self esteem and self confidence essay

Essay On Self Confidence

500 words essay on self confidence.

Self-confidence refers to the state of mind where a person pushes their boundaries and encourages belief within oneself. It is something which comes from self-love. In order to have confidence in yourself, one must love oneself to get freedom from constant doubt. This essay on self confidence will help you learn more about it in detail.

The Key to Success

It won’t be far-fetched to say that self-confidence is the key to success. If not, it is definitely the first step towards success. When a person has self-confidence, they are halfway through their battle.

People in school and workplaces achieve success by taking more initiatives and being more forward and active in life. Moreover, they tend to make better decisions because of having confidence in oneself.

Thus, it makes them stand out of the crowd. When you stand apart, people will definitely notice you. Thus, it increases your chances of attaining success in life. Alternatively, if there is a person who does not trust or believe in himself, it will be tough.

They will find it hard to achieve success because they will be exposed to failure as well as criticism. Thus, without self-confidence, they may not get back on their feet as fast as someone who possesses self-confidence.

In addition to gaining success, one also enjoys a variety of perks as well. For instance, you can find a job more easily. Similarly, you may find the magnitude of a difficult job lesser than it is.

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Importance of Self Confidence

Self-confidence allows us to face our failure and own up to it in a positive light. Moreover, it helps us to raise many times. This helps instil a quality in use which ensures we do not give up till we succeed.

Similarly, self-confidence instils optimism in us. People who have self-confidence are not lucky, they are smart. They do not rely on others to achieve success , they rely on their own abilities to do that.

While self-confidence is important, it is also important to not become overconfident. As we know, anything in excess can be bad for us. Similarly, overconfidence is also no exception.

When you become overconfident, you do not acknowledge the criticism. When you don’t do that, you do not work on yourself. Thus, it stops your growth. Overlooking all this will prove to be harmful.

So it is essential to have moderation which can let you attain just the right amount of self-confidence and self-love which will assure you success and happiness in life.

Conclusion of the Essay on Self Confidence

All in all, a person will gain self-confidence from their own personal experience and decision. No one speech or conversation can bring an overnight change. It is a gradual but constant process we must all participate in. It will take time but once you achieve it, nothing can stop you from conquering every height in life.

FAQ on Essay on Self Confidence

Question 1: What is the importance of self-confidence?

Answer 1: Self-confidence allows a person to free themselves from self-doubt and negative thoughts about oneself. When you are more fearless, you will have less anxiety . This is what self-confidence can offer you. It will also help you take smart risks and get rid of social anxiety.

Question 2: How do you develop self-confidence paragraph?

Answer 2: To develop self-confidence, one must first look at what they have achieved so far. Then, never forget the things you are good at. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses, so focus on your strengths. Set up some goals and get a hobby as well. Give yourself the pep talk to hype up your confidence.

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What is Self-Esteem? A Psychologist Explains

What is the Meaning of Self-Esteem in Psychology? Definition, examples, research, books, tips, facts, tests, TED-talks and more...

“Believe in yourself.”

That is the message that we encounter constantly, in books, television shows, superhero comics, and common myths and legends.

We are told that we can accomplish anything if we believe in ourselves.

Of course, we know that to be untrue; we cannot accomplish anything in the world simply through belief—if that were true, a lot more children would be soaring in the skies above their garage roof instead of lugging around a cast for a few weeks!

However, we know that believing in yourself and accepting yourself for who you are is an important factor in success, relationships, and happiness and that self-esteem plays an important role in living a flourishing life . It provides us with belief in our abilities and the motivation to carry them out, ultimately reaching fulfillment as we navigate life with a positive outlook.

Various studies have confirmed that self-esteem has a direct relationship with our overall wellbeing, and we would do well to keep this fact in mind—both for ourselves and for those around us, particularly the developing children we interact with.

Before you read on, we thought you might like to download our three Self-Compassion Exercises for free . These detailed, science-based exercises will not only help you show more compassion to yourself but will also give you the tools to enhance the self-compassion of your clients, students or employees and lead them to a healthy sense of self-esteem.

This Article Contains:

What is the Meaning of Self-esteem? A Definition

Self-Esteem and Psychology

Incorporating self-esteem in positive psychology, 22 examples of high self-esteem, 18 surprising statistics and facts about self-esteem, relevant research, can we help boost self-esteem issues with therapy and counseling, the benefits of developing self-esteem with meditation, can you test self-esteem, and what are the problems with assessment, 17 factors that influence self-esteem, the effects of social media, 30 tips & affirmations for enhancing self-esteem, popular books on self-esteem (pdf), ted talks and videos on self-esteem, 15 quotes on self-esteem, a take-home message, what is the meaning of self-esteem.

