt simply ask for the name again 2 or 3 sentences into the conversation.

8. Visibly respond to the other person. Smile, nod agreement, and address him or her by name. Apply all you listening skills to visibly respond. The body language is the most important part of a conversation. Practice, practice, practice…

9. Pay more attention to the other person than to yourself. Are you responding to what may be going on in his or her life? Don't filter out bad news. Put yourself in the other person's shoes. Be caring.

10. Stay "in the moment." Don't mentally cut off the other person. Don't reload while he or she is speaking. What this means is that you need to focus on the other person 100% during a conversation. Anything less is considered rude.

Next time you meet somebody new look out for these behaviors. Put a mental checkmark on the each of the 10 tips and see how well this person scored. Chances are that the person scored very high if you tent to like her/him. On the contraire the person probably scored low if you don’t seem to connect.

The more you practice the more likely you will create a positive aura which is commonly known as charisma. To step up to become a charismatic personality it takes more than just these 10 tips.

Creating a positive aura will benefit you in every thing you do. You will create a warmer ambience with your family. You will be more successful in your career. Even while trying to meet a partner of the opposite sex you will notice a difference on how people perceive you.

Unfortunately a small article can’t do justice on the wide spectrum of creating a positive aura and developing a charismatic personality. You will get the complete picture and step by step explanations in Race Kale’s new book “The Power of Charisma”.

by Peter Dobler

self esteem : Study of mathematical skills

2006-08-15T21:16:00.000-07:00

A 1989 study of mathematical skills compared students in eight different countries. American students ranked lowest in mathematical competence and Korean students ranked highest. But the researchers also asked students to rate how good they were at mathematics. The Americans ranked highest in self-judged mathematical ability, while the Koreans ranked lowest. Mathematical self-esteem had an inverse relation to mathematical accomplishment. This is certainly an example of a feel-good psychology keeping students from an accurate perception of reality. The self-esteem theory predicts that only those who feel good about themselves will do well, which is supposedly why all students need it. But in fact, feeling good about yourself may simply make you over confident, narcissistic and unable to work hard. Now, I am not implying that high self-esteem is always negatively related to accomplishment. Rather, the research mentioned above shows that measures of self-esteem have no reliable relationship to behavior, either positive or negative. In part, this is simply because life is too complicated for so simple a notion to be of much use. But for other reasons we should expect this failure in advance.

We all know, and know of, people who are motivated by insecurities and self doubts. These are often both the heroes and the villains of history. The prevalence of certain men of small stature in the history of fanatical military accomplishment is well documented. Julius Cesar, Napoleon, Hitler, and Stalin were all men determined to prove they were big. Many great athletes and others have had to overcome grave physical disabilities and a lack of self-esteem. One might call this the Demosthenes effect after the ancient Greek with a speech impediment. He practiced speaking with his mouth full of pebbles and later became a famous orator.

Many superior achievements appear to have their origin in what psychologist, Alfred Adler, called an inferiority complex. The point is not that feeling bad about ourselves is good, but rather that only two things can truly change how we feel about ourselves. Real accomplishment and real love.

First, accomplishment in the real world affects our attitudes. A child who learns to read, who can do mathematics, who can play the piano or baseball, will have a genuine sense of accomplishment and an appropriate sense of self-esteem. Schools that fail to teach reading, writing, and arithmetic, corrupt the proper understanding of self-esteem. Educators, who say don't grade them, don't label them, you have to make them feel good about themselves, cause these problems. It makes no sense for students to be full of self-esteem if they have learned nothing. Reality will soon puncture their illusions and they will have to face two disturbing facts: that they are ignorant; and that the adults responsible for teaching them have lied to them.

by PAUL C. VITZ

self esteem : The Problem with Self-Esteem

2006-08-15T21:10:00.000-07:00

Today, the largest and most familiar part of American Psychology is the popular psychology of self-esteem, now found throughout American society. Self-esteem and the obsession that so many have with it, is familiar to almost all of us these days. Self-esteem programs affect the lives of countless school children, because this idea, really an ideal, has been taken and applied primarily in education.
Historically, the concept of self-esteem has no clear or obvious intellectual origins. No major psychological theorist made it a central concept. Many psychologists, however, have emphasized the self in various ways but the usual focus has been on self-actualization or fulfillment of one's potential. As a result, it is difficult to trace the source of this emphasis on self-esteem. Apparently, this widespread preoccupation is a distillation of the general concern with the self found in so many psychological theories. Self-esteem seems to be the common denominator pervading the writings of such varied theorists as Abraham Maslow, Carl Rogers, ego-strength psychologists, and moral educators especially recently. In any case, the concern with self-esteem hovers everywhere in the US today. It is, however, most reliably found in the world of education — from professors of education, to principals, teachers, school boards, and the television programs that are concerned with education, particularly those programs concerned with preschool education like Sesame Street.

Self worth, a feeling of respect and confidence in one's being has merit as we shall see. But an ego-centered, let me feel good self-esteem, where we can ignore our failures and our need for God is quite another thing. What is wrong with the concept of self-esteem? Lots, and it's fundamental in nature. There have been thousands of psychological studies on self-esteem. Often the term self-esteem is muddled and confused as it becomes a label for such various aspects as self image, as self acceptance, self worth, self love, self trust, etcetera. The bottom line is that no agreed upon definition or measure for self-esteem exists. And whatever self-esteem is, no reliable evidence supports self-esteem scores as meaning much at all.

There is no evidence that high self-esteem reliably causes anything. Indeed, a lot of people with little of it, have achieved a great deal in one kind of activity or the other. For instance, Gloria Steinem, who has written a number of books and been a major leader of the feminist movement, recently revealed in a book long statement that she suffers from low self-esteem. And many people with high self-esteem are happy just being rich, beautiful, or socially connected. Some other people, whose high self-esteem has been noted are successful inner-city drug dealers who generally feel quite good about themselves. After all they have succeeded in making a lot of money in a hostile and competitive environment.

by PAUL C. VITZ

self esteem : Acne - How It Can Really Damage Your Self Esteem

2006-08-08T21:25:00.000-07:00

Acne, or pimples, is a really bad skin condition that effects an individual's self esteem. It is not widely known that there are solutions available to treat the skin and get rid of those red dots. As well as that, people have false beliefs about it as well. Many think it will just go away one day. Yet sadly for many individuals, it can turn out to be a lifelong condition.

Just Exactly What Is It?

The skin on your facial area gets infected and the result is pimples forming. What happens is that bacteria enters through the pores of your skin. As the skin produces too much oil the bacteria have a nice warm and moist area in which to multiply. If the skin is not being exfoliated regularly, then dead skin cells become trapped and provide nutrition for the bacteria to feed on. As the skin reacts trying to get rid of the bacteria, pimples are formed.

Common Myths About Acne

Many myths surround what causes pimples to form. Foods like chocolate and greasy French fries for example have been blamed for pimples occuring. However, these have no real part in developing pimples at all. What does happen though is that they harm your body's ability to heal the infections. Usually, eating foodstuffs like that does not result in a healthy balanced diet. Without a balanced diet your body's ability to fight infections is diminished.

Pimples can be treated effectively today, and that is the good news. However, you will need to take the steps necessary in order to do so. By making use of medications and a good skin care regimen your problem can be lessened and even cured completely.

The face is where the pimples commonly appear. This of course damages your self esteem. But by dealing with the problem your self esteem will increase as the pimples disappear. Most everyone will have an episode of pimples during their lifetime, with varying severity, and it has nothing at all to do with being unclean or dirty. You just need to aid your skin in dealing with the problem.

By Ben O'Rourke

self esteem : How To Boost Your Self Esteem

2006-08-08T21:21:00.000-07:00

A low self esteem is one of the leading causes of depression and working to boost your self esteem can increase your chances for success and happiness on both a personal and professional level. While many people realize that they need to boost their feeling of self worth it is not always easy to accomplish. However there are several ways you can increase your self esteem. Here are seven ways to boost your self esteem.

Play To Your Strengths

First it is important to determine who you are. What nouns can you use to describe yourself (wife, mother, friend, teacher, etc.)? Also make a list of your strengths, capabilities, and skills. Many times our feeling of self worth are wrapped up in our negative perceptions of ourselves, especially in terms of areas where we feel a lack such as our physical appearance, education, finances, job, etc. However it is important to remember that our weight, our skin, our career, etc. are not who we are. Who we are is inside us and too often we hide the beauty of our generous souls, creative natures, and joyful zest behind walls we have built to protect ourselves. This can cut us off from others but even more dangerous it can cut us off from ourself.

Identify what is unique and special about yourself and regularly reaffirm that you are in fact skilled and knowledgeable in those areas. Find at least one area of your life that is a source of pride and joy in your life. Make sure to give yourself permission to explore that area and experience it as much as possible.

Lay Down Your Burdens

So often we dwell on our weaknesses and worries until they loom larger than life and begin to dominate our thoughts and emotions. Spend a few minutes every day writing down your worries and negative thoughts then close the book and push the negativity to the back of your mind. Concerns that loom so large in your imagination lose their power on paper. Amazingly, after writing them down the anxieties begin to fade.

Be True To Yourself

Too often we experience failure because we let others choose our goals for us whether it is society, our parents, partners, friends, or teachers. Don't set goals based on the expectations of others but rather on what you want to do, what you enjoy doing, and what you dream about doing. Following someone else's dreams rather than our own is setting ourselves up for failure which then leads to lower self esteem. Of course then we are even less likely to pursue our own goals which then leads to a cycle of failure and low self esteem.

Become A Positive Person

Think and speak positively. If you hear a compliment or positive statement about someone you know pass that compliment on to them. An Arabian proverb puts it neatly: Blessed is he who speaks a kindness; thrice blessed he who repeats it. Concentrate on speaking positively of others as well as yourself. The more you concentrate your energy on positive reinforcement for yourself as well as for others the easier it will become to be a positive person with a strong self esteem.

This also means becoming a more friendly person to those people who are a regular part of your life as well as strangers you simply pass at the store or on the street. Smile, nod, comment on the weather or life, and focus on giving others a reason to smile as well. Give yourself and others positive rewards for being and doing well.

Take Risks

Learn something new. Start a new hobby, learn a new skill, take a class, read challenging books, or engage in a new physical challenge or activity. Don’t be afraid of mistakes or failure. Simply stepping outside your comfortable rut is a success and every new skill and every piece of new knowledge gained is a success. Perhaps the final project is not as successful as you hoped but don't overlook the other gains you made from the experience. Risk-taking builds confidence and gives you the courage to experience still more new things. Each new experience can help you learn and grow as a person as well as give you the opportunity for more success. Maybe that quilt didn't turn out as beautiful as you hoped but you did make new friends in the class or found a great way to relieve stress. And perhaps you learned enough from the experience so your next quilt will be beautiful. Always remember trying and failing still puts you ahead of the person who didn't try at all.

Discount the Negative

Too often our negative perceptions of ourselves, whether it is our physical appearance, our financial status, or professional life, is determined by outside influences. It is important to remember that rarely do these negative projections come from an unbiased source so we should give them little credence. For example, if the messenger is popular culture or media, remember their goal is to make you feel bad about yourself so you will buy what they are selling. Similarly, many people (even people who love you) often build themselves up at the expense of others. It can help you improve your self esteem simply by keeping better company. Positive feeds positive and negative breeds negative. If you choose to be around positive people you in turn will become more positive. Don’t accept messages that damage your own self-esteem. It is much easier to improve or change your behavior when you believe you are lovable and capable.

Take Small Steps

A small success can bring big feeling of competence. Small steps lead to more steps. Pat your self on the back every time you make a small success. Every step counts. Take one step at a time in a positive direction, this is the practice of self-esteem.

Using these seven strategies can help you boost your self esteem and help you lead a happier and more successful life.

by Deanna Mascle

self esteem : Why Self Esteem Matters

2006-08-02T20:35:00.000-07:00

A number of years ago I worked for one of the UK’s top IT companies -- a global player. We were meeting to discuss a major bid, and the room was filled with people who didn’t meet often -- the most senior managers from a number of divisions. There were very few middle tier managers in the room, almost exclusively senior managers who were accustomed to being ‘top dog’. The atmosphere in that room was almost tangible. I wanted to bottle the air and analyse it later -- I had never experienced such naked power, and it dawned on me in that moment that we are almost blind to the status signals we transmit.

That meeting was an epiphany, and led to me becoming a hypnotherapist with a particular interest in researching confidence and self esteem. Because what I discovered in that company, and in many companies I have assisted subsequently, was the startling fact that an individual’s self-esteem is a reliable indicator of how far they will progress in the organisation. Some technical geniuses can buck the trend, but they are very rare. For most of us, our ability to influence decision-making is precisely limited by our self esteem.

Why does this matter? It matters because the person with the greatest self esteem is not necessarily the right person to be making the key decisions. We have all suffered foolish bosses. Perhaps we have all wondered how on earth they reached such positions of seniority, given their obvious shortcomings. If you will excuse the bluntness: that incompetent boss is there because you haven’t yet been sufficiently convincing. Your performance is perhaps the least important aspect on which you will be judged; what matters is your status in the group.

Status is a fascinating topic. We communicate our status constantly, primarily through body language and voice tone. This communication is unconscious; it is felt rather than known or consciously controlled. The way in which you behave reflects your self perception of status. This is either accepted or challenged by the people around you. A dominant person (relative to you) will cause you to back off from a challenge. A submissive person (again, relative to your own status) will make it easy for you to project your will. For a fuller discussion of this topic, please visit http://www.confidenceclub.net/content/statusconfidence.php.

And so we come to the nub. We should all seek to develop our self esteem, not because of the personal benefits which will flow from this personal growth -- career enhancement, improved love life etc -- but because we have a duty to ourselves and our communities. Until and unless we step up to the plate, our communities will remain vulnerable to an almost random process of leader selection. So ask yourself: ‘Am I allowing less talented people to make decisions on my behalf?’ If the answer is ‘yes’, then perhaps you should consider stepping up to the plate yourself. The first step in this process is building up your own self confidence and self esteem. Don’t be bashful; there’s nothing selfish about developing your own qualities. A community with a rich selection of potential leaders is, in my view, a secure community.

by Jim Sullivan

self esteem :teenage girls + media = low self-esteem?

2006-08-02T20:32:00.000-07:00

Is it really true that teenage girls + media = low self-esteem?

The issue of media's impact on teenagers has generated a lot of interest in the last decade. Despite contradictory findings, all researchers agree that teenage girls as a group are focused on their looks—especially on what they don’t like about themselves! Marketing departments and ad agencies spend millions each year targeting teenage girls who spend much of their hard-earned dollars (and their parents’ hard-earned dollars!) on looking good. Although the message of “girl power” is prevalent in today's marketing messages, so is the irrefutable idea that “sexy” and “thin” are in!

The dieting industry alone generates 40 billion dollars per year in America. If you believe diets are just for adults, you will be shocked to learn that a Harvard study (Fat Talk, Harvard University Press) published in 2000 revealed that 86% of teenage girls are on a diet or believe they should be on one. Diets are common among both teens and children. According to the National Eating Disorders Association, 51% of 9 and 10-year-old girls actually feel better about themselves when on a diet. As a society, our obsession with thin is relatively new. Most people (especially teens) are shocked to find that sex icon Marilyn Monroe actually wore a size 14!

But pick up a fashion magazine today and you'll find models who are thinner than 98% of all the girls and women in America. Turn on a television and see 'sexy' celebrities such as Shania Twain, Britney Spears and Pamela Anderson baring their flesh. It is these role models who have become the standard of what is in vogue in the twenty-first century.

