Self
Esteem
Self-esteem is basically about how you feel about yourself.
The level of your self-esteem will show in the way you behave
and your attitude to life.
Self-esteem is something that affects each person differently.
You will have learnt your first lesson about self-esteem from
your parents and older siblings at a very early age.
Some Facts
You begin forming beliefs about yourself early in life. This
can be from observations of older siblings and adults around
you in your family home.
You look to parents and other important adults for evidence
that you are lovable, smart, capable etc. If you don’t
get this evidence, low self-esteem can develop as a result.
Every human being has a need to feel liked and loved.
Self-esteem affects school success. If you feel good about
yourself and your abilities you are much more likely to do
well in school than children who often think they can’t
do things right. School success in turn, affects your self-esteem.
How you do in school will affect how you feel about yourself
in the future. Children who do poorly in school often think
poorly of themselves. And so the cycle continues…
Self-esteem affects how you relate to other people. If you
feel good about yourself you will tend to have positive relationships
with other people. On the other hand, if you don’t like
yourself you may find yourself having trouble relating to
other people.
Self-esteem affects creativity. Children with low self-esteem
are less likely to take the risks involved in being creative
than children with healthy self-esteem.
Practice
saying these self esteem boosters in front of a mirror
I am a good friend
I can do anything I put my mind to
I am okay
I am proud of myself
My friends and family like me
Tips on How to Raise Self-Esteem
If someone tries to put you down on purpose, Don’t let
them. Dismiss what they say by saying out loud or silently
to yourself, "That's just your view! " or "You're
not trying to put me down are you because it didn’t
work"
To make it even better for your self-esteem, try saying something
like,
"I disagree with your opinion and I know other people
who really know me, they will also disagree."
This technique works better if you make yourself believe what
you say.
To really feel good about yourself, you need to be totally
accepting of yourself and others.
By accepting others it helps us to accept ourselves. When
we love others and open our heart to them, we really like
ourselves. If we are not at peace with ourself, we are not
at peace with others.
Criticising and being impatient and unkind to others creates
barriers between us and others. Stop judging others and it
may help you to stop judging yourself.
Look at yourself in the mirror each morning and repeat:
• Today is going to be a good day.
• I’m feeling more and more confident every
day.
• I am loved and supported by my family and staff
at school.
• I can do anything I put my mind to.
• I’m okay. People like me and I like them.
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