You probably already have a good idea, but let’s start from the beginning anyway: what is self-esteem?

Self-esteem refers to a person’s overall sense of his or her value or worth. It can be considered a sort of measure of how much a person “values, approves of, appreciates, prizes, or likes him or herself” (Adler & Stewart, 2004).

According to self-esteem expert Morris Rosenberg, self-esteem is quite simply one’s attitude toward oneself (1965). He described it as a “favourable or unfavourable attitude toward the self”.

Various factors believed to influence our self-esteem include:

Personality
Life experiences
Social circumstances
The reactions of others
Comparing the self to others

An important note is that self-esteem is not fixed. It is malleable and measurable, meaning we can test for and improve upon it.

Self-esteem and self-acceptance are often confused or even considered identical by most people. Let’s address this misconception by considering some fundamental differences in the nature and consequences of self-esteem and unconditional self-acceptance.

Self-esteem is based on evaluating the self, and rating one’s behaviors and qualities as positive or negative, which results in defining the self as worthy or non-worthy (Ellis, 1994).
Self-acceptance, however, is how the individual relates to the self in a way that allows the self to be as it is. Acceptance is neither positive nor negative; it embraces all aspects and experiences of the self (Ellis, 1976).
Self-esteem relies on comparisons to evaluate the self and ‘decide’ its worth.
Self-acceptance, stems from the realization that there is no objective basis for determining the value of a human being. So with self-acceptance, the individual affirms who they are without any need for comparisons.
Self-esteem is contingent on external factors, such as performance, appearance, or social approval, that form the basis on which the self is evaluated.
With self-acceptance, a person feels satisfied with themselves despite external factors, as this sense of worthiness is not derived from meeting specific standards.
Self-esteem is fragile (Kernis & Lakey, 2010).
Self-acceptance provides a secure and enduring positive relationship with the self (Kernis & Lakey, 2010).
When it comes to the consequences on wellbeing, while self-esteem appears to be associated with some markers of wellbeing, such as high life satisfaction (Myers & Diener, 1995) and less anxiety (Brockner, 1984), there is also a “dark side” of self-esteem, characterized by egotism and narcissism (Crocker & Park, 2003).
Self-acceptance is strongly associated with numerous positive markers of general psychological wellbeing (MacInnes, 2006).

Self-esteem has been a hot topic in psychology for decades, going about as far back as psychology itself. Even Freud , who many consider the founding father of psychology (although he’s a bit of an estranged father at this point), had theories about self-esteem at the heart of his work.

What self-esteem is, how it develops (or fails to develop) and what influences it has kept psychologists busy for a long time, and there’s no sign that we’ll have it all figured out anytime soon!

While there is much we still have to learn about self-esteem, we have at least been able to narrow down what self-esteem is and how it differs from other, similar constructs. Read on to learn what sets self-esteem apart from other self-directed traits and states.

Self-Esteem vs. Self-Concept

Self-esteem is not self-concept, although self-esteem may be a part of self-concept. Self-concept is the perception that we have of ourselves, our answer when we ask ourselves the question “Who am I?” It is knowing about one’s own tendencies, thoughts, preferences and habits, hobbies, skills, and areas of weakness.

Put simply, the awareness of who we are is our concept of our self .

Purkey (1988) describes self-concept as:

“the totality of a complex, organized, and dynamic system of learned beliefs, attitudes and opinions that each person holds to be true about his or her personal existence”.

According to Carl Rogers, founder of client-centered therapy , self-concept is an overarching construct that self-esteem is one of the components of it (McLeod, 2008).

Self-Esteem vs. Self-Image

Another similar term with a different meaning is self-image; self-image is similar to self-concept in that it is all about how you see yourself (McLeod, 2008). Instead of being based on reality, however, it can be based on false and inaccurate thoughts about ourselves. Our self-image may be close to reality or far from it, but it is generally not completely in line with objective reality or with the way others perceive us.

Self-Esteem vs. Self-Worth

Self-esteem is a similar concept to self-worth but with a small (although important) difference: self-esteem is what we think, feel, and believe about ourselves, while self-worth is the more global recognition that we are valuable human beings worthy of love (Hibbert, 2013).

Self-Esteem vs. Self-Confidence

Self-esteem is not self-confidence ; self-confidence is about your trust in yourself and your ability to deal with challenges, solve problems, and engage successfully with the world (Burton, 2015). As you probably noted from this description, self-confidence is based more on external measures of success and value than the internal measures that contribute to self-esteem.

One can have high self-confidence, particularly in a certain area or field, but still lack a healthy sense of overall value or self-esteem.