Do Teenage Girls have Low Self-esteem because of Media?

One of the most fascinating shows on self-image for teens was aired on Discovery Channel’s “Sex Files” program (Episode 12: Girl Power). During the show, they reported on eating disorders on the island of Fiji. In 1995, this tropical paradise had only 3 percent of girls with eating disorders in 1995.

Then western television programs were introduced, including “hits” such as ER, Melrose Place and Xena: Warrior Princess. Three years later, the eating disorders in girls on the island rose to 15%. A surprising follow-up study reported 74% of Fijian girls feeling “too fat or big” and 62% had dieted in the last month—surprising in a culture that typically upholds curvaceous women as beautiful.

Five Ways to Ensure Media Does Not Contribute To Low Self-esteem in Teenage Girls

Fortunately, parents have a huge impact on a teenage girl’s self-esteem—more so than even the media. Thus, there is much we as parents can do to ensure our teenage girls' self-esteem soars! Here are five helpful parenting tips:

1. Encourage and Support Your Daughter’s Achievements and Passions. Focus on what it is that your teenage daughter is good at. If she enjoys math, animals or singing, support her. Acknowledge the presence of pretty girls in the media with, “Obviously outward beauty is one of her gifts. You’ve got many gifts yourself!” Then name these gifts as well as you can.

2. Help your Daughter Get in Touch with Reality. We are bombarded with perfect idealized models of what a woman should look like. But the fact is less than 1% of the girls out there will ever become a super model. Besides, no one can compete with computer airbrushing! Share these facts with your daughter. And please note that if you are complaining about your own “thunder thighs”, this message is going straight to your daughter’s heart. Make a commitment to raise your own self-image. No one, including you, is perfect. It is our imperfections that actually make us human. Having the courage to be imperfect makes our life easier and much more joyful.

3. Focus on a Healthy Lifestyle – The less junk food you keep around the house, the less you and your family will eat it! Do you and your family a favor—stock up on the healthy stuff and refrain from insisting on second helpings. If the scale in your home is a bit of an obsession, consider tossing it out. Instead focus on how well and how healthy each of you feels instead.

4. Contribute to Others – Our preoccupation with our own weight can be positively transformed when we start focusing on others. Volunteerism boosts self-esteem. Volunteer as a family, bring a smile to others, and you'll all be reminded of how truly fortunate you are.

5. Encourage Dad to Pay Attention in a Positive Way – Help Dad understand how detrimental well intentioned teasing about weight or looks can be. Encourage him to spend time with his daughter focusing on all the things that she is great at.

It is sad that many teenage girls and women believe that they need to be someone other than who they truly are. It is time to come clean for ourselves, for the race of woman and for our children, by beginning to love the person we are—flaws and all. Embracing our imperfection gives us the opportunity to see all the awesome things about ourselves: to acknowledge that we do have nice eyes, nice breasts, nice legs, nice whatever! And as we stop hiding our flaws, suddenly our psychological zits will become the beauty marks that make us stand out from the crowd.

by Kelly Nault

self esteem : Rich Jerk, Poor Jerk

2006-07-31T01:09:00.000-07:00

My apologies to Robert Kiyosaki, author of "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" for my variance on the title of his book. Rich Dad, Poor Dad offers a lot of information to readers about how one should go about setting up a wealth base.

Recently there has been a lot of negative marketing designed to abuse people by making them feel inadequate. Comments such as "I'm rich and you're not" and "I just bought two cars and a yacht, did you?" and the classic "I'm better than you" are all designed to get attention. In my opinion, that sounds like the sort of thing you might hear in a kindergarten playground.

Since when has having lots of money been the determining factor of being superior? Saddam Hussein had lots of money, so did Adolf Hitler. Idi Amin had a big Swiss bank account. Lots of disgusting people have plenty of money.

If the so-called self proclaimed "Rich Jerk" is so superior why does he have to stoop to this sort of marketing to make a quick buck?

I'll tell you why - because it's getting harder and harder to be unique and stand out from the crowd. As soon as somebody gets a new idea everybody else wants to copy it. Well I sure do hope the imitators stay away from this gimmick.

Predictably, the affiliate marketing brigade is already climbing all over it like the Ebola virus in their quest to get a piece of the action. Some of them even "cluck, cluck" over the tactics then sprout something like how wonderful the content is. Really!

I first saw this technique, dubbed "anti-marketing," a few months ago when I visited a well-known marketer's web page. This guy's name is very recognizable. He was well respected - once. But I fear he is going down a path of self-destruction by doing what he is doing.

His website, a thoroughly boring looking thing, contained several dozen envelopes that you had to click on to read the letters inside. After reading several of these so-called "sales letters" I just clicked away from the site, disgusted. Each letter was crammed with rude, abusive, offensive, obnoxious slurs. If this is where the latest marketing trend is headed then there will be a lot of people who will simply not put up with it.

Shock tactics like this will not last. They might have a short time in the sun but the amusement value will soon wane. You cannot treat people in such a derisory manner and expect to stay on top of the game. Reputations will be lost over this. I guess that's why some people who are doing it hide behind pseudonyms. But hey, this is the internet - word soon gets out about true identities.

The sooner this fad dies an early death the better. I'm reminded of a saying by Lobsang Rampa: "I'd rather be a small shrimp in the sea of faith than a dead whale on the beach."

Next time you see marketing containing these negative hallmarks do yourself a favor. Do what I do, click away.

This article comes with reprint rights providing no changes are made and the resource box below accompanies it.

About the author: Gary Simpson is the author of eight books covering a diverse range of subjects such as self esteem, affirmations, self defense, finance and much more. His articles appear all over the web. Gary's email address is budo@iinet.net.au. Click here to go to his Motivation & Self Esteem for Success website where you can receive his "Zenspirational Thoughts" plus an immediate FREE copy of his highly acclaimed, life-changing e-book "The Power of Choice."

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gary_Simpson

self esteem : Steps to Happiness

2006-07-31T01:05:00.000-07:00

Although there are people who are chemically depressed, which means that they are depressed for no reason, happiness is a choice for most of us. Happiness is gained by doing, not by thinking. When you begin to think whether you’re happy or not, you are no longer happy. You are happy only as long as you don’t think, just do, and eventually you’ll be happy. Below are seven steps or keys to happiness.

Remember, in order for any of these techniques to work you must actually be bold and try to do them. Again, they will not work through intellectualization because once you begin to intellectualize whether you’re happy or not, you are no longer happy for you lost that elusive moment of happiness which you may have had. So work hard at these steps, practice them all at once, practice them one at a time if you want to, but be bold, and practice them – to transform your life.

1. Smile

Smile right now. No matter what you’re doing, or what you’ve been through today, you feel a lot better now because you smiled. Smiling is a huge turn-on to people, it makes you and others feel good. However, that’s not all, smiling projects an aura of self-confidence. It tells people, “I’m in charge of myself and therefore I want to make you feel better. If you want people to come to you, project a healthy smile at all times. Even when you’re sad, fake it. Your brain can’t tell the difference between a fake smile and a real smile, you will become happier automatically when you smile.

2. Be bold.

Always remember Goethe’s quote, “boldness has genius, power and magic in it.” When you are bold and go after what you want with reckless abandonment, magical forces come together to create a series of “coincidences” to make your dreams become a reality. If you aren’t bold, then there’s no hope for you – you won’t reach your hopes and dreams. Be bold at all times and you will eventually reach your hopes and dreams.

3. Exercise

Exercising releases endorphins which make you happy. Any type of exercise is fine, treadmill, weights, dancing, etc. Just as long as you do it and enjoy it. Then be bold, a bit more magic will begin to occur, as happiness will mysteriously strike your life. Of course, you know that they are not coincidences that you had to perform the “magical tricks,” or boldness to make these coincidences become a reality in your life.

4. Be in the present moment

As far as you’re concerned, only the present moment exists, as it’s the only moment you can do anything about. Yesterday and tomorrow are out of your control at the present time. Only today can be changed, so it’s the only thing that matters. When you concentrate on yesterday or tomorrow, you stifle your ability to take advantage of the present moment which you can change. Moreover, the present moment has magic in it, as well.

5. Have confidence

You now know that smiling portrays a feeling of self-confidence. However, there are also other factors that show that you’re confident. Any positive interaction you can have with people portrays confidence. This means doing things that make the other person feel comfortable. This includes smiling as mentioned earlier, but it also includes making eye contact, and nodding your head when somebody is talking to you.

Any positive interaction you can have with a person raises your self-esteem and your confidence level, as well. It shows you that you can interact with people and get the most out of conversations. Confidence is also gained by all the steps covered here: being in the present moment, exercising, being bold, etc. Happiness is a domino effect, if you’re happy (perhaps by making yourself feel happy through smiling), other people will see that you’re happy and will want to join in on your party.

If you let them join your party, you will become even happier. When you’re confident, no matter how much nonsense you may say, people will still listen to you a lot more than if you were to say something profound but you were to say it with a lack of confidence. In summary, confidence gives you power over yourself, and having power over yourself brings you happiness.

6. Have a positive attitude

Your outside is a reflection of your inside. If you are positive on the inside, your outside will appear as a positive world. If you are negative on the inside, the outside will seem gloomy. The point of all of this is that you should work on the inside, your attitude, and eventually your outside will seem bright. Your attitude determines your altitude. You can only go as high as determined by how positive your attitude is. If you have a positive expectancy inside that things are going to go well for you, good fortune will soon come to you. If the opposite is true, you have a negative expectancy, then negative events will keep reoccurring in your life.

7. Don’t take things personally

There is only one perfect way to deal with people who tease you or put you down: do absolutely nothing. If you take it personally, and get aggressive, then they will find more ways to put you down, and you will become very unhappy. You try to punch them, and you sink down to their level. However, if you don’t take things personally, instead, be quiet and let them speak their “nonsense,” they will soon become baffled. They will look and feel dumb as they will have nothing more to say (that anyone will hear) and eventually they will have to shut up. It’s like a class clown who eventually shuts up when nobody is laughing. Doing this avoids conflict and solves the whole problem without any effort being expended on your part and plenty of energy being expended on theirs. Understand that they themselves must have low self-esteem if they feel that they have to put somebody down in order to make themselves feel better. If you feel bad, and retaliate, then you are showing them that you have low self-esteem yourself, again, but it bears repeating, you will sink down to their level. For if your self-esteem is high and you’re happy, you won’t care what anybody else says because you will be happy no matter what. Always remember Abraham Lincoln’s quote, “people are only as happy as they make up their minds up to be.”

By Pablo Golub

self esteem : Free Tips To Increase Self-Esteem

2006-07-29T00:41:00.000-07:00

I have had many confidence issues in my life, all of which I have either dealt with or overcome. I have written about some of these issues below.

1. The Bald Patch

2. My height

3. My weight

4. The stutter

5. My lack of belief in myself

6. My career

THE BALD PATCH

Even though to some people it may seem trivial, I was born with a bald patch the size of a ten pence piece. As I went through childhood and especially the teenage years I became more and more self-conscious and paranoid about it.

It was especially noticeable when it rained or when I went swimming as my hair would become wet. People at school would ridicule me and I was forever trying to hide and cover the bald patch even though most people knew about it.

It hurt when people laughed at me and eventually I stopped going swimming altogether.

MY HEIGHT

Out of all of my close male family and friends, I am the shortest at 5ft 4. This probably should not influence my confidence however with people continually looking down on me it did. I have been called many names, the nicest being “Shorty”.

I was always jealous of other people taller than I was. I hoped that one day I might have a late spurt. This never came.

My height affected me with sport. I wanted to be a striker at football however the coaches only wanted people over 6ft tall. At snooker I am constantly have to use the rest which makes it difficult to play up to the best standard and at tennis I was constantly being lobbed. It also meant that I only felt comfortable dating women 5ft 3 and under which reduces the available market considerably.

MY WEIGHT

During senior school I was very thin. This may have been the result of my parents turning vegetarian when I was twelve. At the time there were very few replacement foods and it seemed as though we went from having meat and two veg to just two veg.

As my parents cooked the food I had little option but to also turn vegetarian. After a few weeks I approached them and told them that I missed and wanted to eat meat. They were understanding to a degree and said:

“If you want it, you cook it”

At this age I could only really be bothered to cook properly a few days of the week and that gradually became less and less.

People at school would call me names like skin and bone and my weight became another area of paranoia for me.

THE STUTTER

At the age of four I developed a stutter. This became gradually worse as I became older even though my parents were told that I would grow out of it.

For what fluent people would class as simple tasks like reading from a book at school, answering questions, saying my name and address, ordering items at the bar or in a restaurant, and speaking on the telephone became a constant battle.

It was a very frustrating impediment, as I seemed to be able to talk quite fluently to people I knew well and whom I felt comfortable with, but at other times especially under any form of pressure could not say a word.

At the age of twenty two after about eleven months of sheer hard work and practice I managed to overcome the stutter and I now help other people who stutter to achieve fluency as well as helping people with confidence problems.

MY LACK OF BELIEF

I always had a lack of belief in certain areas.

I would notice a female in a bar for example and would want to go over and talk to her but would have the negative attitude of I’m not good enough, why would she be interested in me? I stutter, I have a bald patch, I have a menial job and I am very thin.

Even if I approach her and am successful, I would then be expected to buy her a drink, possibly phone her, possibly meet her parents, and maybe even get married! The thought of attempting these things with a stutter and with a lack of social confidence was far too daunting for me.

I left school at sixteen mainly due to a lack of confidence and the stutter, but then had the problem of finding a job. Again my lack of belief came shining through. Who would want to employ somebody with a stutter, who has a lack of confidence and who is shy around people?

MY CAREER

After leaving school at the age of sixteen I now had to find employment. Suffering with a stutter and a general lack of confidence meant that work involving the phone or regular interaction with other people were not really an option.

I decided that I could probably cope with filing duties in an office and eventually gained a position at an insurance company.

I started at the lowest grade, a grade two and the work was routine and mundane. The average time to stay at this level before being promoted was six months. The grade three post involved sharing a phone and this is something I found very difficult to use.

To become upgraded you had to apply in writing to the personal officer and then if you passed the interview were then promoted. My attitude was that if I don’t apply I would stay as a grade two, which is what I wanted. I was probably the only person in the country who did not want to be promoted.

My boss would ask me at regular intervals why I was not applying and I would make up an excuse. To keep him happy I took the insurance exams. After three years I had completed the first qualification which was a set of five exams. To my horror my boss congratulated me by stating that he was upgrading me to a grade three starting Monday without the need of an interview.

This promotion should in effect have given me a confidence boost however with my stutter out of control under the pressure and some of my colleagues mocking me I became more and more withdrawn and depressed.

I would be invited to social events and would make up excuses of why I could not go as I had a lack of belief that I could cope with the occasion and all the socialising involved.
self esteem
Stephen Hill now helps people to increase their confidence. He has a website at http://www.gain-confidence.co.uk.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Hill

self esteem : 10 Tips to Improve Your Self Esteem

2006-07-29T00:35:00.000-07:00

self esteem : How Can You Build Your Child's Self Esteem?

2006-07-27T00:04:00.000-07:00

As parents we know that building our child's sense of self esteem is important. Child development specialists tell us. However knowing it is important is not the same as knowing how to give your child a strong sense of self worth. There is no simple strategy but there are several effective techniques parents can use to help boost self esteem in their child.

Let Them Know Their Value

The most important strategy is to show and tell your child how much you value him and appreciate him. Spend time with him, talk to him and really listen to what he has to say, and appreciate the things that interest him.

