While dismissing its importance is sometimes easy, positive personal regard is crucial.
It can be the difference between feeling good about and taking care of yourself and not.
But what exactly does that really mean in everyday life?
Verywell / Laura Porter
Simply put, having higher self-esteem is vital toa successful, happy life.
But how exactly do you know if your self-esteem is high enough?
What Is Self-Esteem, Exactly?
Self-esteem is giving respect and admiration to yourself.
It’s also related to how you feel others view, treat, and value you.
Self-esteem isn’t dependent entirely on one thing or set of thoughts.
Self-Esteem vs. Depression
Note, too, thatlow self-esteem is not the same as depression.
What It Means to Have High Self-Esteem
High self-esteem means generally holding yourself in positive regard.
This doesn’t mean you love everything about yourself or think you are perfect.
High self-esteem can also fluctuate depending on the circumstance.
Strong self-respect lets you see beyond yourself and feel confident of your place in the world.
How you perceive yourself may be the deciding factor in how you feel about yourself.
Signs of High Self-Esteem
How do you know if you have high self-esteem?
Conversely, someone with low self-esteem is more likely to become entrenched in negative feelings about themself.
Self-Esteem and Stress
How you experience stress is also strongly related to your level of self-esteem.
Social interactions, attention,emotional regulation, decision-making, and life satisfaction are all impacted by lower self-image.
This combination can make people with low self-esteem more reactive to day-to-day circumstances and personal interactions.
Susceptibility to Depression
The link between low self-esteem and mental health conditions is particularly strong.
Interestingly, research shows convincingly that poor self-esteem contributes todepression, rather than the reverse.
This means that depression doesn’t create low self-regard.
Instead, thinking poorly of yourself makes you more vulnerable to depression.
If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.
For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.
Additionally, improvements in self-esteem are shown to be helpful in therecovery from addiction.
For example, research has also found a link between low self-esteem and risky sexual behaviors in teens.
Can You Have Too Much Self-Esteem?
An unrealistic or overly elevated self-concept may be as unhealthy as a negative one.
However, it’s important to distinguish between healthy high self-esteem and arrogance.
High self-esteem is not being egotistical, thinking you are infallible, or better than others.
Really, it can be argued that what looks like “too much self-esteem” is actually the opposite.
It’s difficult to take care of yourself if you think poorly of yourself.
Studies show that forgiving yourself for things you regret can also help improve self-esteem.
Essentially, it’s about accepting and loving yourself as you are.
Interestingly, research shows that difficulty accepting compliments is directly correlated with low self-esteem.
Give Yourself a Break
Forgive yourself for mistakes and squash yournegative self-theories and self-talk.
No one is perfect or loves everything about themselves.
Don’t expect that of yourself.
When you start on a negative spiral, ask yourself if you’re being fair to yourself or realistic.
Value the Person You Are
Aim to accept and find worth in who you are right now.
Seek out and feel pride in what makes you unique, happy, and valued.
When you have positive thoughts, aim to amplify them, particularly whenever less favorable thinking pops up.
Then, make a plan to put those changes into action.
Takeaways
High self-esteem is key to life satisfaction.
For some, this frame of mind comes easily, for others it’s more of a struggle.
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