Self-Esteem vs. Self-Efficacy

Similar to self-confidence, self-efficacy is also related to self-esteem but not a proxy for it. Self-efficacy refers to the belief in one’s ability to succeed at certain tasks (Neil, 2005). You could have high self-efficacy when it comes to playing basketball, but low self-efficacy when it comes to succeeding in math class.

Unlike self-esteem, self-efficacy is more specific rather than global, and it is based on external success rather than internal worth.

Self-Esteem vs. Self-Compassion

Finally, self-esteem is also not self-compassion. Self-compassion centers on how we relate to ourselves rather than how we judge or perceive ourselves (Neff, n.d.). Being self-compassionate means we are kind and forgiving to ourselves, and that we avoid being harsh or overly critical of ourselves. Self-compassion can lead us to a healthy sense of self-esteem, but it is not in and of itself self-esteem.

We explore this further in The Science of Self-Acceptance Masterclass© .

Esteem in Maslow’s Theory – The Hierarchy of Needs

The mention of esteem may bring to mind the fourth level of Maslow’s pyramid : esteem needs.

While these needs and the concept of self-esteem are certainly related, Maslow’s esteem needs are more focused on external measures of esteem, such as respect, status, recognition, accomplishment, and prestige (McLeod, 2017).

There is a component of self-esteem within this level of the hierarchy, but Maslow felt that the esteem of others was more important for development and need fulfillment than self-esteem.

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Dr. Martin Seligman has some concerns about openly accepting self-esteem as part of positive psychology . He worries that people live in the world where self-esteem is injected into a person’s identity, not caring in how it is done, as long as the image of “confidence” is obtained. He expressed the following in 2006:

I am not against self-esteem, but I believe that self-esteem is just a meter that reads out the state of the system. It is not an end in itself. When you are doing well in school or work, when you are doing well with the people you love, when you are doing well in play, the meter will register high. When you are doing badly, it will register low. (p. v)

Seligman makes a great point, as it is important to take his words into consideration when looking at self-esteem. Self-esteem and positive psychology may not marry quite yet, so it is important to look at what research tells us about self-esteem before we construct a rationale for it as positive psychology researcher, coach, or practitioner.

Examples of these characteristics are being open to criticism, acknowledging mistakes, being comfortable with giving and receiving compliments, and displaying a harmony between what one says, does, looks, sounds, and moves.

People with high self-esteem are unafraid to show their curiosity, discuss their experiences, ideas, and opportunities. They can also enjoy the humorous aspects of their lives and are comfortable with social or personal assertiveness (Branden, 1992).

Although low self-esteem has received more attention than high self-esteem, the positive psychology movement has brought high self-esteem into the spotlight. We now know more about what high self-esteem looks like and how it can be cultivated.

We know that people with high self-esteem:

Appreciate themselves and other people.
Enjoy growing as a person and finding fulfillment and meaning in their lives.
Are able to dig deep within themselves and be creative.
Make their own decisions and conform to what others tell them to be and do only when they agree.
See the word in realistic terms, accepting other people the way they are while pushing them toward greater confidence and a more positive direction.
Can easily concentrate on solving problems in their lives.
Have loving and respectful relationships.
Know what their values are and live their lives accordingly.
Speak up and tell others their opinions, calmly and kindly, and share their wants and needs with others.
Endeavor to make a constructive difference in other people’s lives (Smith & Harte, n.d.).

We also know that there are some simple ways to tell if you have high self-esteem. For example, you likely have high self-esteem if you:

Act assertively without experiencing any guilt, and feel at ease communicating with others.
Avoid dwelling on the past and focus on the present moment.
Believe you are equal to everyone else, no better and no worse.
Reject the attempts of others to manipulate you.
Recognize and accept a wide range of feelings, both positive and negative, and share them within your healthy relationships.
Enjoy a healthy balance of work, play, and relaxation .
Accept challenges and take risks in order to grow, and learn from your mistakes when you fail.
Handle criticism without taking it personally, with the knowledge that you are learning and growing and that your worth is not dependent on the opinions of others.
Value yourself and communicate well with others, without fear of expressing your likes, dislikes, and feelings.
Value others and accept them as they are without trying to change them (Self Esteem Awareness, n.d.).

Based on these characteristics, we can come up with some good examples of what high self-esteem looks like.

Imagine a high-achieving student who takes a difficult exam and earns a failing grade. If she has high self-esteem, she will likely chalk up her failure to factors like not studying hard enough, a particularly difficult set of questions, or simply having an “off” day. What she doesn’t do is conclude that she must be stupid and that she will probably fail all future tests too.

Having a healthy sense of self-esteem guides her toward accepting reality, thinking critically about why she failed, and problem-solving instead of wallowing in self-pity or giving up.