Empower Them To Make Decisions

You should also teach your child about decision-making and to recognize when she has made a good decision. Children make decisions all the time but often are not aware that they are doing so. There are a number of ways parents can help children improve their ability to consciously make wise decisions. Start first by giving children the ability to make decisions, for example about what to wear for the day, and then live with the consequences, such as being too hot in a long sleeve shirt on the beach. Then gradually expand the scope of their decisions and discuss the problems and solutions involved to help the child evaluate the decisions they make.

Make Them Responsible For Their Emotions

Let children know they create and are responsible for any feeling they experience. Likewise, they are not responsible for others' feelings. Avoid blaming children for how you feel. Model appropriate ways to respond to their emotions.

Help Them Find Their Niche

Encourage your child to develop hobbies and interests which give him pleasure and which he can pursue independently. These can help him develop various skills which may help build confidence as well as provide comfort and distraction in difficult times. Also these may well provide common ground to further social interaction with others.

Let Them Work It Out With Peers

Children must learn to work out disputes with siblings, friends, and classmates without adult intervention. As they grow older they won't always be under direct adult supervision, but also learning to work through social challenges can help build confidence and self esteem. Another important social tool is the ability to cope with teasing. Help your child develop "tease tolerance" by pointing out that some teasing can't hurt and exploring the reasons why some kids tease.

Show Them Their Strengths

When your child succeeds at something reinforce that success by pointing out how far he has come by not giving up. When your child fails point out the other success he has enjoyed, especially those that were accomplished after a failure.

Teach Them To Laugh

Laugh with your children and encourage them to laugh at themselves. People who take themselves very seriously are undoubtedly decreasing their enjoyment in life. A good sense of humor and the ability to make light of life are important ingredients for increasing one's overall enjoyment. Laughter is a great stress reliever and a good way to make friends. Laughing at your mistakes and at life's challenges help teach children to put trouble in perspective and cope with challenges.

Using these seven strategies can help build your child's self esteem and help them lead a happier and more successful life.

Deanna Mascle shares more parenting tips with her blog Official Family Information at http://OfficialFamily.info

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Deanna_Mascle

self esteem : Success and Self-Esteem

2006-07-26T23:58:00.000-07:00

"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded."
Ralph Waldo Emerson.

It seems that for most of us the word “success” is only for other people. We usually find ourselves looking outside and thinking: “Wow, if I only had his or her talent”, or “he or she is really lucky…” or “If I have only had the opportunity.” and so on.

We find ourselves questioning all the time why other people have success while we do not have it. Is that because they are lucky, more intelligent than us or better? Absolutely not, that is not the reason.

Only when we decide to start look inside ourselves, instead of looking at other people’s life, we will finally find out that we are successful. Success is an internal sense, is a feeling of satisfaction and peace, and is to be comfortable about us.

For many years I thought that success was for other people but not for me, and also that was a matter of having a lot of money, be famous, have a perfect body and so on. (This could be the meaning of success for many people and I respect it, and I even support it as far as one can be comfortable with oneself and can enjoy from inside out to have a lot of many, or to be famous, etc.). But because I was not aware of this, what I did most of the time was to copy other people, trying to dress like them, acting like them struggling to get the main goal: “I want to be a successful person”. But at the end of the day, I got really tired of doing that and really frustrated because there was no satisfaction inside of me. I felt really empty, like living in a superficial world, and spending too much time trying to be loved by everyone and trying to please them.

Finally I realized that success was a feeling from inside out. And it was a big surprise to find out that I was a really successful person. I discovered that I have done a lot of things that made me felt happy and in peace, and this awareness helped me to discover that the main meaning of success was to be comfortable with myself.

Success is also to accomplish your goals, sometimes it could happen that you have promised yourself to reach a goal and you failed. To fail is not important, what really matters here is your awareness that comes from inside out that you made the best you could to get there, and of course if you did not get there, you learned a valuable lesson.

We cannot measure ourselves from what other people think, because everybody thinks different and the meaning of success for me, may be different for another people. Success is to be simple and honest, to be in peace with yourself. Success is to trust you; is a great challenge. Everything you do or you try to do is important, may be, is not important for other people, but the main point here is to be honest with yourself and respect yourself. In order to accomplish this, you have to really believe in yourself first, knowing that your life is important.

“ Success it is simply a matter of doing what you do best and not worrying about what the other fellow is going to do.” John R. Amos
self esteem
(c) 2006 Carla Valencia. All rights reserved.
http://www.selfesteemawareness.com
http://eftfree.blogspot.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carla_Valencia

self esteem : Strengthen Your Child's Self-Esteem

2006-07-24T23:34:00.000-07:00

Most parents want their children to have a healthy sense of self-esteem and many believe that low self-esteem lies at the bottom of many of society's problems.

Even though self-esteem has been studied for decades, its precise nature and development is still subject to debate. However, child development experts generally agree that parents and other adults who are important to children play a major role in laying a solid foundation for a child's self esteem development.

When parents and teachers of young children talk about the need for good self-esteem, they usually mean that children should feel good about themselves. With young children, self-esteem refers to the extent to which they expect to be accepted and valued by the adults and peers who are important to them.

Self esteem is so important in young children because it is a self fulfilling prophecy. The more confident children feel about their social, physical and intellectual success then the more likely they will succeed. Conversely, the less confident children feel then the more likely they will fail.

Children with a healthy sense of self-esteem feel that the important adults in their lives accept and care about them. They feel that those adults would be upset if anything happened to them and would miss them if they were separated. Children with low self-esteem, on the other hand, feel that the important adults and peers in their lives do not accept or care about them very much.

During their early years, young children's self-esteem is based largely on their perceptions of how the important adults in their lives judge them. The foundations of self-esteem are laid early in life when infants develop attachments with the adults who are responsible for them. When adults readily respond to their cries and smiles, babies learn to feel loved and valued. Children come to feel loved and accepted by being loved and accepted by people they look up to. As young children learn to trust their parents and others who care for them to satisfy their basic needs, they gradually feel wanted, valued, and loved.

Self-esteem is also related to children's feelings of belonging to a group and being able to adequately function in their group. When toddlers become preschoolers, for example, they are expected to control their impulses and adopt the rules of the family and community in which they are growing. Successfully adjusting to these groups helps to strengthen feelings of belonging to them.

Young children are unlikely to have their self-esteem strengthened from excessive praise or flattery. On the contrary, it may raise some doubts in children; many children can see through flattery and may even dismiss an adult who heaps on praise as a poor source of support--one who is not very believable.

As they grow, children become increasingly sensitive to the evaluations of their peers. When children develop stronger ties with their peers in school or around the neighborhood, they may begin to evaluate themselves differently from the way they were taught at home. You can help your child by being clear about your own values and keeping the lines of communication open about experiences outside the home. You can also help by teaching your child to socialize well with other children and encouraging interaction with children with similar family values.

Children do not acquire self-esteem at once nor do they always feel good about themselves in every situation. A child may feel self-confident and accepted at home but not around the neighborhood or in a preschool class. Furthermore, as children interact with their peers or learn to function in school or some other place, they may feel accepted and liked one moment and feel different the next. You can help in these instances by reassuring your child that you support and accept him or her even when others do not.

Self-esteem is most likely to be fostered when children are esteemed by the adults who are important to them. To esteem children means to treat them respectfully, ask their views and opinions, take their views and opinions seriously, and give them meaningful and realistic feedback.

A child's sense of self-worth is more likely to deepen when adults respond to the child's interests and efforts with appreciation or interest rather than just praise. Respond positively by taking their interests seriously with appropriate encouragement, for example, reading a book about dinosaurs or studying worms in the garden.

Young children are more likely to benefit from tasks and activities that offer a real challenge than from those that are merely frivolous or fun. Young children can be given appropriate responsibilities and tasks that make them a part of the community or family.

You can help your child develop and maintain healthy self-esteem by helping him cope with defeat as well as success. In the moment of failure remind your child that you still love and support him. Later, when the initial emotional response has passed talk with your child about the situation. Sometimes, it is important to point out that most people are not good at everything they try. Or perhaps there is a lesson to be learned from a mistake or lack of preparation. Teaching children to work past the small disappointments and troubles of childhood can help them handle the greater challenges life will throw in their path.

As a parent you play a primary role in the development of your child's sense of self worth and that sense of self will play a crucial role in your child's future success. Showing your child that you value and care for her and helping her learn to value herself can go a long way to building that important sense of self esteem.

Deanna Mascle shares more parenting tips with her blog Official Family Information at http://OfficialFamily.info

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Deanna_Mascle

self esteem : How Is Your Self-Esteem?

2006-07-24T23:30:00.000-07:00

The development of a positive self-concept, or healthy self-esteem, plays a major role in life success and happiness.

Self-esteem is quite simply how we feel about ourselves and our behavior clearly reflects those feelings. The way we talk about ourselves is very important in everything we do. What we think determines how we feel and how we feel determines how we behave.

A strong positive self-concept allows individuals to open themselves to new opportunities and challenges both personally and professionally. People who lack self-esteem are less willing to move from their safety zone and so miss opportunities in life, love, and success.

We can often place the blame for low self-esteem on people in our past such as our parents, teachers, or other important people. However once we reach adulthood then we need to take responsibility for our own self-concept.

In many ways self-esteem is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Those with a positive self-image will constantly reinforce that image with new successes while those with a negative self-image will find new failures to reinforce that image. If your self-esteem needs bolstering then you must find ways to to bolster it.

One way to boost your self-concept is through self-talk. Psychologists have found that negative self-talk is behind depression and anxiety. It is important to emphasize to ourselves both positive self-statements and mental pictures. Do this several times every day until it becomes a habit and you do not need to force yourself to imagine a positive self-concept but instead allow it to become a reality.

A second important step is to decide what you can and cannot control. Change and act on the things that are in your control and release the things that are out of your control. You can control your eating and exercise habits but you cannot change your body type. You can control your personal hygiene and appearance but you cannot control whether others find you attractive. You can control how you feel about yourself but you cannot control how others feel about you.

Third, set up a competition you can win. This means only compete to improve yourself not to beat someone else. Constantly setting meaningful, achievable goals for yourself allows you to keep improving yourself and can also build your self-esteem by reinforcing your achievements.

Fourth, become a positive person. When you ponder a decision or change in your life then think of everything that could go right. Emphasize the positives even when something unexpected occurs. Recognize that mistakes are opportunities to try again. Keep the setback in perspective. Most mistakes are not personal tragedies but rather problems you now have the opportunity to solve. Success is often the tail of a string of failed attempts to get it right.

Finally, accept responsibility for yourself. Finding self-confidence requires accepting responsibility for your own happiness and recognizing that you are a product not only of your genetic code and your environment, but of the choices you make. Release the blame for your past and do not dwell on the others who may have contributed to your low self-esteem. That was yesterday. You and you alone are responsible for the person you will be today and tomorrow.

Building your self-esteem is crucial to your success and happiness. If you follow these five steps then you should be able to give your self-esteem a boost.

Deanna Mascle shares more words of inspiration in her blog Best Inspiration at http://BestInspirationOnline.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Deanna_Mascle

self esteem : ARTICLE ABOUT SELF ESTEEM

2006-07-18T22:19:00.000-07:00

A reader from the Middle East wrote to me recently asking how he could improve his low self-image. He said, "it ruins my social and professional life." He wanted to know what techniques he could employ to solve this lifelong problem.

I felt somewhat inadequate in my reply to him and resolved to write about my own struggles to improve self-esteem in hopes that it will be helpful to others.

The dictionary says that esteem means, "to regard with respect; to prize, to appreciate. To recognize the quality, significance, or magnitude of, to admire greatly; to value."

I know people who have too much confidence and self-pride, but I don't know ANYONE with too much self-esteem. Most people, in moments of profound honesty, will admit to a lack of self-esteem. They would like to feel better about themselves--more confident and capable--in short, to love themselves more.

It would probably be fair to say that most social problems are the result--directly or indirectly--of someone's low self-concept.

Not too many years ago, I was going through a dark time in my life. I was broke--financially, personally, socially--even spiritually. In describing it to someone once, I said, "I had the self-esteem of a dead rat." That might have been overstating it a bit but not much.

My life--and my confidence--is much better today. MUCH better.

So what changed? Was it outward circumstances? Did my environment change and with it my inner experience? No.

Somehow I knew that any changes would have to be from me. It would be an inner transformation that would eventually alter the outward experience.

Some of the things I did unconsciously. Others were done with deliberation.

First and foremost, I removed myself from people who had been particularly critical. By distancing myself from this criticism, I was able to gain a better perspective. I was perfectly capable of taking my own inventory and didn't need someone else pointing out my errors and keeping me focused on my shortcomings. Here are a few other tips for improving your self confidence - click here

I immersed myself in good books--books of inspiration, books that increased my belief and books that gave me hope. And hope was severely lacking. Check out books I recommend

A good therapist helped me to see myself in a better light. Because he wasn't emotionally involved in my problems, he was able to see things differently. He would often point out that things weren't nearly as bad as they appeared to be.

I made a conscious attempt to focus on my strengths: my talents, my experience and my knowledge. I didn't allow myself to indulge in negative thoughts. When I found myself musing about something less than "uplifting", I would redirect myself to something else. I gave myself no permission to have "pity parties."

I took to heart Thomas Carlyle's advice when he wrote, "Our main business is not to see what lies dimly at a distance, but to do what clearly lies at hand." I kept busy. I did what appeared to me as needing doing. I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do or how I was going to do it. The future was uncertain and for the first time in my life I didn't have a plan. Like the AA program, I took one day at a time.

And each day I did what I could to clean up my messes, make things better, keep my focus forward instead of backward and keep the faith.

It was my faith in Universal Spirit that helped me get through this winter of discontent. I believe that everyone has a unique purpose and I was determined to discover my own. God doesn't make junk.

One of the biggest awareness' I had during these dark times was that I WAS NOT my feelings. I HAD feelings, but they were not me. I also realized that I had cared too much about the opinions of others. I still care; I just don't let it run me like it used to.

Some people believe that if you feel good about yourself, you'll do great things. That may be true, but I also believe that if you do great things, you'll feel good about yourself--and then do even greater things.

Taking these steps consistently over a period of years has enabled me to rebuild my finances, establish a career I'm excited about, develop a loving and committed marriage and, most importantly, restore and improve upon my self esteem. I'm grateful for the process.

Self-esteem is an upward or downward spiral. What you do affects the way you feel. How you feel affects the things you do. The things you do affect what you and others think of you, which in turn, affects how you feel about yourself.

You're either building yourself up or tearing yourself down. There is no status quo when it comes to your self-image.

by Michael Angier.

self esteem : The Enamel of Success

2006-07-18T22:14:00.000-07:00

We all experience pride in ourselves when we earn a good grade on an exam or reach a personal goal. In fact, the ability to take pleasure in our achievements is a big reason why we continue to pursue our dreams and take risks. This pride and pleasure we experience is called self-esteem and it is very important to reaching our career goals.

The definition of self-esteem is basically when you have confidence and satisfaction in your own skills and abilities, and it is usually achieved through experiences of personal success. Self-esteem helps you to cope with difficult challenges when they arise and gives you the faith to overcome them.

Self-esteem is critical to your career success. You need lots of it at all stages of your career - whether it's for a job search, as a new employee, working with others, or dealing with stress and deadlines. If you're like most people, you may wonder if you've got enough self-esteem to reach your career goals.
Fortunately, there are steps that you can take to build and strengthen your self-worth.

To begin with, create a plan where you can get daily exercise and eat a balanced diet of healthy foods. Maintaining care and respect for your body also has benefits for your mind and promotes healthy thoughts about your self-worth.

