Building One's Self Esteem as an Adult
Building One's Self Esteem as an Adult
I. Adult Self-Esteem Building
Self-Esteem may be defined as a person's judgment about his/her own value and worth. It is also sometimes referred to as a person's self-concept. Self-esteem is reflected in one's self talk, level of self confidence, self image, and personal identity. Healthy self-esteem is an essential foundation for building strong, positive, and meaningful interpersonal relationships. It is also a crucial factor in one's ability to develop his/her own talents and capacities. Low self-esteem produces negative, unwanted emotions and an inability to reach one's full potential. Whether cause or effect, low self-esteem often coexists with mental depression, anxiety, and fatigue.
The National Mental Health Information Center offers the following activities as suggested methods for building or improving self-esteem.
- 1.) Make an afferming list that includes your strengths, things you admire about yourself, your greatest achievements, accomplishments big and small, self rewards, things that make you laugh, things to do to help someone else...
- 2.) Develop some positive affermations to replace negative self talk. For example, "I am a good person." "I'm a caring person." "My friends and family like me." ...
- 3.) Do a manual complimenting exercise. Get together with a person you like and trust. Take five minutes each one at a time. During the five minutes begin complimenting the other person. The next five minutes have that person compliment you. Repeat this often.
A negative self concept is often congruent with unwanted emotions, depression, and an inability to reach one's full potential. If you think you might be experiencing mental depression, contact a mental health professional to obtain an assessment.
Books and Internet Resources:
- Branden, Nathaniel. How to Raise Your Self-Esteem . Bantam Books, New York, N.Y. (1987)
- Smith, Wayne M. Quest for High Self-Esteem . Self-Esteem Publishing. Irving, CA (1996)