For a second example, think about a young man out on a first date. He really likes the young woman he is going out with, so he is eager to make a good impression and connect with her. Over the course of their discussion on the date, he learns that she is motivated and driven by completely different values and has very different taste in almost everything.

Instead of going along with her expressed opinions on things, he offers up his own views and isn’t afraid to disagree with her. His high self-esteem makes him stay true to his values and allows him to easily communicate with others, even when they don’t agree. To him, it is more important to behave authentically than to focus on getting his date to like him.

23 Examples of Self-Esteem Issues

Here are 23 examples of issues that can manifest from low self-esteem:

You people please
You’re easily angered or irritated
You feel your opinion isn’t important
You hate you
What you do is never good enough
You’re highly sensitive to others opinions
The world doesn’t feel safe
You doubt every decision
You regularly experience the emotions of sadness and worthlessness
You find it hard keeping relationships
You avoid taking risks or trying new things
You engage in addictive avoidance behaviors
You struggle with confidence
You find it difficult creating boundaries
You give more attention to your weaknesses
You are often unsure of who you are
You feel negative experiences are all consuming
You struggle to say no
You find it difficult asking for your needs to be met
You hold a pessimistic or negative outlook on life
You doubt your abilities or chances of success
You frequently experience negative emotions, such as fear, anxiety or depression
You compare yourself with others and often you come in second best

It can be hard to really wrap your mind around self-esteem and why it is so important. To help you out, we’ve gathered a list of some of the most significant and relevant findings about self-esteem and low self-esteem in particular.

Although some of these facts may make sense to you, you will likely find that at least one or two surprise you—specifically those pertaining to the depth and breadth of low self-esteem in people (and particularly young people and girls).

Adolescent boys with high self-esteem are almost two and a half times more likely to initiate sex than boys with low self-esteem, while girls with high self-esteem are three times more likely to delay sex than girls with low self-esteem (Spencer, Zimet, Aalsma, & Orr, 2002).
Low self-esteem is linked to violence, school dropout rates, teenage pregnancy, suicide, and low academic achievement (Misetich & Delis-Abrams, 2003).
About 44% of girls and 15% of boys in high school are attempting to lose weight (Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, n.d.).
Seven in 10 girls believe that they are not good enough or don’t measure up in some way (Dove Self-Esteem Fund, 2008).
A girl’s self-esteem is more strongly related to how she views her own body shape and body weight than how much she actually weighs (Dove Self-Esteem Fund, 2008).
Nearly all women (90%) want to change at least one aspect of their physical appearance (Confidence Coalition, n.d.).
The vast majority (81%) of 10-year old girls are afraid of being fat (Confidence Coalition, n.d.).
About one in four college-age women have an eating disorder (Confidence Coalition, n.d.).
Only 2% of women think they are beautiful (Confidence Coalition, n.d.).
Absent fathers, poverty, and a low-quality home environment have a negative impact on self-esteem (Orth, 2018).

These facts on low self-esteem are alarming and disheartening, but thankfully they don’t represent the whole story. The whole story shows that there are many people with a healthy sense of self-esteem, and they enjoy some great benefits and advantages. For instance, people with healthy self-esteem:

Are less critical of themselves and others.
Are better able to handle stress and avoid the unhealthy side effects of stress.
Are less likely to develop an eating disorder.
Are less likely to feel worthless, guilty, and ashamed .
Are more likely to be assertive about expressing and getting what they want.
Are able to build strong, honest relationships and are more likely to leave unhealthy ones.
Are more confident in their ability to make good decisions.
Are more resilient and able to bounce back when faced with disappointment, failure, and obstacles (Allegiance Health, 2015).

Given the facts on the sad state of self-esteem in society and the positive outcomes associated with high self-esteem, it seems clear that looking into how self-esteem can be built is a worthwhile endeavor.

Luckily, there are many researchers who have tackled this topic. Numerous studies have shown us that it is possible to build self-esteem, especially in children and young people.

How? There are many ways!

Recent research found a correlation between self-esteem and optimism with university students from Brazil (Bastianello, Pacico & Hutz & 2014). One of the most interesting results came from a cross-cultural research on life satisfaction and self-esteem, which was conducted in 31 countries.

They found differences in self-esteem between collective and individualistic cultures with self-esteem being lower in collectivist cultures. Expressing personal emotions, attitudes, and cognitive thoughts are highly associated with self-esteem, collectivist cultures seem to have a drop in self-esteem because of a lack of those characteristics (Diener & Diener 1995).

China, a collectivist culture, found that self-esteem was a significant predictor of life satisfaction (Chen, Cheung, Bond & Leung, 2006). They found that similar to other collectivist cultures, self-esteem also had an effect on resilience with teenagers. Teenagers with low self-esteem had a higher sense of hopelessness and had low resilience (Karatas, 2011).