Remember to engage in activities that are fun and meaningful to you. Participate regularly in a hobby that you enjoy or perhaps volunteer at an animal shelter if you're fond of furry creatures. Nurturing your interests is a great way to remind yourself of what's important to you.

Reward yourself for your achievements by celebrating with friends, getting a massage, or offering a kind word of praise to yourself. Every time you recognize a success, you are building a stronger trust and support system within yourself.

Create a list of successes that you can refer to in times of self-doubt. This is a wonderful way to stay in touch with your inner strength and reinforce your ability to overcome obstacles.

Lastly, forgive yourself when things don't quite turn out like you expected; being critical of your efforts only serves to chip away at self-esteem. Release any feelings of guilt or shame to make room for poise and confidence.

Using these steps to build and strengthen your self-esteem takes practice and dedication, but the results are well worth your efforts. Your self-esteem is your most valuable asset in reaching your goal of a rewarding career in the dental field - so fixodent and forget it!

by Cathy Warschaw

self esteem : Improving Self-Esteem With A Little TLC

2006-07-13T06:36:00.000-07:00

It is so important to take time to do nice things for ourselves.
Especially for those of us who spend much of our time helping and caring for others, it is too easy to neglect ourselves and become worn out, stressed out and run down.

Self-pampering is not about being selfish. It's about taking proper care of yourself and treating yourself as kindly as you treat others. We spend so much time and effort caring for our spouses, children, pets, friends, family members, employers and employees. Add to that numerous volunteer activities, errands, housework, family functions, meetings, etc. - and there isn't much time left for caring for ourselves.

We need to make caring for ourselves a priority, otherwise we will continue to put it off. Set an appointment with yourself every day, or at least once a week. Block the time out in your calendar and do not let anything interfere. As much as you do for others, you deserve this time for yourself. It doesn't have to be a huge amount of time, even an hour or two will do.

You might have a hard time with this in the beginning. You might feel guilty or selfish. You might say you can't fit it into your schedule. You might say you have too many other obligations. If your schedule is that full every day, then it is even more crucial to carve out some time for yourself. You may need to sacrifice something else to fit this time in. You may need to rearrange some things in your schedule. Aren't you worth the effort of trying to fit this in? It's a matter of believing that you deserve to be cared for just as much as everyone else in your life does. It might take some practice for you to fully believe that, and act on it.

In order to make time for yourself, you may need to say "no" to various extra obligations in your life. So many of us take on responsibilities that aren't even ours. We have various reasons for doing this, such as wanting to be liked, not wanting to let others down, wanting to help lighten the load for someone else, or simply because we don't know how to say "NO". However, this "pleaser" mentality can get us into big trouble as we take on more and more responsibility, and end up with less and less time for ourselves.

People will take advantage of us if we let them. They may not realize they are taking advantage, and they may not mean to take advantage. They might not even realize that we don't want to do what they ask of us. After all, if we've never said "no", how would they know? It took me years to learn how to say "no".
Finally I realized that it's as simple as saying, "I'm sorry, I'd love to help you out but I just can't right now." That simple. The first few times I did this, I expected the Heavens to crash down upon me. Instead, the other person said, "okay, no problem" and they asked someone else. Who knew it could be that easy?

Now, if you have people in your life that have become fully dependent on you doing everything for them, you might face a bit more opposition than that. You may have a fight on your hands in order to make time for yourself. In the end, you may need to decide which is more important: 1) pleasing everyone else in your life, or 2) putting caring for yourself as your highest priority. You will need to decide if you are worth the fight, or not. I believe you are.

Be kind and gentle with yourself. If you don't make the time to care for yourself, who else is going to? Look within your heart and see the bright, shining light of God there. That light needs to be nurtured and cared for, or it will begin to dim . . . and eventually die out altogether. And what a shame that would be.

Here are some self-pampering ideas to get you started:

Take a bubble bath by candle light. Spend time in Nature. Get a manicure or pedicure. Have a massage. Listen to soothing music or nature sounds. Send yourself flowers. Treat yourself to lunch or dinner at a nice restaurant. Go window shopping. Relax with a cup of calming chamomile tea. Write your hopes, dreams and wishes in a journal. Watch a comedy or read something funny. Go for a quiet stroll in the evening, or early morning. Buy yourself something new. Get a new hairdo. Visit a spa and have a facial. See a new movie. Dance. Take a nap. Go to an outdoor cafe and watch the world go by as you sip a latte, cappuccino, espresso or flavored coffee. Curl up with a good book. Write a love letter to yourself and mail it. Take dance lessons. Learn a new language. Take pottery classes, or quilting classes, or learn how to make yourself some beautiful jewelry. Say this to yourself every morning and every evening: "I am a beautiful person and I deserve to be treated kindly. I am loved, and I love myself."

Author: Wendy Betterini

self esteem : Moods , Happiness and Self Esteem

2006-07-13T06:31:00.000-07:00

A mood swing is a very important factor in decision-making and daily living.

Your state of mind is determined by your moods. In a positive state you are happy and enjoy the moment. Negative moods lead to misguided decisions, unhappiness and low self esteem.

Negative thoughts only have power if you allow them to.

They are natural

Don't make a mistake I've made, don't try to control your thinking, control your reaction to thoughts.

Feeling low you are under pressure and time is running short, you panic. Everything looks serious.

If you find yourself thinking like this, remember when everything seemed OK - Your life has not suddenly changed your attitude has.

A mood can change your attitude and influence decision-making decide when you are feeling good.

Emotions:

Moods dictate how you see and react with the world. They colour your perceptions and emotions warn you whether you are in a high mood and open to positive influence or whether you are in a low mood and thinking in your habitual way.

Want to improve your self confidence, self esteem and attitude?

If you want to turn your negative thoughts into positive ones and open the door to your potential this free self confidence course is for you! This highly recommended course will be emailed to you, just click here for more.....

Free Self Confidence Course - click now!

The Present:

What's wrong with thinking of the past?

If you feel unhappy think where is your mind? I guarantee you will be in the past or thinking about the future.

Does a child think about yesterday or tomorrow?

How many opportunities have you missed by worrying what will happen in the future or by what happened in the past? Stop worrying and allow yourself to feel joy. visit personal mental health for more

http://www.more-selfesteem.com/moods.htm

self esteem : What is Self Esteem ?

2006-07-11T11:00:00.000-07:00

Self esteem is the opinion you have of yourself. It is based on your attitude to the following:

Your value as a person
The job you do
Your achievements
How you think others see you
Your purpose in life
Your place in the world
Your potential for success
Your strengths and weaknesses
Your social status and how you relate to others
Your independence or ability to stand on your own feet
I think this sums it up but you may be able to add a few other important factors I have not included here.

What is Low Self Esteem?

Low self esteem results from you having a poor self image caused by your attitude to one or more of the above. Example: you do not value the job you do highly or you feel you have no purpose in your life.

Want to increase your confidence? Read my review of a free confidence course I found really helpful

What is High Self Esteem?

High self esteem is the opposite! It is a very important aspect of your life. If you have a high level you will be confident, happy and sure of yourself. You would be highly motivated and have the right attitude to succeed.

Self esteem is therefore crucial to you and is a cornerstone of a positive attitude towards living.

Try this amazing self hypnosis download - Building your self esteem

CNN INTERVIEW WITH ROBERT WAGNER:

"What is the most important thing for a person starting out on the road to success?"

"I would tell them the most important thing is to work on your self esteem, that's the best advice I can give"

Self esteem is the opinion you have of yourself. It is based on your attitude to the following:

Your value as a person
The job you do
Your achievements
How you think others see you
Your purpose in life
Your place in the world
Your potential for success
Your strengths and weaknesses
Your social status and how you relate to others
Your independence or ability to stand on your own feet
I think this sums it up but you may be able to add a few other important factors I have not included here.

What is Low Self Esteem?

Low self esteem results from you having a poor self image caused by your attitude to one or more of the above. Example: you do not value the job you do highly or you feel you have no purpose in your life.

Want to increase your confidence? Read my review of a free confidence course I found really helpful

What is High Self Esteem?

High self esteem is the opposite! It is a very important aspect of your life. If you have a high level you will be confident, happy and sure of yourself. You would be highly motivated and have the right attitude to succeed.

Self esteem is therefore crucial to you and is a cornerstone of a positive attitude towards living.

Try this amazing self hypnosis download - Building your self esteem

CNN INTERVIEW WITH ROBERT WAGNER:

"What is the most important thing for a person starting out on the road to success?"

"I would tell them the most important thing is to work on your self esteem, that's the best advice I can give"

http://www.more-selfesteem.com/whatisselfesteem.htm

self esteem : Self Esteem is the Key

2006-07-11T10:52:00.000-07:00

Self esteem is related to your self worth and your value. Building self esteem is a first step towards your happiness and a better life.

Self esteem increases your confidence. If you have confidence you will respect yourself. If you respect yourself you can respect others, improve your relationships, your achievements and your happiness....

Low self esteem causes depression, unhappiness, insecurity and poor confidence. Other's desires may take preference over yours. Inner criticism, that nagging voice of disapproval inside you, causes you to stumble at every challenge and challenges seem impossible.

How to improve your esteem and confidence

Want to increase your self confidence at work, enjoy presentations, improve your relationships,

highly recommended Click now for a free confidence course I found really helpful

1. Face your fears - they aren't as bad as you think they are. Facing your fears increases your confidence.

2. Forget your failures - learn from them. Avoid making the same mistakes again but don't limit yourself by assuming you failed before so you can't succeed this time. Try again, you're wiser and stronger. Don't be trapped in the past!

3. Know what you want and ask for it. You deserve your dreams to come true.

4. Reward yourself when you succeed. No-one else will! Isn't everything easier when you take time to help yourself?

5. Talk - We often make assumptions about a situation or person which are not true. Your attitude and behaviour can be negatively affected so if you have any doubt or question ask and don't assume you know why or how. There is much more about this point and about many of the others in a wonderful book I have read recently. I personally recommend you to read it too as you're going to get a lot out of it. It's called The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz, click on the link to order this extraordinary book now.

6. Don't be defeated! Try something else. You are not going to be defeated by one failed attempt are you? Doesn't everyone fail before they succeed? All you need is a different approach. Good luck! I wish you happiness and success! low self esteem - click here for more

7. Try this amazing self hypnosis download - Building your self esteem now!

http://www.more-selfesteem.com/self_esteem.htm

self esteem : Acne And Teenage Girls

2006-07-06T22:03:00.000-07:00

Over 70% of teens say that acne has affected them in a negative way. An estimated 20 million teens suffer from acne, but even the fact that they're not alone doesn't ease the pain they feel. Teens are embarrassed at a time when they are unsure of themselves. They may become depressed and withdrawn. Acne is especially hard on teenage girls. At a time when they're noticing boys, and visa versa, acne can be devastating. They're surrounded by visions of beauty all around them on TV, in movies, in magazines and on line. We live in a society that worships youth and beauty.

Parents can help their teenage girls through this time by offering a supportive and sympathetic ear. Parents should help the child focus on all their positive attributes, which will help to strengthen the child's self esteem. The parents need to be actively involved with helping their child find the best possible cure for their particular form of acne.

Parents should also educate themselves about acne causes and treatments. Thirty years ago it was thought that acne was caused by eating the wrong foods. Chocolate and potatoe chips were culprit. It's now known that this isn't true. Food is not thought to play a large role in acne. It also has nothing to do with cleanliness of the skin.

What is fact is that acne in teenagers is caused by the action of hormones on the skin's oil glands. During puberty both boys and girls have an increase in the hormones called androgens. These hormones cause sebaceous glands under the surface of the skin to enlarge. The sebaceous glands in response produce excess oil. This excess oil mixes with bacteria and dead skin on the skin's surface and blocks pores. Inside these pores the bacteria multiple and cause inflammation.

Most cases of light to moderate acne can be treated by over the counter medications. There are many to choose from. Some find that benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid works well. Benzoyl peroxide is known to readily kill acne bacteria. Benzoyl peroxide can be found in cleansers and in spot treatments. Benzoyl peroxide is very drying and can make your face look even more irritated, especially when you first start washing with it. Many acne suffers use a moisturizer on their face after washing. There are many moisturizers available that are specifically designed to help with acne such as Cetaphil, Eucerin, and Neutrogena.

Severe acne, or acne that has not responded well to over the counter products, can be successfully treated with the knowledge and expertise of a dermatologist. A dermatologist will consider many things before suggesting treatment. He will perform a thorough evaluation of the patient, considering things such as severity of acne, patient age, lifestyle, and co-existing conditions. The dermatologist then may suggest a combination of two or three different therapies for best treatment.

Whatever one of the literally hundreds of treatments you decide to choose, or if you seek the help of a dermatologist, remember that acne takes time to disappear. Overnight or miraculous results don't happen. It takes six to eight weeks to see results from treatment. Unfortunately, in a teenage girl's life six to eight weeks can feel like a lifetime.

by Terry Lowery

self esteem : The Blessing of Job Loss

2006-07-06T22:00:00.000-07:00

One day, world-renowned psychologist, Carl Jung, had a friend arrive at his door wholly distraught from losing his job that very day. Carl Jung, invited his friend into his home and said, (with my paraphrasing), "Come. I'll open a bottle of fine Champaign and we'll celebrate as surely, some great good will come about from this job loss."

Losing a job or feeling trapped within a job, is likely a blessing in disguise although in the moment the loss or the fear may seem insurmountable.

When I lost my two retail stores after ten years, my $100,000., my marriage and my self esteem I thought this was one of the worst things that could happen to me in this lifetime.
Now, with the clarity of hindsight, I see losing my stores was Divine Intervention. By losing everything I thought I valued, I discovered what was really important to me. I lost every thing but found myself.

"Three earthly losses
which bring gain to the soul:
loss of a friend,
loss of health and
loss of riches."

"A Compilation of Triads," Volume I John F. Wright

self esteem : A Wish List From Mom To Dad

2006-07-04T02:15:00.000-07:00

Here is just a little wish list I put together for you. First, I feel I should tell you that I greatly appreciate all that you do for me and our family. Feel free to grant any or all of my wishes time permitting. They can be fulfilled in any order. I will gladly accept them on any given day. No need to wait for a special occasion or holiday to grant any of the following:

A thorough house cleaning preferably when the house is dirty. I will gladly show you where the cleaning supplies are kept and will provide a detailed list for you if needed.

A night out. Just about any activity will do. This would include everything from a simple picnic to a night on the town. Oh, I almost forgot, no kids. So you will need to arrange for a sitter.

A few diaper changes. For the baby of course, I'm past that stage. If you really want to impress me, you can change a few of the pooh pooh ones. That would be great!

An occasional morning to catch up on my beauty sleep. So I can remain the beautiful woman you adore. This can be arranged around your days off of work.

A night free of dinner duty and clean up. I trust you, so anything you decide to prepare will do just fine. I know you wouldn't even consider serving me a TV dinner. And don't worry about getting dish pan hands from the clean up. I use a wonderful dish soap that will moisturize your hands while doing dishes.

A couple of late night feedings would be nice. Not for me, I'm watching my weight. But, the baby is known to wake up a time or two hungry for a late night snack.

A bedtime round up. This would consist of rounding up all the munchkins and getting them tucked in their beds. Really its good exercise. All the repeated trips to the restroom and the kitchen for last minute drinks.

A thank-you for a job well done. It really boosts my self esteem and shows me how much you appreciate all that I do.

Now this was just a small list. Feel free to add anything to it or repeat any of my wishes. I will accept most graciously.

by Tammy Pinarbasi

self esteem : Achieve Your Goal

2006-07-04T02:12:00.000-07:00

Have you seen those ads that promise to make thousands and millions of dollars over night, they are just hype. You have to do whatever it takes to get where you want to be. Believe me there are no shortcuts. Sorry if I burst your bubble, but I am not trying to sell you anything.

