SELF ESTEEM

CONCEPT,
SIGNIFICANCE
and
DEVELOPING
SELF ESTEEM
 I
My s
el f
I will do it
I`ll try to do it
Yes I Did it!
I BELIEVE
IN ME !
Bandura (1995) defined the concept
of self-esteem as the “belief in one’s
capabilities to organize execute the
courses of action required in
managing prospective situations.”
 Self-esteem stems from the
experience of living consciously and
might be viewed as a person’s overall
judgment of himself or herself
pertaining to self-competence and self
worth based on reality.
(Reasoner, 2000)
 • The disposition to experience
oneself as being competent to cope
with basic challenges of life and of
being worthy of happiness
(Branden, 1969)
The reputation we acquire with ourselves
Confidence in the efficacy of our mind, in our
ability to think
Confidence in our ability to learn, make
appropriate choices and decisions and respond
effectively to change.
Experience success, achievement and
fulfillment are right and natural for us (Self-
respect)
 6 Basic
CONCEPTS of
Self Esteem
By
“The Self Esteem Work Book”,
Glenn Schiraldi, PhD
IDENTITYYour sense of identity
 can be found through
asking the question,
“Who am I?” 
Some people may respond
to this question with
words such as: mother,
husband, writer, student,
or son.  
These are all labels that we affix
to ourselves as being part
of who we are. These labels
provide us with a sense of who
we are, across different contexts
and in different situations.
 APPRECIATION
This relates to our ability to value,
enjoy, and express gratitude for
what we have: personal strengths,
accomplishments, and relationships. 
ACCEPTANCE:
This involves one’s ability
to receive  things from others
in a favorable way. 
Self-confidence
This refers to a general belief in
your own abilities and is related to
competence and Self efficacy.  As we
become more competent in different
areas of life, the result is a natural rise
in confidence.  The trick is that in
order to become more competent, we
have to be willing to take
the risk involved in trying new things
and persisting in the face of defeat or
adversity.
 Humility
Two types of humility: Self-defeating humility and
Healthy humility.  Self-defeating humility involves
a total lack of self-respect – the sense that oneself is
worthless, spineless, or contemptible.  Sometimes
people choose to ruminate excessively, which can
lead to a sense of self-defeating humility.  Dwelling
on painful events from the past or unpleasant truths
about the self rarely solves anything..
 SELFISHNESS
Some people confuse self-esteem with being
selfish.  The true purpose of self-esteem is to 
transcend the self, not to excessively focus on the
self.  It is not “selfish” to feel proud of yourself
when do something great, nor is it “selfish” to feel
that you deserve love or respect. 
 
 SELFISHNESS
The point is to remember that balance is an
intrinsic aspect of healthy self-esteem.  Too much
selfishness leads to arrogance, entitlement, and
lack of compassion for others.  Too little
selfishness leads to allows oneself to be used by
others, acting against one’s own best interest, and
missing out on deserved opportunities.  
The significance
Of
self esteem
 Self-esteem refers to a person's
beliefs about their own worth and
value. It also has to do with the
feelings people experience that
follow from their sense of
worthiness or unworthiness.
Self-esteem is a significant aspect of
self development which heavily
influences people's choices and
decisions. In other words, self-esteem
serves a motivational function by
making it more or less likely that
people will take care of themselves
and explore their full potential.
 Dimensions of Self-Esteem:
High vs. Low Self-esteem

Self-esteem is thought of as occurring on a continuum,

meaning that it is thought to smoothly vary in amount or
magnitude from low to high across different individuals.
Some people have higher self-esteem, while other people
have lower self-esteem. The differences between these
people are not obvious, but instead are apparent only
through comparison of their thoughts and feelings about
their worth.
HIGH self esteem
High self esteem means that you believe in
yourself and know that you are a great
addition to this world. You recognize that
you might have a few weaknesses, but you
also have a lot of strengths which really
shape up who you are. Your glass is always
“half full”.  
 People with high self-
esteem are also people
who are motivated to
take care of themselves
and to persistently strive
towards the fulfillment of
personal goals and
aspirations.
Low self esteem
Low self esteem means that you don’t believe
in yourself. Often you compare yourself to
other people, and find that you ‘don’t
measure up’, which is discouraging. You
tend to focus on your weaknesses, and don’t
focus on your strengths. Your glass is always
“half empty”.
 High vs. Low Self-esteem
High Self Esteem Low Self Esteem

Seeks challenge and stimulation Seeks the safety of familiar and

undemanding

Ambitious Aspire and achieve less

Strong desire to express self Urgent need to “prove” self

Open, Honest, and appropriate Lack of clarity and honesty in

communications communications

Form of nourishing relationships Form destructive relationships

Willingness to admit mistakes Hostility, blame and defensive mind

set
Developing Self esteem
1. Learn self-esteem. 
Self-esteem, or the way we feel about ourselves, is an important
aspect of our emotional well-being. High self-esteem means that
we love and accept ourselves for the way we are, and generally
feel satisfied most of the time. Low self-esteem means that we
are not happy with the way we are.

2. Evaluate your self-esteem. 

Knowing that you have low self-esteem is the first step to
improving and overcoming that mental habit. You may have low
self-esteem if you have negative thoughts about yourself. These
thoughts can revolve around one specific trait, such as your
weight or body image, or it can encompass many areas of your
life, career, and relationships.
 3. Listen to your inner voice
  When you have thoughts about yourself,
determine whether they are positive or
negative. If you have trouble evaluating this
or noticing a pattern, try writing down
thoughts you have about yourself every day
for a few days or a week. Then look at the
statements for patterns or tendencies.
 4. Investigate the source of your
lowered self-esteem
  No one has inherently low self-esteem from
birth; it generally builds from childhood due to
needs not being met, negative feedback from
others, or due to a major negative life event.
Knowing the source of your self-esteem
problems can help you overcome them.
5. Set a goal to improve your self-esteem. 
The key to developing self-esteem is to turn
your inner voice from a negative, critical voice to
a positive, encouraging voice. Ultimately, you
will have to decide to put in the work of re-
framing the way you think about yourself. Setting
an initial goal to be more positive about yourself
will put you on the path to greater self-
confidence.