In more individualistic cultures, teenagers who were taught to depend on their beliefs, behaviors, and felt open to expressing their opinion had more resilience and higher self-esteem (Dumont & Provost, 1999).

School-based programs that pair students with mentors and focus on relationships, building, self-esteem enhancements, goal setting , and academic assistance have been proven to enhance students’ self-esteem, improve relationships with others, reduce depression and bullying behaviors (King, Vidourek, Davis, & McClellan, 2009).

Similarly, elementary school programs that focus on improving self-esteem through short, classroom-based sessions also have a positive impact on students’ self-esteem, as well as reducing problem behaviors and strengthening connections between peers (Park & Park, 2014).

However, the potential to boost your self-esteem and reap the benefits is not limited to students! Adults can get in on this endeavour as well, although the onus will be on them to make the changes necessary.

Self-esteem researcher and expert Dr. John M. Grohol outlined six practical tips on how to increase your sense of self-esteem, which include:

6 Practical Tips on How to Increase Self-Esteem

1. take a self-esteem inventory to give yourself a baseline..

It can be as simple as writing down 10 of your strengths and 10 of your weaknesses. This will help you to begin developing an honest and realistic conception of yourself.

2. Set realistic expectations.

It’s important to set small, reachable goals that are within your power. For example, setting an extremely high expectation or an expectation that someone else will change their behavior is virtually guaranteed to make you feel like a failure, through no fault of your own.

3. Stop being a perfectionist.

Acknowledge both your accomplishments and mistakes. Nobody is perfect, and trying to be will only lead to disappointment. Acknowledging your accomplishments and recognizing your mistakes is the way to keep a positive outlook while learning and growing from your mistakes.

4. Explore yourself.

The importance of knowing yourself and being at peace with who you are cannot be overstated. This can take some trial and error, and you will constantly learn new things about yourself, but it is a journey that should be undertaken with purpose and zeal.

5. Be willing to adjust your self-image.

We all change as we age and grow, and we must keep up with our ever-changing selves if we want to set and achieve meaningful goals.

6. Stop comparing yourself to others.

Comparing ourselves to others is a trap that is extremely easy to fall into, especially today with social media and the ability to project a polished, perfected appearance. The only person you should compare yourself to is you (Grohol, 2011).

The Positivity Blog also offers some helpful tips on enhancing your self-esteem, including:

Say “stop” to your inner critic.
Use healthier motivation habits.
Take a 2-minute self-appreciation break.
Write down 3 things in the evening that you can appreciate about yourself.
Do the right thing.
Replace the perfectionism.
Handle mistakes and failures in a more positive way.
Be kinder towards other people .
Try something new.
Stop falling into the comparison trap.
Spend more time with supportive people (and less time with destructive people).
Remember the “whys” of high self-esteem (Edberg, 2017).

Another list of specific, practical things you can do to develop and maintain a good sense of self-esteem comes from the Entrepreneur website:

Use distancing pronouns. When you are experiencing stress or negative self-talk, try putting it in more distant terms (e.g., instead of saying “I am feeling ashamed,” try saying “Courtney is feeling ashamed.”). This can help you to see the situation as a challenge rather than a threat.
Remind yourself of your achievements. The best way to overcome imposter syndrome—the belief that, despite all of your accomplishments, you are a failure and a fraud—is to list all of your personal successes. You might be able to explain a couple of them away as a chance, but they can’t all be due to luck!
Move more! This can be as simple as a short walk or as intense as a several-mile run, as quick as striking a “power pose” or as long as a two-hour yoga session; it doesn’t matter exactly what you do, just that you get more in touch with your body and improve both your health and your confidence.
Use the “five-second” rule. No, not the one about food that is dropped on the ground! This five-second rule is about following up good thoughts and inspiring ideas with action. Do something to make that great idea happen within five seconds.
Practice visualizing your success. Close your eyes and take a few minutes to imagine the scenario in which you have reached your goals, using all five senses and paying attention to the details.
Be prepared—for whatever situation you are about to encounter. If you are going into a job interview, make sure you have practiced, know about the company, and have some good questions ready to ask. If you are going on a date, take some time to boost your confidence, dress well, and have a plan A and a plan B (and maybe even a plan C!) to make sure it goes well.
Limit your usage of social media. Spend less time looking at a screen and more time experiencing the world around you.
Meditate. Establish a regular meditation practice to inspect your thoughts, observe them, and separate yourself from them. Cultivating a sense of inner peace will go a long way towards developing healthy self-esteem.
Keep your goals a secret. You don’t need to keep all of your hopes and dreams to yourself, but make sure you save some of your goal striving and success for just you—it can make you more likely to meet them and also more satisfied when you do.
Practice affirmations (like the ones listed later in this piece). Make time to regularly say positive things about yourself and situations in which you often feel uncertain.
Build your confidence through failure. Use failure as an opportunity to learn and grow, and seek out failure by trying new things and taking calculated risks (Laurinavicius, 2017).