I know you might think its too much hassle, you don't have the time for it what ever your doubts, excuses or fears might be, make sure you keep in mind that you are worth it and that in the end it will pay off. Go ahead your self esteem; pride and respect depend on it.

I see so many people out there who wish they were movie stars, millionaires, published authors, next Donald Trumps etc. and I think they have potential, most might already act the part. What ever your dream or goal is, I believe that it is attainable as long as you plan ahead and follow trough.

By taking and tracking one step at a time you will be able to keep your goal in mind and stay motivated. Think about it, each time you take a step you'll be closer towards it. Want to go back to college but don't have the money? Then you might want to consider one of these choices save money, learn and apply for student loans, scholarships, going to a cheaper school etc.

The bottom line is look at your life and your goals? Are you walking towards it? are you where you want to be? if the answer is no, then you need to sit down analyze and outline once you have your master plan follow trough it and when you complete your objective sit down, exhale and celebrate.

You can do it,

by Kenia Morales

self esteem : Make Real And Lasting Improvements To Your Self Esteem.

2006-07-01T02:57:00.000-07:00

With The Complete Self Esteem Workbook you can now break free from low self esteem once and for all and start really living your life.

This workbook has been carefully designed to show you how to quickly and permanently improve your self esteem.

Written in plane English it is very easy to follow with step-by-step instructions and highly effective exercises that will keep you moving forwards and making fast and lasting improvements to your self esteem.

YES, it is possible.

First we'll talk about the cause of low self esteem…..those fixed and negative frames of mind which actually lie at the root of ALL low self esteem.

Then we'll discuss how to break through those fixed frames of mind and free yourself from the negative effects of low self esteem once and for all.

After that you'll start a 7 step personal journey of self discovery which will allow you to break free from the negative fixed frames of mind which are the cause of your own low self esteem.

This step-by-step approach will soon bring you personal realizations which will permanently end low self esteem issues in your life for good.

It’s like having a personal counsellor in your own home, helping you to totally eradicate the problems of low self esteem from your life.

Many people who suffer with Low Self Esteem experience one or more of the following:

Feel Anxious in certain situations.

Boast to cover up real feelings of inadequacy.

Fear new experiences and avoid them.

Too eager to please others.

Have poor eye contact.

Lack energy.

Very sensitive to criticism.

Make negative “I am” statements.

Depressed.

Hide your true feelings.

Can be aggressive.

Don't recognize own good qualities.

Copyright The Anfield Institute of Personal Development.com
All rights reserved worldwide.

self esteem : Building Children's Self-Esteem

2006-07-01T02:53:00.000-07:00

There are many reasons why the development of a child’s self-esteem may be hindered. They range from very real problems, such as physical handicaps, to less clear issues, such as emotional problems stemming from parental divorce. Despite the particular difficulties that children may encounter, their self-esteem can grow and flourish – with the right support. Unfortunately, there are many potentially negative results when children do not develop healthy self-esteem. Possible outcomes range from general unhappiness to deep depression, to dropping out of school, to robbery and even to violence. Building children’s self-esteem does not require special materials or complicated techniques. Rather, parents and teachers can rely on sensitivity and basic communication skills to understand and help children believe that they are competent and valued. The information presented in this publication explains how adults can influence the growth of a healthy self-image in children.

by Amy R. Vigilante, Ph.D

self esteem : Learn How to Boost Your Self-Esteem

2006-06-26T00:41:00.000-07:00

Building self esteem is a first step towards a happy, healthy and productive life. Yet having low self-esteem is perhaps the most common flaw of our humanity. Having self-, esteem will help build your confidence. If you have self-confidence, you will feel a self-worth and respect yourself as a person. If you respect yourself you can respect others, improve your life by improving your relationships with your love ones, friends and co-workers. You will be able to achieve your goals in life and obtain true happiness in your life.

Low self-esteem can cause people to develop depression, unhappiness, insecurity and a poor confidence level. When you have low self-esteem ever little mistake that occurs in your life is taken to heart. When people critisize you, when you make mistakes, a joke directed toward you and it will cause you to run away from every opportunity that comes your way and every challenge will seem impossible to accomplish. This will cause you to feel stagnant and lose meaning and direction in your life.

You can develop high self-esteem, just like learning to read or dance. Secondly, people do not understand the importance of having high self-esteem. I cannot even begin to stress the importance of having high self-esteem; it is the key to having mental, physical and spiritual strength.

The first stage of developing strength is learning to love yourself and your life. You need to learn to be grateful of what God has given you. You need to let go of all those angry emotions inside. Holding anger inside yourself will not help you, it will only hurt you. The past is the past; you can only change the present.

You need to love yourself by accepting all your faults and putting the past behind you, but if, you focus on your faults than you will only experience an unhappy life. You need to think positively and focus on your accomplishments.

To live with a happy state of mind, you need to have high self-esteem. You need to feel that you are no different from anyone else and that you can be the person you set in your mind to be. You need to reconstruct your life. You need to put yourself in a lifestyle that will make you happy and bring you as little stress as possible.

To begin the healing process you need to develop strength, wisdom, confidence and knowledge. If you can develop these qualities, you will achieve all your goals and dreams. First, you must focus on the goals and dreams you want to fulfill. I am going to teach you the true meanings of having strength, wisdom, confidence and knowledge. I will help shoe you how to obtain and use them. These four steps will help you live a happy life and gain high self-esteem.! Below are four steps to high self-esteem.

1. Strength- the development of strength in the inner body begins in the mind. The inner body is our mind, soul and spirit. How we think and program our minds to work, helps us build mental, physical and spiritual strength. Our strength comes from how we feel about ourselves. The higher our self-esteem, the stronger we feel and in turn, we can do more for ourselves.

Yet, if you have the strength and motivation, you can make the present anything you want. To free all your negative emotions that are holding you back, you have to say to yourself. I accept myself for who I am and that I am unable to change the past. Nevertheless, I can change my future because I love myself and refuse to hurt myself by drowning in my own self-pity. You cannot rely on others. You need to learn to rely on yourself.

You have to believe in yourself, develop a sense of pride in yourself. It does not matter what others think about you, what matters is how you think about yourself. God put us on this earth to love others, not to hurt ourselves and take our anger out on others, who are usually the people we care about the most and ourselves.

2. Knowledge - is the second part of the process of change, it is another important factor in helping yourself. Knowledge comes from experience from being open minded to suggestions others may give. We may not always agree with other people's suggestions, yet it is always wise to listen to what others have to say. Some individuals may try to be controlling and may get frustrated if we do not act on what they have to say. You should to set these people straight and tell them; I will listen to what you have to say; however, that does not necessarily mean I am going to agree with you. I have my own mind, too and I need to do what is best for me.

We learn from each other and we acquire knowledge from the world around us that we should pass along to others by helping them. We need to take our experience and use it in our present life now, including the mistakes we have made in life. The mistakes we have made are where we get most of our knowledge that helps us become stronger individuals. What weakens us when we repeatedly make the same mistakes?

Do not pity yourself for the mistakes you made in life or imperfections. Studies have shown that people who have negative attitudes are more like to live chaotic lives. They are more likely to become mentally or physically ill with extremely debilitating or life threatening illnesses. Many people have a hard time focusing on the positive because they allow their negative sides to consume them... I firmly believe that focusing on the negatives will causes seizures.

Say to yourself, OK, what I have learned from these mistakes or from my shortcomings. Taking what you have learned and using it to help others is the best therapy. When you help, you feel a sense of accomplishment and self-worth. You are overlooking any negative characteristics because you are too busy focusing on helping others'.

3. Confidence- our confidence comes from our self-esteem. To have high self-esteem we need to feel good about ourselves, to get to this point in life you need to begin by starting to do things in life to make yourself happy by focusing on the future, creating direction in your life. Begin by planning short and long-term goals for yourself and confidence level will rise.

It worked for me. When I started accomplishing some of my short-term goals, I had more self-respect. I developed a greater sense of pride and my inner strength and self-worth increased.

4. Wisdom- comes from your sixth sense. We all have five senses, our sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch, yet I believe wisdom to be our sixth sense. Wisdom understands the inner signals and the directions that your body sends out to you, becoming aware of what your body is trying to tell you. Your sixth sense always leads you to the right answers. It is up to us to learn to understand our inner self (spirit) and to follow the signals it sends out to us.

Listening to what our inner self has to say is essential. For example, have you ever felt like you had a feeling something was the right thing to do. You need to learn to understand your mind, so you can understand your inner soul and all the wonderful things it is capable of doing. When we listen and act on the signals our body, it gives us a stronger understanding to our body as a whole. Spiritually you can give your body what it needs.

We feed our body food to survive on a daily basis. Spiritually we need to feed our body with love, understanding and different forms of relaxation, such as meditation. I strongly suggest to everyone that you start with at least five minutes each day with some type of relaxation exercise. Either in the morning when you start your day, the afternoon if you are able too or at night before bed to release the tension that has built up throughout the day. Each week you should add five minutes until you get to hour each day.

When you do these things, you increase your level of strength, wisdom, knowledge and confidence. By having a high level of strength you feel as though, you can conquer the world. This helps you decrease your stress level.

Once you accept yourself, you can cope with the world around you and accept the fact that you can do everything you expected to do in life. Nevertheless, to accept that yourself you first have to love who you are and be proud of the person you have become. There are many things in life you are capable of doing, but you must develop the motivation and the will to get out there and JUST DO THEM!

by Stacey Chillemi

self esteem : Improving Your Teen's Self-Esteem

2006-06-26T00:40:00.000-07:00

The teenage years are often the most difficult time of childhood. During this time, children are blossoming into adults and struggle to determine the individual identity.

It is no shock the teen years are the most dreaded by parents, but these fragile youngsters are at a critical time in their lives. Often, boundaries are pushed and rules are stretched by a teenager yearning to take that "next step" into adulthood.

Teens find themselves not only faced with emotional transitions, but also physical changes.

In the midst of these physical and emotional evolutions, a teen's self-esteem can be compromised. Parents can take certain steps in order to ensure that a child's self-esteem is not affected by the turbulent teenage years.

The best way to improve your teen's self-esteem is to take an active role in your child's life. By knowing his or her interests, friends, strengths, and weaknesses, you will be aware of any problems that may arise.

Starting from a young age, instill a positive attitude in your child. Children who have a great sense of self-worth are more apt to blossom into teenagers with a great sense of self-worth. Take time to talk with your teen instead of talking to your teen. If your child believes his or her opinion or thoughts have an impact in the home front, that individual is more apt to have a greater self-esteem. Allowing your teen to have a say in decisions that affect the entire family will further impress a sense of self-worth, thus positively affect his or her self-esteem.

Children learn by example, and teenagers are no different.

Teens whose parents showcase high self-esteem are more likely to exhibit self-esteem. Conversely, parents with low self-esteem or who constantly question their self-worth will pass those traits on to their children simply by their actions. The way you interact with your friends, family members, and colleagues will rub off on your children.

Individuals with low self-esteem set poor examples for their teens and should not be surprised when their teens exhibit similar actions. Children are like a sponge, so take care not to comment negatively towards yourself or others. Many teens with issues regarding their physical appearance learn these behaviors from home. Television, movies, and music play a huge part in any teenager's life. These outlets seem obsessed with a pre-conceived idea of perfection that will most likely differ from that of the average individual. Take time to speak with your teen regarding these issues.

Interaction with your teenager will allow you first-hand information on any problems he or she may be having and make an attempt to remedy these situations. Often, teenagers are quite sensitive about their appearance due to acne or other issues. If this is the case, consider making an appointment with a dermatologist who will be able to remedy the situation. Similarly, your teen may be interested in changing his or her appearance to best fit a burgeoning identity, but may be hesitant to approach a parent. Remember, teenagers straddle the line between child and young adult.

Although they may yearn to be an adult, the child part still needs reassurance from a parent. If you as a parent feel a requested physical transformation will not benefit your teen, make a compromise. Often, teens are looking to be outrageous in order to push boundaries set by parents. Instead of lowering your teen's self-esteem by creating a confrontation, create an atmosphere of discussion and compromise.

Open communication cannot be stressed enough. Take time to talk to your teen about their friends, classes, activities, or interests. Teach your teen to accentuate the positive instead of focusing on attributes they see as weak or negative. Instill a sense great self esteem at a young age that will continue with your teen as he or she grows.

You may wish to enroll your child in self-esteem building classes or extra curricular activities that will boost their self-worth. Whatever the case, taking an active part in your teen's life is the best way to see them through this transitional time in their lives with their self-esteem intact.

by Rene Graeber

self esteem : Improving Your Teen's Self-Esteem

2006-06-26T00:38:00.000-07:00

self esteem : Balancing Work And Family Stresses

2006-06-22T02:37:00.000-07:00

The pace of life seems to quicken every year. More and more time is spent rushing from job to after school activities or evening meetings. It's easy to get over whelmed and to loose a sense of family and relaxation in our homes. Here are a few ideas to help strengthen your family and to keep some of life's pressures and stresses out of the home.
~ Be involved but learn how to say No, once in a while. You want to be an involved informed parent but you need to keep your schedule sane. So don't volunteer for everything and don't sign your kids up for every after school sport or activity. Set limits on these activities, car pool whenever possible, and limit the activities you volunteer for and your children participate in to two for each half of the school year.

~ Week long family vacations are great but sometimes you need a family break more often. Plan mini retreats that give you a break from your routine and allow down time where you can just hang out. See if a local hotel with a swimming pool has off-season rates. Then get together with one or two other families whose company you enjoy and book a night in the hotel. Bring swimsuits for the kids and a good book for yourself. You can also turn off the TV, telephone, computer, and CD player for the night, cook an easy meal or order take out and tell stories or play cards or a board game. Teenagers may think its hokey at first but they really do appreciate the change of pace and the time with their family.

~ Eat dinner at the table not in front of the TV or standing in the kitchen grabbing a quick bite just before rushing out to the next activity. Consciously eating your meals not only improves digestion but also allows you thirty minutes to slow down and reconnect; sharing things that happened during the day. Make it mandatory and after a few weeks you will see how everyone really looks forward to this short peace of family time each night.

~ Develop family traditions with your immediate and extended family members. Come up with a special night once or twice a year that isn't tied to a holiday. Have everyone who comes make something to eat, even the littlest ones. Share what you have been doing since the last get together and come up with some fun game everyone can get involved in. Horse shoes, softball, badminton, the game isn't important it's the time you spend together just goofing around without judgment and the pressures of the regular schedule of life.

~ Keep expectations of achievement in school at a reasonable level; encourage your children to strive for things and work at a level that always gives them a bit of a challenge, but don't push them into situations that are too different or may regularly affect their self esteem.

by BZ Riger-Hull

self esteem : 10 tips to kickstart your self esteem

2006-06-22T02:32:00.000-07:00

If you're tired of feeling "less than", afraid of making and achieving your desires and goals, feel that no matter what you do it is never "good enough", then your self esteem could do with a boost!

Having low self esteem takes an enormous toll on the quality of your life. You take fewer risks, which limits your opportunities, both personally and professionally. You are reluctant to voice or acknowledge your needs. You are probably also haunted by past mistakes and making future ones.

It doesn't have to be like this, the tools you've used to (unconsciously) lower your self esteem are the same ones you use to raise it. The following article gives you ten tips to raise your self esteem and improve the quality of your life!

1. Stop comparing yourself to other people. If you play this game, you're likely to compare yourself in a negative way and set yourself up for continuing to have low self esteem. Why continue to play a game where you've set the rules against yourself, so that you're less likely to win!

