I’m important.
I matter.
I’m competent.
I have something to offer.
Though these statements may come easily to some, those with low self-esteem struggle with identifying themselves in this way.
The way one feels about themselves is what’s called self-esteem.
Healthy self-esteem means appreciating oneself, having an accurate view of oneself, recognizing one’s flaws yet maintaining a good opinion of one’s abilities and worth.
Unfortunately, many individuals judge themselves critically, fail to see both the positive and negative aspects of themselves, and repeat in their minds much of the negative comments that they’ve been told. One’s self-esteem is also largely influenced by how one is viewed by significant others, and this may even begin in childhood.
Interestingly, low self-esteem is often mistaken for depression. The symptoms are quite similar and low self-esteem is often an underlying feature of many types of depressive disorders. However, treating self-esteem requires a different set of interventions then does treating a depressive disorder.
Developing one’s self-esteem as an adult is a process that takes time. With the help of a skilled therapist one can start acknowledging their physical and emotional boundaries, and start communicating self-respect and the expectation to be treated well by others.
These boundaries also help one make space in their lives to take care of one’s own basic needs. Self-care as we’ve been told, is paramount to maintaining physical and emotional health, but this can be very difficult for someone with low self-esteem to engage in.
Learning to recognize one’s feelings, working through core issues and learning to tolerate emotional pain are all part of the process of developing self-esteem. It is possible, when one develops healthy boundaries and starts appreciating their worth, that they will see a significant shift in their overall feelings about themselves and in turn begin to treat oneself with more respect, taking care of the basic emotional and physical needs to foster health and wellness.
Our upcoming group program will directly address those individuals who are critical and judgemental of themselves, and who are wanting to develop more self-compassion and ability to stay in the moment. And don’t forget its completely billable to your private health insurance coverage! Register to watch session #1 of Mindfulness Foundations on Tuesday November 10th at 9:30a – FREE of charge HERE.