You might be prone to feel jealous of other people’s success and to feel worse about yourself if you suffer from low self-esteem. This is why it’s important to perceive other people’s achievements in a different light. Not only is it unhealthy to let your self-esteem be swayed by what other people are doing; it is also wasteful and unproductive to be jealous of other people’s success. Why Feeling Jealous of Other People’s Success Is Unhealthy It’s been very enlightening to notice the ways in which the success of others – especially writers like myself ­– has, at times, left me feeling jealous of other people’s success and lowered my self-esteem. On social media, I may notice a peer of mine sharing an [...]

There’s a connection between low self-esteem and self-harm as having low self-esteem can sometimes lead to repetitive, destructive habits – including self-harming behavior. It’s important to be aware of why having a warped and negative opinion of yourself can lead to self-harm, as well as take note of the positive coping mechanisms you can adopt when times get tough. Why Can Low Self-Esteem Cause Self-Harm? Self-harm seems to temporarily relieve painful feelings. When you intensely dislike yourself, this is a painful feeling. This is also a feeling that you cannot escape since you are always in your own company. At least if you hate another person, you can avoid them – although, like with low self-esteem, it is healthier to directly address the hatred rather [...]

There are countless roadblocks that you will encounter when you follow a particular career path. Whether you’re setting up a business or developing a skill that you’re passionate about, there can be a lot of hardship involved – you may make disheartening mistakes and be confronted with serious financial struggles. When you commit yourself to an authentic career path, low self-esteem is another major setback you may have to contend with. It can make you give up when the going gets tough, and cause you to doubt your abilities. It’s imperative to shake off this mental baggage so that you can realize your true potential. Low Self-Esteem and Careers  I know from personal experience that when my self-esteem is at its lowest, my [...]

Building self-esteem is often something that requires effort. People may wonder, therefore, what they will actually gain by digesting all of this information and advice on building self-esteem and changing their habits of thought and behavior. Of course, we should promote healthy self-esteem not just because it changes how you see yourself but also because it can drastically improve your life in so many ways. Let’s focus on relationships as an example. Low Self-Esteem in Relationships  Having low self-esteem doesn’t mean you can’t be in a relationship or that no one else can love you. Many of us struggle with low-esteem to varying degrees, from subtle self-criticism to persistent and intense self-hatred. Yet while low self-esteem won’t necessarily exclude us from romantic love, [...]

When people around you are concerned that you have low self-esteem; that you always harshly criticise yourself, they will want to point out all of your likable characteristics and virtues. These comments may come from a place of care and support, and may be just what you need to snap out of negative self-talk. However, there is also a risk of relying on these self-esteem boosts from others in order to feel good about yourself. If you want to gain and maintain a stronger form of self-esteem, it’s vital to determine your own value. The Risk of Being Dependent on Others for Self-Esteem If you want your self-esteem to consistent and reliable, then it shouldn’t have to depend on what other people are [...]

Living with low self-esteem has many negative consequences. It can make you unwilling and unmotivated to achieve what you are capable of, averse to relationships that you deserve, and it can make you vulnerable to depression. In order to protect yourself, it is, therefore, vital to building your self-esteem. However, there are methods for achieving this that can end up fostering other negative outcomes in your life. Building self-esteem can sometimes involve traps. If you want to maximize your well-being and have more positive interactions with people, then it pays to be mindful of these pitfalls. Building Self-Esteem Can Lead to Narcissism Dr Kristin Neff has argued that working on self-compassion is superior to building self-esteem. She points out how the latter can [...]

Anyone who has gone through a rough breakup knows that it can seriously impact your self-esteem. During this difficult time, we can end up convincing ourselves that we are the only ones who have done wrong, focusing on – and exaggerating out of proportion – our negative actions and weaknesses. A breakup can lead us to believe that we are without value. In order to avoid this distorted perspective, it’s important to take a reality check and learn how to build self-esteem after a breakup. How Not to Build Self-Esteem After a Breakup After an intimate relationship comes to an end, it can be accompanied by strong feelings of loneliness. If you haven’t built up your self-esteem before entering a relationship – or [...]

Some psychologists argue that we should focus on practicing self-compassion because it is superior to building self-esteem. Dr Kristin Neff is a well-known proponent of this view. She believes that trying to raise your self-esteem can lead to major downsides, including narcissism, anger and resentment. But while it may be true that we could all benefit from self-compassion and avoid these drawbacks, this doesn’t mean we should ignore self-esteem. It can still play a vital role in our well-being. What the Practice of Self-Compassion Involves  Practising self-compassion means being kind to yourself in difficult situations. It involves speaking to yourself from a place of acceptance, understanding and non-judgment, rather than harsh criticism. Neff emphasizes: It’s important to distinguish self-compassion from self-esteem. Self-esteem refers [...]

Depression and low self-esteem can be closely connected. When you live with low self-esteem for a long time, you may come to believe that you are inherently worthless, and this deep sense of worthlessness is a common symptom of depression. Conversely, if you’ve lived with depression for a long time, your self-esteem can be impacted. Perhaps when the motivation and energy are drained out of you, you lose confidence in your abilities and value. Of course, the relationship between depression and low self-esteem is complex and highly individual. They can occur together and disappear together; or they can reinforce each other by means of a negative feedback loop, with low self-esteem leading to a feeling of hopelessness, which may result in low motivation, [...]

Social media allows us to get a glimpse into the lives of so many people. Unfortunately, constant updates about people’s vacations, weddings, job offers, graduations and newborns don’t always fill us with joy. In fact, being inundated with everyone else’s highlight reel can damage our mental health. Many studies have shown a link between social media use and low self-esteem. For example, a study published this year found that one hour spent on Facebook is associated with a decrease in an individual’s self-esteem score, which authors say is influenced by the social comparisons that people engage in. But there are ways to be mindful of your social media use so that you can protect your self-esteem. Limit your use of social media As [...]