What is self-esteem? And why is it important?
Self-esteem is your overall opinion of yourself — how you feel about your abilities and limitations. When you have healthy self-esteem, you feel good about yourself and see yourself as deserving the respect of others. When you have low self-esteem, you put little value on your opinions and ideas.
Self-esteem influences how you value and respect yourself as a person—it is the opinion that you have of yourself inside and out. It impacts how you take care of yourself, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Self-esteem is about your whole self, not just your body.
How do our relationships with our family impact our self-esteem?
Usually, the family environment plays a large role in shaping the identity of children as they grow into adolescence and become adults. The way family members relate to one another and operate together as a social group can shape a child’s self-esteem, socialization, and cultural identity.
How do our relationships with our friends impact our self-esteem?
Relationships can have a positive or negative impact on our self-esteem. Strong social support and acceptance can translate into having strong self-esteem. You feel good about yourself when those around us treat us well. The reciprocal link between self-esteem and social relationships implies that the effects of a positive feedback loop accumulate over time and can be substantial as people go through life. Not only can social acceptance boost our self-esteem, it can also build a sense of belonging.
How might low self-esteem affect us?
There are risks associated with having lower self-esteem. Having a low opinion of yourself may decrease the likelihood that you’ll take the risks required to grow, thrive, and meet your own potential. This might include missed opportunities to reach for better career, social, emotional, and wellness challenges.
What are things we can do to improve our self-esteem?
– Challenge negative beliefs/self-talk
– Recognize what you are good at
– Be kind to yourself
– Learn assertiveness skills
– Challenge yourself
– Spend time with people that are positive and help you to feel good about yourself
Here at Synergy Counselling, our counsellors are available to support you on this lifelong journey of building a solid and grounded self-esteem. Contact us at admin@synergycounselling.ca or +1 (250) 314 – 0298 to find out more.
Reference: https://cmha.bc.ca/documents/body-image-self-esteem-and-mental-health/