Now that we have a good idea of how to improve self-esteem , there is an important caveat to the topic: many of the characteristics and factors that we believe result from self-esteem may also influence one’s sense of self-esteem, and vice versa.

For example, although we recommend improving self-esteem to positively impact grades or work performance, success in these areas is at least somewhat dependent on self-esteem as well.

Similarly, those who have a healthy level of self-esteem are more likely to have positive relationships, but those with positive relationships are also more likely to have healthy self-esteem, likely because the relationship works in both directions.

While there is nothing wrong with boosting your self-esteem, keep in mind that in some cases you may be putting the cart before the horse, and commit to developing yourself in several areas rather than just working on enhancing your self-esteem.

Can We Help Boost Self-Esteem Issues with Therapy and Counseling?

Based on research like that described above, we have learned that there are many ways therapy and counseling can help clients to improve their self-esteem.

If done correctly, therapy can be an excellent method of enhancing self-esteem, especially if it’s low to begin with.

Here are some of the ways therapy and counseling can a client’s boost self-esteem:

When a client shares their inner thoughts and feelings with the therapist, and the therapist responds with acceptance and compassion rather than judgment or correction, this can build the foundations of healthy self-esteem for the client.
This continued acceptance and unconditional positive regard encourage the client to re-think some of their assumptions, and come to the conclusion that “Maybe there’s nothing wrong with me after all!”
The therapist can explain that self-esteem is a belief rather than a fact and that beliefs are based on our experiences; this can help the client understand that he could be exactly the same person as he is right now and have high self-esteem instead of low, if he had different experiences that cultivated a sense of high self-esteem instead of low self-esteem.
The therapist can offer the client new experiences upon which to base this new belief about herself, experiences in which the client is “basically acceptable” instead of “basically wrong.” The therapist’s acceptance of the client can act as a model for the client of how she can accept herself.
Most importantly, the therapist can accept the client for who he is and affirm his thoughts and feelings as acceptable rather than criticizing him for them. The therapist does not need to approve of each and every action taken by the client, but showing acceptance and approval of who he is at the deepest level will have an extremely positive impact on his own belief in his worth and value as a person (Gilbertson, 2016).

Following these guidelines will encourage your client to develop a better sense of self-love , self-worth, self-acceptance , and self-esteem, as well as discouraging “needless shame” and learning how to separate herself from her behavior (Gilbertson, 2016).

One of these methods is meditation—yes, you can add yet another benefit of meditation to the list! However, not only can we develop self-esteem through meditation , we also gain some other important benefits.

When we meditate, we cultivate our ability to let go and to keep our thoughts and feelings in perspective. We learn to simply observe instead of actively participate in every little experience that pops into our head. In other words, we are “loosening the grip we have on our sense of self” (Puddicombe, 2015).

While this may sound counterintuitive to developing and maintaining a positive sense of self, it is actually a great way to approach it. Through meditation, we gain the ability to become aware of our inner experiences without over-identifying with them, letting our thoughts pass by without judgment or a strong emotional response.

As meditation expert Andy Puddicombe notes, low self-esteem can be understood as the result of over-identification with the self. When we get overly wrapped up in our sense of self, whether that occurs with a focus on the positive (I’m the BEST) or the negative (I’m the WORST), we place too much importance on it. We may even get obsessive about the self, going over every little word, thought, or feeling that enters our mind.

A regular meditation practice can boost your self-esteem by helping you to let go of your preoccupation with your self, freeing you from being controlled by the thoughts and feelings your self-experiences.

When you have the ability to step back and observe a disturbing or self-deprecating thought, it suddenly doesn’t have as much power over you as it used to; this deidentification with the negative thoughts you have about yourself results in less negative talk over time and freedom from your overly critical inner voice (Puddicombe, 2015).

Self-esteem is the topic of many a psychological scale and assessment, and many of them are valid, reliable, and very popular among researchers; however, these assessments are not perfect. There are a few problems and considerations you should take into account if you want to measure self-esteem, including:

Lack of consensus on the definition (Demo, 1985).
Overall gender differences in self-esteem (Bingham, 1983).
Too many instruments for assessing self-esteem, and low correlations between them (Demo, 1985).
The unexplained variance between self-reports and inferred measures such as ratings by others (Demo, 1985).