2. Don't keep putting yourself down! You can't develop high self esteem if you constantly repeat negative comments about your skills and abilities. Other people will pick up on it and take on board the negative way you view yourself. How are they likely to treat you? Also don't beat yourself up over "mistakes" that you've made - learn how to reframe them so that they work for you.

3. Using affirmations is an excellent way to raise your self esteem. It's the opposite of no 1. If you can programme your mind to repeat negative phrases about yourself (and see how effective that's been!), then you can certainly get into the habit of continually thinking (and saying to yourself) positive statements about you. When you do, allow yourself to experience the positive feelings about your statements. Also use inspirational quotes to assist you.

4. Accept all compliments graciously. Don't dismiss or ignore them. When you do you give yourself the message that you do not deserve or are not worthy of praise, which reflects low self esteem. It also means that others will become more reluctant to praise or acknowledge your abilities, if you don't.

5. Take advantage of and use life coaching programmes, workshops, books on how to raise your self esteem and develop a more positive attitude. Whatever material you see, read acts as subliminal learning, which means that it will plant itself in your mind and dominate your behaviour. Talk about food for thought - what diet is your mind on? Is it a nourishing one?

6. Mix with positive and supportive people. Who you associate with influences your thoughts, actions and behaviour - another form of subliminal learning. Negative people can put you and your ideas down and it lowers your self esteem. On the other hand, when you are surrounded by supportive people, you feel better about yourself, which helps to raise your self esteem. Learn how to develop your positive personal support network.

7. Acknowledge your positive qualities and skills. Too many people with low self esteem constantly put themselves down (back to no 1 again!) and don't appreciate their many positive attributes. Learn how to truly affirm and value your many excellent qualities. If you find this difficult, ask others to tell you. They'll come up with things you would never have imagined!

8. Stop putting up with stuff! Not voicing or acknowledging your needs means that you are probably tolerating more than you should. Find out what you're putting up with and zap those tolerations. By doing so, you're giving yourself the message that you're worth it.

9. Make positive contributions to others. This doesn't mean that you constantly do for others what they could be doing for themselves. But when you do make a positive contribution to others, you begin to feel more valuable, which increases your sense of your own value and raises your self esteem.

10. Involve yourself in work and activities that you love. So many people with low self esteem stop doing those activities that they most enjoy. Even if you're not in a position to to make immediate changes in your career, you can still devote some of your leisure time to enjoyable hobbies and activities.

and..............................

Start taking action! The universe rewards action. Backing away and avoiding challenges means that your self esteem muscles become weak and flabby. When you start to take action -regardless of the outcome - you will start to feel better about yourself, develop your self confidence and raise your self esteem.

by Margaret Paul, Ph.D.

self esteem : Where Does Self-Esteem Come From?

2006-06-17T00:30:00.000-07:00

Our self-esteem develops and evolves throughout our lives as we build an image of ourselves through our experiences with different people and activities. Experiences during our childhood play a particularly large role in the shaping of our basic self-esteem. When we were growing up, our successes (and failures) and how we were treated by the members of our immediate family, by our teachers, coaches, religious authorities, and by our peers, all contributed to the creation of our basic self-esteem.

Self-esteem is largely developed during childhood.

Healthy Self-Esteem
Childhood experiences that lead to healthy self-esteem include-

being praised

being listened to

being spoken to respectfully

getting attention and hugs

experiencing success in sports or school

having trustworthy friends

Low Self-Esteem
Childhood experiences that lead to low self-esteem include-

being harshly criticized

being yelled at, or beaten

being ignored, ridiculed or teased

being expected to be "perfect" all the time

experiencing failures in sports or school
People with low self-esteem were often given messages that failed experiences (losing a game, getting a poor grade, etc.) were failures of their whole self.

What Does Your "Inner Voice" Say?
Our past experiences, even the things we don't usually think about, are all alive and active in our daily life in the form of an Inner Voice. Although most people do not "hear" this voice in the same way they would a spoken one, in many ways it acts in a similar way, constantly repeating those original messages to us.

For people with healthy self-esteem the messages of the inner voice are positive and reassuring. For people with low self-esteem, the inner voice becomes a harsh inner critic, constantly criticizing, punishing, and belittling their accomplishments.

THREE Faces of Low Self-Esteem
Most of us have an image of what low self-esteem looks like, but it is not always so easy to recognize. Here are three common faces that low self-esteem may wear:

The Impostor: acts happy and successful, but is really terrified of failure. Lives with the constant fear that she or he will be "found out." Needs continuous successes to maintain the mask of positive self-esteem, which may lead to problems with perfectionism, procrastination, competition, and burn-out.

The Rebel: acts like the opinions or good will of others - especially people who are important or powerful - don't matter. Lives with constant anger about not feeling "good enough." Continuously needs to prove that others' judgments and criticisms don't hurt, which may lead to problems like blaming others excessively, breaking rules or laws, or fighting authority.

The Loser: acts helpless and unable to cope with the world and waits for someone to come to the rescue. Uses self-pity or indifference as a shield against fear of taking responsibility for changing his or her life. Looks constantly to others for guidance, which can lead to such problems as lacking assertiveness skills, under-achievement, and excessive reliance on others in relationships.

Consequences of Low Self-EsteemLow self-esteem can have devastating consequences.

It can create anxiety, stress, loneliness and increased likelihood for depression.
It can cause problems with friendships and relationships.
It can seriously impair academic and job performance.
It can lead to underachievement and increased vulnerability to drug and alcohol abuse.
Worst of all, these negative consequences themselves reinforce the negative self-image and can take a person into a downward spiral of lower and lower self-esteem and increasingly non-productive or even actively self-destructive behavior.

©1999 CMHC

self esteem : How To Build Healthy Self-Esteem

2006-06-17T00:22:00.000-07:00

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

self esteem : 5 ways to kick the procrastination habit!

2006-06-13T01:45:00.000-07:00

Do you rush around doing things at the last minute? How many times have you mentioned something that you felt that you ought to do and said "yes, I'll get round to it", but "it" never happens. Procrastination means to "defer action", but it rarely serves us well, unless we know what's behind it and what to do about it.

Procrastination isn't only about deciding not to do or to delay doing something - it also means that we have chosento do something else instead. So, it's watching TV instead of having a relaxing swim. It's going out to lunch with a friend when there's a report to be completed. Habitually
making choices which don't serve us well will continually create challenges and drama in our lives.

Procrastination causes stress. Yes, most of us have too much on our plates, but leaving things until they really
have to be done just ensures that we put even more pressure on ourselves.

Delaying things take time and energy - because when you know that something needs to be done and you're not doing
it - it stays in the back of your mind and silently drains you.

Procrastination is only a habit and habits can be changed. The first thing to ask yourself is whether procrastination is a sign that you need to change something fundamental in
your life (ie job, environment, relationships) or if it's masking fear, lack of self-confidence, self-esteem etc

There are a number of ways to tackle procrastination and you can use different strategies for different situations.

1. Conversion

May of live a "have to", rather than a "want to" life. Our lives are full of obligations and things that we don't really want to do. But with some creative and imaginative thinking
we can convert the "have tos" into the "want tos". How can we do this? By thinking beyond the immediate task and focusing on the wider benefits of completion.

For instance, if you don't want to do the books or open your bank statements, you can try asking yourself what are
the benefits of greater financial control.

Will you have much more money in the long run as you learn to save, spend and invest it wisely? How much freer will you feel now that you've taken back control and your energy isn't being drained by the nagging, insistent worry that you ought to be doing something about it - because you already
are!

2. Prioritisation

By which I mean do the thing you least want to do when you have the most energy to do it.You can always find the energy to do things that you enjoy doing, but you need your energy
level to be highest when tackling things which you don't care for. So, if you're at your best in the morning - then tackle the administration then, clear out your clutter and vice versa if you're an afternoon or evening person.

3. Delegation

We have things that we're good at and things that we prefer to do. Ask yourself: (i) does it have to be done at all? (ii) does it have to be done by you? Is there someone else who could do the job? You may decide that you don't want to concentrate your energies on bookkeeping, but you can hire a bookkeeper to free you from this. Or someone else at work may like administration; ask for their - or more - assistance.

4. Do it in pieces

The difficulty with procrastination is that the task may seem overwhelming because it has been avoided for so long.
It has grown in size and taken on a life of its own! Bring it back down to earth and start tackling it in bite sized pieces (when you're at your best! - see no 2)

5. Develop a system

Procrastination takes up time and energy. You may always find yourself on the defensive as things catch up with you. Developing a system means that you nip procrastination in
the bud.

If you want to take more exercise, then exercise with a buddy, hire a personal trainer (either at your house or
the gym). Join a walking club, sports club - somewhere where you are committed to being and encourage others to commit with you. Set up structures which ensure that procrastination doesn't get the chance to put its feet
under your table.

And remember to reward yourself when you've broken through and achieved something.

Dealing with procrastination is one way of taking back control of your life and the ultimate reward is having more time to really enjoy your life.

©2003 by Julie Plenty

self esteem : The Top three reasons people Fail online

2006-06-13T01:39:00.000-07:00

Most people come online with the thoughts of getting rich quick...And then fall flat on their faces! They get the get rich quick virus, it's quite contagious and extremely deadly to your self esteem and your business! You need to get rid of that virus by implementing, knowledge, hard work and the right mindset, learn from other people's mistakes and understand why they have failed online, so that you can avoid making the same mistakes, when you do make a mistake, shake it off and get on with your life, take that mistake and turn it into knowledge. Here are the top three reasons why most people fail online:

1) Don't have the money to start, or don't want to spend it!.

You have to think that starting a online business is the same as
starting an offline business, when you start an offline business,
there are certain things that you have to be willing to pay for
if you want your business to succeed.

And the same thing goes for your online business, and if you're
not willing to spend the money on these things then your business
will go nowhere!

A list of what you need is:
A great web-host (this is the lifeline of your business)

A good follow up system (autoresponders)

Knowledge (if you have to buy into a membership or course to
learn what it takes to build your business then do it)

You have to spend some money on advertising..(eZine advertising,
Pay-Per-Click or whatever)
(Just make sure you do your reasearch on what your fixing to join
or purchase!)

2) They give up before it get's going!

This happens all the time, people come on line with the hopes of
getting rich, they join one scheme after another thinking this
one is going to make me rich, as soon as they receive another
email scheme, they jump on it..

This keeps going for awhile, untill they get so frustrated that
they just give up and say it's impossible to make money online!
One of the reasons is that most people lack persistence and the
ability to hang in there when the going gets tough. If you lack
persistence, you will have a tough time making it online! ("If
you do make it")

Here is a list of ways to help give your business a boost!
Do joint ventures with other marketers to grow your business.

Join forums, offer your help to people, get joint venture
partners(just don't spam the boards)

Follow the steps of someone who is already successful online!

Don't be afraid to make a mistake online, we've all made
mistakes, and will continue to, just make sure you learn from
them..

Start an affiliate program!

Make sure you collect the names of your visitors and follow up
with them..

3) Lack of knowledge -

Knowledge is power, if you want to make it online you have to
learn all you can! And put what you know into action, use your
knowledge, don't just let it set up there and collect brain dust,
anyone can learn if they really want to, you just have to have
the will, and the strive!

You will always be learning, there is always someone out there
that can teach you something or ignite and ol' flame that you let
burn down.. all I can say is..learn, learn, learn!

If you stay persistant, learn all you can, and stay focused, you
can do anything and become anything..Want to be a guru? then do
what the gurus did...Work for it, give it all you got and learn
all you can and NEVER EVER give up!!

by Dennis Cheesman

self esteem : A New Perspective on Self Esteem

2006-06-09T10:24:00.000-07:00

Fortunes have been made by so-called self help gurus on the topic of self esteem. Hundreds of books have been written and countless others touch on the subject in way or another. I have to admit, I haven't read any of them. Every thing I've ever learned about self esteem was through my own process of discovery and examination, and it started when I was very young.

When I was a child, my mother read to me every night. My favorite was always Dr. Seuss; it didn't occur to me until decades later what made him so special. Theodore Geisel (aka Dr. Seuss) reveled in the abstract. Possessing a curious, active imagination, I was instinctively drawn to Geisel's wild characters and escapist worlds. Unlike Geisel, many authors of children's books choose instead to tell stories of this world, or at least their versions of it. They intend harmlessly enough to teach values and lessons, but sometimes they do more harm than good.

For example, how many children's books introduce young minds to the idea of career selection before they're old enough to ride a bike? The question commonly raised is, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" A fireman? A banker? This instills in a child's mind at an early age that their value in society is directly tied to what they want to be when they grow up. Of course, it's not only children's books that take this approach. Parents and teachers are just as guilty. So are we allowing our children enough space to just be themselves?

Perhaps dad places a heavy emphasis on athleticism but his son has no athletic ability and besides that, no interest. Son wants to play the guitar and write songs for a living. Is it a father's right to stifle that desire? Who decides which is more important? Is it time to reevaluate the old adage, "Father knows best?" The more space a child is given to assign his/her own value to the various building blocks of self, the greater the chance that a strong, healthy self image will take shape. A parent's role is to facilitate this discovery with loving kindness, not dictate the terms and steer the ship.

The classic case studies of individuals with self esteem problems often paint a picture of someone who's consistently told "you're not good enough" or "you're smart enough." Many have suffered not only demoralizing verbal abuse, but physical and sexual abuse as well. Still, as prevalent as these scenarios are and not to minimalize them by any means, I would argue that the roots of many self esteem issues are far less insidious and affect all of us in one way or another.

Self esteem issues are found in the twenty-something executive who went to college to please his parents and now plays salesman during the day and paints at night. Or the devoutly religious who deny themselves earthly pleasures in the name of dogma and guilt. Or the teenager raised on MTV's version of how to be a rock star, win friends and influence people. The problem lies in our social sonar, the signals we send out to the world around us for feedback on where we stand on the food chain. We live in an "on demand" world now and expect fast, convenient snapshots of who we are rendered at 300 pixels per inch. Unfortunately, these pictures are blurred and skewed by other people's shortcomings and value judgments, and by media and advertising with their slick ploys to squeeze us into their narrow demographics.

Eastern religions have recognized this problem for centuries and addressed it through the doctrine of negation of self and ego. So shall we eliminate all outside influences by removing ourselves to nature and destroy the self? I'm not advocating such a radical step. On the contrary, I believe a sense of self is important. The concern is that ours is too often built like a house of cards, nothing more than a series of illusions stacked precariously on top of one another. A strong self image can only be built on a foundation of truth to our own inner nature.

The philosopher J. Krishnamurti said, "You will see how absurd is the whole structure that you have built, looking for external help, depending on others for your comfort, for your happiness, for your strength. These can only be found within yourselves."

So meditate often on the things you love. Journey inside yourself with no fear of what you might find there. Good and evil exist side by side in every one of us, so resist the temptation to judge yourself. Embrace your contradictions—they become you. And remember that no one's opinion of you means more than your own. A book can't and shouldn't touch you self-esteem. It comes from within, not from without.

by Eddie Beverage

self esteem : 7 Effective Ways To Boost Your Self Esteem

2006-06-09T10:21:00.000-07:00

1. Get a life purpose statement.

A well thought out life purpose statement is a powerful way to boost your self-esteem. It will define who you truly are, draw out your essence and affirm you. Whenever you read your life purpose statement, you will be reminded about who you are, what you represent and what you intend to accomplish in life.

2. Take personal development courses.

Investing in the acquisition of knowledge and education will boost your self-esteem many levels higher! This will give you control over your life and you will gain self-confidence that will prepare you to face and deal with anything that comes your way.

