Self-esteem is how we value ourselves – sometimes we may feel positive and confident in ourselves, and other times negative and critical. However at some point in our lives, almost everyone will experience self-doubt and a lack of self-confidence, which at times can have a negative impact. Some individuals may present themselves as very confident, while conversely others can feel not good enough. As a result this can impact different parts of our lives
Is self-confidence different from self-esteem?
Self-confidence differs from self-esteem – even though both terms are used interchangeably. Confidence is linked with the external world and how others see us, how we present ourselves and what we achieve. Self-esteem, however, is more about our own relationship with ourselves and how we feel deep down about who we are.
What causes low self-esteem?
Our self-esteem can be impacted by lots of different things – life experiences perhaps from our childhood, or our relationships, for example with family, friends or who we work with – or indeed the media. Perhaps there are some people in your life that make you feel inadequate or not good about yourself? We can Sometimes there are particular people who make us feel inadequate. Indeed we all have an inner voice, or what can be called our inner critic, who speaks to us consciously and unconsciously. When this inner voice becomes and stays critical, it can drag us down until we cannot have adequate love or esteem for ourselves.
When it makes us feel negative it can have an impact on different parts of our lives, such as our relationships with our loved ones, friends, and work colleagues. Moreover, when low self-esteem becomes a habit or have a long-standing effect, it can affect your relationships with others, knock your confidence, prevent you from asserting yourself and lead to feeling discontented in life and perhaps depression.