Although these issues are certainly not unique to the measurement of self-esteem, one should approach the assessment of self-esteem with multiple measurement methods in hand, with the appropriate level of caution, or both.

Still, even though there are various issues with the measurement of self-esteem, avoiding the measurement is not an option! If you are looking to measure self-esteem and worried about finding a validated scale, look no further than one of the foundations of self-esteem research: Rosenberg’s scale.

Measuring Self-Esteem with the Rosenberg Scale

The most common scale of self-esteem is Rosenberg’s Self-Esteem Scale (also called the RSE and sometimes the SES). This scale was developed by Rosenberg and presented in his 1965 book Society and the Adolescent Self-Image.

It contains 10 items rated on a scale from 1 (strongly agree) to 4 (strongly disagree). Some of the items are reverse-scored, and the total score can be calculated by summing up the total points for an overall measure of self-esteem (although it can also be scored in a different, more complex manner—see page 61 of this PDF for instructions).

The 10 items are:

1. On the whole, I am satisfied with myself. 2. At times I think I am no good at all. 3. I feel that I have a number of good qualities. 4. I am able to do things as well as most other people. 5. I feel I do not have much to be proud of. 6. I certainly feel useless at times. 7. I feel that I’m a person of worth. 8. I wish I could have more respect for myself. 9. All in all, I am inclined to think that I am a failure. 10. I take a positive attitude toward myself.

As you likely figured out already, items 2, 5, 6, 8, and 9 are reverse-scored, while the other items are scored normally. This creates a single score of between 10 and 40 points, with lower scores indicating higher self-esteem. Put another way, higher scores indicate a strong sense of low self-esteem.

The scale is considered highly consistent and reliable, and scores correlate highly with other measures of self-esteem and negatively with measures of depression and anxiety. It has been used by thousands of researchers throughout the years and is still in use today, making it one of the most-cited scales ever developed.

The Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory (1967/1981)

The second most commonly used reliable and valid measure for self-esteem is The Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory. Within this test, 50 items are included to measure the test-takes attitudes towards themselves, by responding to statements with the selection of “like me” or “not like me” (Robinson, Shaver & Wrightsman, 2010).

Initially created to test the self-esteem of children, it was later altered by Ryden (1978) and now two separate versions exist; one for children and one for adults.

Find out more about taking this test here .

It might be quicker to list what factors don’t influence self-esteem than to identify which factors do influence it! As you might expect, self-esteem is a complex construct and there are many factors that contribute to it, whether positively or negatively.

For a quick sample of some of the many factors that are known to influence self-esteem, check out this list:

Commitment to the worker, spouse, and parental role are positively linked to self-esteem (Reitzes & Mutran, 1994).
Worker identity meaning is positively related to self-esteem (Reitzes & Mutran, 2006).
Being married and older is linked to lower self-esteem (Reitzes & Mutran, 2006).
Higher education and higher income are related to higher self-esteem (Reitzes & Mutran, 2006).
Low socioeconomic status and low self-esteem are related (von Soest, Wagner, Hansen, & Gerstorf, 2018).
Living alone (without a significant other) is linked to low self-esteem (van Soest et al., 2018).
Unemployment and disability contribute to lower self-esteem (van Soest et al., 2018).
A more mature personality and emotional stability are linked to higher self-esteem (van Soest et al., 2018).
Social norms (the importance of friends’ and family members’ opinions) about one’s body and exercise habits are negatively linked to self-esteem, while exercise self-efficacy and self-fulfillment are positively linked to self-esteem (Chang & Suttikun, 2017).

If you’re thinking that an important technological factor is missing, go on to the next section and see if you’re right!

Although you may have found some of the findings on self-esteem covered earlier surprising, you will most likely expect this one: studies suggest that social media usage negatively impacts self-esteem (Friedlander, 2016).

This effect is easy to understand. Humans are social creatures and need interaction with others to stay healthy and happy; however, we also use those around us as comparisons to measure and track our own progress in work, relationships, and life in general. Social media makes these comparisons easier than ever, but they give this tendency to compare a dark twist.

What we see on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter is not representative of real life. It is often carefully curated and painstakingly presented to give the best possible impression.

We rarely see the sadness, the failure, and the disappointment that accompanies everyday human life; instead, we see a perfect picture, a timeline full of only good news, and short blurbs about achievements, accomplishments, and happiness .

Although this social comparison with unattainable standards is clearly a bad habit to get into, social media is not necessarily a death knell for your self-esteem. Moderate social media usage complemented by frequent self-reminders that we are often only seeing the very best in others can allow us to use social media posts as inspiration and motivation rather than unhealthy comparison.

You don’t need to give up social media for good in order to maintain a healthy sense of self-esteem—just use it mindfully and keep it in the right perspective!