3. Take action. Do something for yourself.

Start doing something for yourself. Take positive risks with your life. Don't live your life in chains. If you want to start a business…do it. Don't live other peoples dreams. Live out loud, live your dream, do something that you feel is important to you. Make sure you accomplish it.

4. Socialize

Involve yourself actively in matters that interest you. Join clubs, networking organizations, associations or groups of similar interest and participate actively. Being part of a group gives you a sense of belonging, acceptance and appreciation. Knowing that you are part of something important and meaningful, does a lot to boost your self-esteem.

5. Stand up for yourself.

Don't allow people to put you down and don't allow other people's expectations to thwart what you are capable of becoming. Don't put up with people or situations that negate all the positive things that you can do. Stand up for your dreams!

6. Volunteer to help the less privileged.

Volunteering will give you a sense of fulfillment, accomplishment and appreciation. Giving yourself in service to others is one of the noblest things to do. The look of gratitude on the faces of those that you have helped is enough to boost your self esteem

7. Set personal goals and accomplish them.

Living aimlessly leaves you with a feeling of emptiness and confusion. Goals give you a sense of purpose. They steer your life in a particular direction. They make your life purposeful. Accomplishing personal goals gives your self-esteem a big boost.

by Caroline Jalango

self esteem ; How Kids Get Self-Esteem

2006-06-04T23:48:00.000-07:00

Babies don't see themselves in a good or bad way. They don't think "I'm great!" when they let out a big burp, or "Oh, no, this diaper makes my legs look weird!" Instead, people around a baby help him or her develop self-esteem. How? By encouraging the baby when he or she learns to crawl, walk, or talk. They often say, "Good job. Good for you!" When people take good care of a baby, that also helps him or her feel lovable and valuable.

As kids gets older, they can have a bigger role in developing their self-esteem. Achievements - like getting a good grade on a test or making the All-Star soccer team - are things kids can be proud of. So are having a good sense of humor or being a good friend.

A kid's family and other people in his or her life - like coaches, teammates, and classmates - also can boost his or her self-esteem. They can help a kid figure out how to do things or notice his or her good qualities. They can believe in the kid and encourage him or her to try again when something doesn't go right the first time. It's all part of kids learning to see themselves in a positive way, to feel proud of what they've done, and to be confident that there's a lot more they can do.

A Little on Low Self-Esteem
Maybe you know kids with low self-esteem who don't think very highly of themselves or seem to criticize themselves too much. Or maybe you have low self-esteem and don't always feel very good about yourself or think you're important.

Sometimes a kid will have low self-esteem if his mother or father doesn't encourage him enough or if there is a lot of yelling at home. Other times, a kid's self-esteem can be hurt in the classroom. A teacher may make a kid feel dumb or perhaps there is a bully who says hurtful things.

For some kids, classes at school can seem so hard that they can't keep up or get the grades they'd hoped for. This can make them feel bad about themselves and hurt their self-esteem. Their self-esteem will improve when a teacher, tutor, or counselor encourages them, is patient, and helps them get back on track with learning. When they start to do well, their self-esteem will skyrocket!

And there are some kids who have good self-esteem but then something happens to change that. For example:

If a kid moves and doesn't make friends right away at the new school, he or she might start to feel bad.
A kid whose parents divorce also may find that this can affect self-esteem. He or she may feel unlovable or to blame for the divorce.
A kid who feels too fat or too thin may start thinking that means he or she isn't good enough.
Even going through the body changes of puberty - something that everybody does - can affect a kid's self-esteem.

©1995-2006 The Nemours Foundation. All rights reserved.

self esteem : What Is Self-Esteem?

2006-06-04T23:46:00.000-07:00

You can't touch it, but it affects how you feel. You can't see it, but it's there when you look at yourself in the mirror. You can't hear it, but it's there every time you talk about yourself. What is this important but mysterious thing? It's your self-esteem!

What Is Self-Esteem?
To understand self-esteem, it helps to break the term into two words. Let's take a look at the word esteem first. Esteem (say: ess-teem) is a fancy word for thinking that someone or something is important or valuing that person or thing. For example, if you really admire your friend's dad because he volunteers at the fire department, it means you hold him in high esteem. And the special trophy for the most valuable player on a team is often called an esteemed trophy. This means the trophy stands for an important accomplishment.

And self means, well, yourself! So put the two words together and it's easier to see what self-esteem is. It's how much you value yourself and how important you think you are. It's how you see yourself and how you feel about your achievements.

Self-esteem isn't bragging about how great you are. It's more like quietly knowing that you're worth a lot (priceless, in fact!). It's not about thinking you're perfect - because nobody is - but knowing that you're worthy of being loved and accepted.

Why Self-Esteem Is Important
Self-esteem isn't like a cool pair of sneakers that you'd love to have but don't have to have. A kid needs to have self-esteem. Good self-esteem is important because it helps you to hold your head high and feel proud of yourself and what you can do. It gives you the courage to try new things and the power to believe in yourself. It lets you respect yourself, even when you make mistakes. And when you respect yourself, adults and other kids usually respect you, too.

Having good self-esteem is also the ticket to making good choices about your mind and body. If you think you're important, you'll be less likely to follow the crowd if your friends are doing something dumb or dangerous. If you have good self-esteem, you know that you're smart enough to make your own decisions. You value your safety, your feelings, your health - your whole self! Good self-esteem helps you know that every part of you is worth caring for and protecting.

©1995-2006 The Nemours Foundation. All rights reserved.

self esteem : Building Self Esteem

2006-06-02T03:11:00.000-07:00

Low self esteem can make many things difficult. You blame yourself for things that aren't your fault; you underestimate your abilities, and you expect things to go wrong for you.This gentle yet powerful hypnosis download will build your self esteem by helping you...

Be fair to yourself
Be more objective about your good qualities
Feel better about your self
Be more confident in your abilities
Be calm when you think about yourself and your future
Think more positively
So why not give it a try?

Help yourself appreciate yourself more, feel better about yourself and improve your confidence.

Building your self esteem will affect all areas of your life - work, social and most importantly, your relationship with yourself.

It is a wonderful feeling to be reminded of your good qualities; one that can carry you through difficult times, improve your self confidence and make you feel more sure of yourself.

2006 Uncommon Knowledge Ltd. All Rights Reserved

self esteem : Sorry Dr Maslow

2006-06-02T02:58:00.000-07:00

Abstract: This article makes the claim that Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs does not give Self-Esteem a high enough priority Sorry sir, while I respect your work, I think you got it wrong....

In the 1950s Abraham Maslow wrote a book entitled "Motivation and Personality" in which he outlined his now famous 'Hierarchy of Needs.'

Over the years since its introduction that model has gained wide acceptance as a tool in understanding motivation. It has been used in areas as diverse as Marketing and Christian Evangelism as well as Psychology.

Maslow rightly holds a place of high regard in many circles.

However, I do believe, that when it comes the sequence of needs Maslow got it wrong... at least in the position in which he places Self-Esteem.

According to Maslow, the order of the Hierarchy of Needs ran in the following ascending order basic survival needs, safety and security needs relationship needs Self-Esteem self-actualisation.

Diagramatically, Maslow's Hierarchy is represented by a triangle with 5 'layers' reading from the base to the apex.

I want to suggest a change.

I would rather place the need for Self-Esteem at the very base of the hierarchy, even before the basic physiological needs of food and water.

Why?

I firmly believe that unless the self-esteem needs of people are met there is a strong chance that they may even arrive at the point where they ignore their need for the basic necessities of life.

Take, for example, a person suffering from one of the eating disorders that affect some young people. I suggest that the problem which manifests itself in those disorders stems from the fact that those people do not an appropriate level of Self-Esteem. They feel the need to be something other than what they are in order to be more acceptable.

Depression is another example. People suffering this terrible condition often draw back from their interactions with other people and thereby ignore their relationship needs. But even more basic than that, they might also become oblivious to the dangers associated with situations into which they put themselves; like walking across busy roadways without bothering to consider oncoming traffic etc. As a result their safety needs don't get taken into consideration.

Again I suggest some, not necessarily all, of the underlying causes of depression relate to the person's level of Self-Esteem.

I would even go so far as to say Self-Esteem needs that go unfulfilled form the basis of the majority of problems people in our modern western world face in life today

So, if your life has not turned out the way you had hoped; if the worldly success coming your way leaves you unfulfilled; if you look to the future with disillusion because you can only look back at the past in disappointment; if life means endurance rather than enjoyment... there is every likelihood the underlying issue relates to your need for higher levels of Self-Esteem.

Big call. Yes I know.

And if you think I overstepped the mark in my revision of Maslow's Hierarchy, I admit that I am working from a different understanding of Self-Esteem from Maslow.

Maslow understood Self-Esteem as "strength, achievement,competency and mastery, confidence in the face of the world, the desire for reputation and prestige, status, fame and glory, dominance, recognition"

I came to my understanding of Self-Esteem by reading the writings of people whose reseach into the concept of Self-Esteem has continued for the half a century since Maslow's ground-breaking work. In that time, as you might expect, constant work has led to a certain amount of refinement and development of Maslow's original concepts.

For me, Self-Esteem relates to your belief that you have the capacity to achieve whatever you consider worthwhile and the sense of being worthy to benefit from the results produced by those efforts. I believe much of what Dr Maslow calls Self-Esteem belongs more appropriately in the area of relationship needs. From his list of attributes of a person with Self-Esteem it is my position that only the aspect of confidence can really stake any claim for consideration as a component of Self-Esteem.

Perhaps Maslow's understanding of Self-Esteem led to the popular idea that some people have so much Self-Esteem they become absolutely unbearable!

Such an eventuality is, in my considered opinion, not likely. Rather, I believe those people who display an attitude which can be best described by the phrase "full of themselves" actually operate from behind a front, attempting to hide a sense of Self-Esteem that is, in reality, sadly lacking.

http://www.more-selfesteem.com/maslow.htm

The relation between chosen role models and the self-esteem of men and women

2006-05-29T10:00:00.000-07:00

Self-esteem has been found to correlate negatively with poor outcomes that range from eating disorders, to anxiety and depression, to gang membership (Harter, 1999; Mruk, 1999; Orvaschel, Beeferman, & Kabacoff, 1997; Shisslak, Crago, Renger, & Clark-Wagner, 1998; Wang, 1994). One factor found to be associated with individuals' levels of self-esteem is the absence or presence of role models (Mack, Schultz, & Araki, 2002; Ochman, 1996; Pettus, 2001). In the present study we focused on the relation between the sex of an individual's chosen role models, the self-perceived difference of the role model to the self on character traits, and the individual's self-esteem.

Self-esteem can be defined simply as the way individuals feel about themselves (Steinberg, 1999). Self-esteem is also viewed as the difference between the real self and the ideal self (Pettus, 2001). If people are similar to the ideal they want to reach, they are more likely to have higher self-esteem than if they consider themselves to be far from their goal (Pettus, 2001). It has been noted that perceived inconsistencies between one's actual and ideal self-concepts are important because failure to attain an ideal may lead to serious negative outcomes (Harter, 1999). Cooper-smith (1987) suggested that the broader construct of self-esteem can be further divided into four subtypes: school/academic, home/parent, peer/social, and general self-esteem. The need to study multiple domains of self-esteem, particularly for women, has been documented by other researchers (e.g., Knox, Funk, Elliott, & Bush, 1998).

Given that self-esteem may be considered as the difference between the real self and the ideal self, it is important to identify role models and their demographic and character traits. One characteristic of role models that may impact an individual's self-esteem is the sex of the chosen role model. Some research suggests that same-sex role models may have a more positive impact on self-esteem than other-sex role models (Ochman, 1996; Trankina, 1992). Using storybook characters to represent role models, Ochman (1996) found that third graders with same-sex role models had higher self-esteem than those with other-sex role models. Replication of these findings using actual, rather than assigned, role models would further clarify the impact that sex of chosen role models has on self-esteem. Similar findings show that the presence of same-sex role models is associated with higher self-esteem among college-aged women and predicts women's career salience and nontraditional career choices (Hackett, Esposito, & O'Halloran, 1989). Successful female role models may give younger women the self-efficacy to fulfill their own career goals.

In two studies of sex of participant and sex of role model, women were found to be more influenced by their mothers and their female friends than were men (Basow & Howe, 1980). In contrast, both men and women were influenced equally by male role models. Thus, men were more likely than women to choose same-sex role models and, although women were more likely to choose female role models than men were, they were not less likely to choose male role models. Although these findings shed light on the choice of role models by women and men, the researchers did not examine how these choices relate to self-esteem.
Sex Roles: A Journal of Research, April, 2004 by Kathryn E. Wohlford, John E. Lochman, Tammy D. Barry

how women business owners can conquer low self-esteem [2]

2006-05-29T09:58:00.000-07:00

Jennifer Read Hawthorne, co-author of Chicken Soup for the Woman's Soul, believes that learning to like and even love yourself is a lifelong process. "You can surround yourself with competent leaders, but you can never really compensate for low self-esteem. Sooner or later, you will be discovered." Hawthorne recommends several tactics for boosting self-esteem:

1. MAKE SURE YOUR BUSINESS IS YOUR PASSION. Your low self-esteem could be tied to not following your heart.

2. ASSOCIATE WITH PEOPLE WHO SEEM GENUINELY HAPPY. Happy people are usually at peace with themselves.

3. ASK FOR HELP. Don't try to work on your issues alone.

Warwick agrees it's important for women to pursue their passions and also believes women need to manage their expectations. The perspective that "only perfection is good enough" limits advancement in both business and life.

"Re-examine what you think of as 'good enough.' For many high-achievers, the concept of basic competence has mutated into flawless performance," says Warwick. "Take a deep breath sometimes, and stop when something is 80 percent or 90 percent perfect, then start on the next adventure. It's enormously liberating."

Anderson says the turning point for overcoming her own self-esteem issues began in college, when she started joining groups that interested her. "I had to move past my insecurities and live the life I knew I was capable of living." In business, getting involved and meeting people is still her best strategy.

"Get to know people [with] similar interests," Anderson suggests. "If you find them fascinating, you must be pretty fascinating yourself."

Self-respect: Cynthia Anderson overcame confidence issues to build her company's sales to more than $1 million.

WOMAN OF THE YEAR: DO you know an entrepreneur who deserves to be recognized for her accomplishments? (Maybe it's you?) OPEN: The Small Business Network From American Express & Entrepreneur magazine's Woman of the Year Contest will honor one outstanding woman entrepreneur as Woman of the Year. For more details and to enter, visit www.entrepreneur.com/womanoftheyear. The deadline for entry is August 31, 2005.

ALIZA PILA, SHERMAN (www.mediaegg.com) is an author, freelance writer and speaker specializing in women's issues.
COPYRIGHT 2005 Entrepreneur Media, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group

how women business owners can conquer low self-esteem

2006-05-29T09:55:00.000-07:00

IF SELF-ESTEEM is getting in the way of your business, how do you change your outlook? And is low self-esteem something women deal with more than men? Jennifer Warwick, a women's career strategist and coach in Los Angeles, doesn't believe that only women experience low self-esteem, but she points out that women do tend to be much more open than men about their self-esteem issues.

"Women are encouraged to build intimate and complex relationships, and part of building trust includes being vulnerable and sharing your flaws," Warwick explains. "So it's no surprise that self-esteem is often seen as a more 'feminine' issue, especially in business."

For Cynthia Anderson, 36, president of CD Anderson, an accounting firm in Raleigh, North Carolina, her teen years marked a decline in her confidence. "I had acne and was very thin. This kept me from pursuing activities I would have enjoyed and kept me in a corner. I was ashamed of who I was."

Today, Anderson has been in business about two years and already projects revenues of over $1 million. Business success, however, can only boost your self-esteem so much. "Women tend to dwell on their insecurities more than men," says Anderson. "We expect a lot from ourselves, and when we can't be everything to everyone, we beat ourselves up."

"All that self-reliance can be isolating," says Warwick. "And isolation further undermines self-esteem."

Warwick suggests women entrepreneurs take a realistic look at their support systems. "Good friends and trusted advisors are essential and will hold your dream for you, even when you may doubt it," Warwick advises. "You must also be willing to let go of those who are not supportive of the dream."
Entrepreneur, August, 2005 by Aliza Pilar Sherman

Audio Player Features 128 MB Memory

2006-05-16T21:23:00.000-07:00

Intel Corporation today introduced a portable digital audio player that provides up to four hours of music programming and more than 20 hours of spoken-word audio. The new product is equipped with 128 MB of memory for storing digital audio in MP3 and Windows* Media Audio (WMA) formats.

The Intel® Pocket Concert™ Audio Player can be used with the optional Intel® Audio Accessory Kit that includes a home stereo dock and car audio adapter so consumers have more ways to access, use and enjoy their music.

"The Intel Pocket Concert Audio Player is designed to deliver longer playing times, better sound quality and the ability to enjoy music in a more versatile format now and in the future," said Don Whiteside, general manager of the Intel Connected Products Division. "Bringing Intel technology to the emerging portable digital audio market will provide consumers with trusted brand option and an enhanced audio experience."

The Intel Pocket Concert Audio Player is the latest example in the company's effort to extend the value of the home PC and the Internet by creating a broad range of exciting new products. In addition to the audio player, Intel manufactures PC cameras, the Intel® Play™ line of PC-enhanced toys, the Intel® Wireless Series family of PC peripherals and the Intel AnyPoint™ Home Network.

Intel Pocket Concert Audio Player Key Features
Housed in a durable, brushed aluminum case with blue-accented frame and weighing less than four ounces, the Intel Pocket Concert Audio Player is small enough to fit inside a shirt pocket. Because there are no moving parts, the audio player performs well even when the user is on the move. The audio player is powered by two AAA batteries, which deliver about 10 hours of continuous playback.

Memory: The audio player has 128 MB of on-board Intel® StrataFlash™ memory and plays up to four hours of music and more than 20 hours of spoken-word audio. Intel StrataFlash requires less power to operate and helps conserve battery life. StrataFlash also allows twice the memory support in less space, reducing overall system costs.
Big Sound Quality: An amplifier with 11mW power provides clear, loud sound at a very low noise and distortion rating of 0.04 percent THD+N @ 1 kHz. This power output quality is similar to popular consumer stereos. The player also comes with behind-the-neck headphones featuring neodymium drivers to help deliver higher-quality sound.
Programmable for Today and Tomorrow: At launch, the Intel Pocket Concert Audio Player will support MP3 and WMA music formats. The player's firmware is re-programmable, permitting compatibility with future music file formats and music purchased over the Internet.
Universal Serial Bus (USB): The player features a USB connection for fast transfer rates and quick connectivity and setup to the PC.
FM Radio: The Intel Pocket Concert Audio Player also incorporates a FM radio capable of storing up to 10 preset stations for versatile music enjoyment.
Design: The player features a sleek shape, durable brushed aluminum body and ABS chassis. Easy-to-use buttons and scroll wheel help operate the player. The user can also set 17 levels of bass and treble equalization for customized sound.

©2006 Intel Corporation

Digital Audio Essentials

2006-05-16T01:45:00.000-07:00

Book description
Join the digital audio revolution! Whether it's downloading music, ripping CDs, organizing, finding, and creating higher quality music files, buying music players and accessories, or constructing a home stereo system, Digital Audio Essentials helps you get it done. For music enthusiasts, digital archivists, amateur musicians, and anyone who likes a good groove.
Full Description

Join the digital audio revolution! Tens of millions of users are embracing digital music, and with Digital Audio Essentials, you can, too. Nearly every personal computer built in the last few years contains a CD-burning drive; MP3 and other portable player sales dominate the consumer electronics industry; and new networkable stereo equipment lets you use your digital music collection to power your home entertainment system.

Whether it's downloading music, ripping CDs, organizing, finding, and creating higher quality music files, buying music players and accessories, or constructing a home stereo system, Digital Audio Essentials helps you do get it done.

An indispensable reference for music enthusiasts, digital archivists, amateur musicians, and anyone who likes a good groove, Digital Audio Essentials helps you avoid time-consuming, costly trial and error in downloading audio files, burning CDs, converting analog music to digital form, publishing music to and streaming from the Web, setting up home stereo configurations, and creating your own MP3 and other audio files. The book--for both Mac and PC users--includes reliable hardware and software recommendations, tutorials, resources, and file sharing, and it even explains the basics of the DMCA and intellectual property law.

You may (or may not) already know the basics of ripping CDs or downloading music, but Fries will show you so much more--including advice on the multitude of MP3 players on the market, stereo options, file formats, quality determinations, and the legalities of it all. Both a timely, entertaining guide and an enduring reference, this is the digital audio handbook you need to make the most of your expanding digital music collection.

© 2006, O'Reilly Media, Inc.
All trademarks and registered trademarks appearing on oreilly.com are the property of their respective owners.

Shopping for home theater systems

2006-05-13T20:40:00.000-07:00

Shopping for home theater systems can be a huge challenge. Whether you are a beginner or looking to fine-tune your existing system, there are thousands of home theater options to consider.

Home Theater Focus has been put together by a team of experts to help consumers make informed decisions before buying home theater systems or components.

On this site you can learn about home theater basics, components, installation and and all the most popular home theater accessories.

We are also happy to answer your questions through our Home Theater mailbag. And for a wide-ranging discussion of reviews, tips and tales related to home theater systems, be sure to visit the Home Theater Focus forum to share your views and questions with other home theater lovers!

http://www.hometheaterfocus.com/

PEAK PROFIT ROULETTE

2006-05-10T21:30:00.000-07:00

My name is Izak Matatya, and roulette is my passion. If you’re determined to beat the odds and make money at this game, I can show you how. I know you’re sceptic, but let me tell you how I was able to perfect my no-fail, winning roulette strategies.

I am a mathematician, a philosopher, and a gambler. I have been playing the game of roulette for most of my adult life, and over the years have tested every roulette system imaginable. Some of them were completely useless, others worked inconsistently. I found nothing I was totally happy with. So, during years of defeat and frustration, I learned what works and what does not work.

By trial and error I discovered that the best chance for success at the roulette table is by concentrating on the Columns and Dozens where the payoff is 2 to 1. Even-money wagers don’t hold as much promise for substantial profits and inside number bets are too risky.

First I developed a basic Dozens system, then I gradually worked out procedures for specific table conditions. My winning methods do not consist of one single system. I use a number of different approaches, depending on circumstances. I eventually perfected the right formula - casinos haven’t made any money off me since then. I did not develop these strategies for the purpose of selling them. They were meant strictly for my own use, so I could stop contributing to the casinos coffers.

It was my friend, Tony R Frank of Let’s Talk Winning, who suggested I reveal my winning methods in a manuscript, complete with graphs and charts, and make them available to other roulette players. Tony convinced me that others would want to profit from my knowledge. Since ending every roulette session with a profit is my ultimate goal, we call my methods Peak Profit Roulette

You will agree it's the perfect title, especially after you see how my methods combine with unique money-management techniques to produce those peak profits. Let me caution you however, this is not a quick-read, three-page report. You will receive a comprehensive 98-page 8½" x 11" book. Learning my methods takes a few hours, but it will be well worth your time and effort. I guarantee it!

Peak Profit Roulette is based on betting on Dozens only, giving you 2 for 1 payouts. The main idea is to bet on repeating Dozens. That means, if number 21 came up, you will bet on Dozen 2 on your next bet. If the next number is 36, you will bet on Dozen 3. The amounts of the bets will vary, according to decision patterns. By pattern I mean to bet according to a specific decision sequence. It's all explained in detail; you will know exactly what to do in every situation.

Much is written by mathematicians about there being no such thing as a winning gambling system. It's true, mathematically, there is no betting system that has beaten the casinos over very long runs. If one would play say 100,000 consecutive spins in Roulette (although I haven't seen anyone who has done so yet), the losses would equal the game’s fixed house percentage of 5.26% (on the American ‘00’ wheel). This is a mathematical fact.

Since I happen to be a mathematician as well as a gambler, I can tell you the gambler's approach is quite different from that of the mathematician’s. Knowing the mathematical realities, I provide graphic charts, showing the ups and downs. Those up and down waves cut the zero axis quite a few times. That means, the player will always have the opportunity to quit on the positive side whenever the graph exceeds the zero level.

The fundamental principle to winning with my systems is quite simple. For every session, I set my profit limit to say $1,000 and my losses to half the amount, that is to $500. Having fixed my profit and loss limits, if I play 10 sessions over a period of a few days, in the worst case I would be losing 6 sessions and winning 4 sessions. So my profit would be $1,000 X 4 = $4,000 and my losses would be $500 X 6 = $3,000, still ending up with a profit of $1000. In good times, I would win 8 sessions and lose two sessions out of 10. That would give me ($1,000 X 8) - ($500 X 2), or $8,000 minus $1,000 equals $7,000 profit!

The astute gambler’s approach adds quite a twist to the mathematician's calculations. Mathematics do not take into account a strong determination to win, confidence, a positive attitude, and most important, self-discipline. With all this, you can't lose, no matter what the mathematicians say. I know this from years of experience, and I prove it by the results I get.

I invite you to order the Peak Profit Roulette book now. The low price of $169 is a negligible amount, when you consider all the money you are not going to lose to the casinos any longer. The book is packed with 92 pages of information. This large document is now available by email for $169 only. If you would like it to be mailed to you, add $10 for first-class postage and handling.

Join me, and you’ll be a winning roulette player for life!

by Izak Matatya

The Asian Grill Restaurant

2006-05-07T21:41:00.000-07:00

This great little restaurant is one of Maine's culinary gems, comparing favorably to Asian restaurants in the greater Washington, DC area. Housed in a small, unpretentious buildingm the Asian Grill Restaurant is proof that you can't judge a book by its cover. The building is nondescript; the food definitely is not. In my opinion, it's the best Asian food in the area.

Pros
Extensive variety of Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese, and Korean food
Great flavors and presentation
Moderate prices
Cons
Nondescript building
Description
19 appetizers ($4.25 - $7.95), 8 salads ($2.00 - $10.95), 11 soups ($2.00 - $11.95)
3 fried rice dishes ($7.95 - $10.95), 5 vegetarian dishes ($7.95), 4 curry dishes ($7.95 - $10.95)
22 entrees ($7.95 - $12.95) plus 20 Chef's Specials ($10.95 - $13.95)
Sushi ($2.95 - $4.95 for 6 pieces, or $14.95 - $15.95 for combos), including Maki and Nigiri
Lunch Specials (meat or fish dish) with rice, 2 crab rangoons, 2 Thai rolls, Asian salad, and soup
From Portland, take I-295 to Brunswick coastal route. Asian Grill is on left at 164 Pleasant St
Hours: Open 7 days a week from 11:00 am to 10:00 pm
Spice can be altered according to your preferences. No MSG
Beer and wine are available
Guide Review - The Asian Grill Restaurant
I've been to the Asian Grill dozens of times, but I can never resist the delicious Won Ton Soup. The Thai version of this old standby, not to be confused with Chinese Won Ton Soup, is a flavorful clear broth filled with tiny pieces of perfectly cooked fresh broccoli, scallions, shredded carrots, and cabbage. The dumplings are tasty bits of marinated chicken, pork, and vegetables wrapped in a wonton, all topped with finely chopped crispy garlic. Delightful!
The Vietnamese Rolls contain a savory mixed with ground pork, onions, carrots and clear noodle wrapped in rice paper and lightly fried, served with a clear Vietnamese sauce topped with tiny pieces of crushed peanuts. Other rolls include Shumai (Korean) with marinated chicken and shrimp; Spring Rolls (Thai) with mixed vegetables, served with sweet and sour sauce; and Summer Rolls (Vietnamese), with rice noodles, shrimp, lettuce and carrots wrapped in rice paper.

It would take a long time to explore the Asian Grill's entire menu; even more so because the Pad Thai is so excellent that I have trouble ordering any other entree. The stir-fried rice noodles with eggs, bean sprouts, scallions, and ground peanuts can be ordered with vegetables, tofu, chicken, pork, beef, shrimp, squid, scallops or other seafood for $7.95 - $9.95.

The owner, Ahn, is friendly and welcoming and has an uncanny ability to remember names of regular customers and the dishes they like to order. She'll make you feel welcome. The food will make you return.

©2006 About, Inc., A part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.

A WORLD OF RISK ON LAND, SEA AND INLAND WATERWAYS

2006-05-03T20:05:00.000-07:00

Ocean marine insurance is the "unsung hero"

Although ocean marine insurance does not receive the kind of attention given to life, health, automobile and homeowners business, nevertheless it is a highly significant sector in world commerce. It has also been around longer than any other form of insurance and has the deserved reputation of being the forerunner of the insurance concept.

Ironically, looking at all that's been written in the general press about the Hurricane Katrina disaster, it's hard to find any specific mention of marine insurance, even though there are vivid descriptions of the costly losses to properties such as the oil rigs and gaming boats that are covered by marine underwriters.

This is not to criticize the enormous print, radio and TV attention given to the disaster of Katrina, because the emphasis was where it belonged: the horrendous devastation of the Gulf Coast, and the awful toll of death, human suffering and dislocation.

The reason for the near anonymity of ocean marine insurance is probably that it operates in a sphere that hardly arouses the attention of the general public or even the more sophisticated business leadership. Most people are probably unaware of the extent of waterborne commerce in the United States, both in international trade and on inland lakes and rivers. That lack of awareness may include many in the insurance business.

However, because the Gulf ports are such an integral part of American ocean commerce and the oil rigs and pipelines are so vital to our energy supply, those losses and the insurance coverage to help restore normality should have drawn more attention.

Also exposed to loss and covered by marine underwriters are piers, cargo awaiting distribution, storage buildings and vessels. Marine insurers also insure those very important tourist centers, the gaming ships (floating casinos), which are structured atop barges. The moored facilities off the shores of New Orleans, Biloxi, and other Louisiana and Mississippi locations generated nearly $1.5 billion in revenue in 2004, according to a story in The New York Times. These losses may add to marine insurers' woes if they sold the product referred to as "trade disruption," a relatively new coverage similar to business interruption insurance.

by Levy, Emanuel

These 3 Books

2006-04-28T23:07:00.000-07:00

Read The Psychology Of Wealth.

Even if you have the best tools and
strategies available in order to make
money, it will be almost impossible
to achieve true wealth and financial
freedom without the correct mindset
and attitude.

Read The Mechanics Of Wealth.

This book is about putting your money
to work in both the share and real estate
markets. Book 2 is the 'How To' part of
wealth creation and explores all that
you need to know to become successful
in real estate, stock markets and trading.

Read The Essentials Of Wealth.

This book describes in great detail what
you must do in order to make wealth
happen. It takes you through the
journey that begins to free your mind,
because what you focus on is the only
thing that can expand to become
your reality.

Read these 3 books now. Apply it in
YOUR life and see yourself becoming a
wealthier person.

What are you waiting for?

I'm recommending it. Get it at:

http://www.thewealthtrilogies.com

Warmest regards,

Patric Chan
CEO, eSuccessMastery.com

motivation

--