By viewing self-esteem as a muscle to grow we establish a world of new opportunities. No longer do we have to view ourselves in the same light.

Use these 10 tips to strengthen the attitudes towards yourself:

1. Spend time with people who lift you up 2. Giveback by helping others 3. Celebrate your achievements, no matter the size 4. Do what makes you happy 5. Change what you can – and let go of what you can’t 6. Let go of perfectionism ideals 7. Speak to yourself like a friend 8. Get involved in extra-curricula’s 9. Own your uniqueness 10. Create a positive self-dialogue.

Influential American author, Jack Canfield explains “Daily affirmations are to the mind what exercise is to the body.” (watch this YouTube clip).

Affirmations are a great way to boost your self-esteem and, in turn, your overall wellbeing. There are tons of examples of affirmations you can use for this purpose, including these 17 from Develop Good Habits :

Mistakes are a stepping stone to success. They are the path I must tread to achieve my dreams.
I will continue to learn and grow.
Mistakes are just an apprenticeship to achievement.
I deserve to be happy and successful.
I deserve a good life. I deny any need for suffering and misery.
I am competent, smart, and able.
I am growing and changing for the better.
I love the person I am becoming.
I believe in my skills and abilities.
I have great ideas. I make useful contributions.
I acknowledge my own self-worth; my self-confidence is rising.
I am worthy of all the good things that happen in my life.
I am confident with my life plan and the way things are going.
I deserve the love I am given.
I let go of the negative feelings about myself and accept all that is good.
I will stand by my decisions. They are sound and reasoned.
I have, or can quickly get, all the knowledge I need to succeed.

If none of these leap out and inspire you, you can always create your own! Just keep in mind these three simple rules for creating effective affirmations:

The affirmations should be in the present tense. They must affirm your value and worth right here, right now (e.g., not “I will do better tomorrow” but “I am doing great today.”).
The affirmations should be positively worded. They should not deny or reject anything (i.e., “I am not a loser.”), but make a firm statement (e.g., “I am a worthy person.”).
The affirmations should make you feel good and put you in a positive light. They should not be empty words and they should be relevant to your life (e.g., “I am a world-class skier” is relevant if you ski, but is not a good affirmation if you don’t ski.).

Use these three rules to put together some positive, uplifting, and encouraging affirmations that you can repeat as often as needed—but aim for at least once a day.

There are many, many books available on self-esteem: what it is, what influences it, how it can be developed, and how it can be encouraged in others (particularly children). Here is just a sample of some of the most popular and well-received books on self-esteem :

Self-Esteem: A Proven Program of Cognitive Techniques for Assessing, Improving, and Maintaining Your Self-Esteem by Matthew McKay, PhD ( Amazon )
The Self-Esteem Guided Journal by Matthew McKay & C. Sutker ( Amazon )
Ten Days to Self-Esteem by David D. Burns, MD ( Amazon )
The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem: The Definitive Work on Self-Esteem by the Leading Pioneer in the Field by Nathanial Branden (if you’re not a big reader, check out the animated book review video below) ( Amazon )
The Self-Esteem Workbook by Glenn R. Schiraldi, PhD ( Amazon )
The Self-Esteem Workbook for Teens: Activities to Help You Build Confidence and Achieve Your Goals by Lisa M. Schab, LCSW ( Amazon )
Believing in Myself by E Larsen & C Hegarty. ( Amazon )
Being Me: A Kid’s Guide to Boosting Confidence and Self-Esteem by Wendy L. Moss, PhD ( Amazon )
Healing Your Emotional Self: A Powerful Program to Help You Raise Your Self-Esteem, Quiet Your Inner Critic, and Overcome Your Shame by Beverly Engel ( Amazon )

Plus, here’s a bonus—a free PDF version of Nathaniel Branden’s The Psychology of Self-Esteem: A Revolutionary Approach to Self-Understanding That Launched a New Era in Modern Psychology .

If reading is not a preferred method of learning more, fear not! There are some great YouTube videos and TED Talks on self-esteem. A few of the most popular and most impactful are included here.

Why Thinking You’re Ugly is Bad for You by Meaghan Ramsey

This TED talk is all about the importance of self-esteem and the impact of negative self-esteem, especially on young people and girls. Ramsey notes that low self-esteem impacts physical as well as mental health, the work we do, and our overall finances as we chase the perfect body, the perfect face, or the perfect hair. She ends by outlining the six areas addressed by effective self-esteem programs:

The influence of family, friends, and relationships
The media and celebrity culture
How to handle teasing and bullying
The way we compete and compare ourselves with others
The way we talk about appearance
The foundations of respecting and caring for yourself

Meet Yourself: A User’s Guide to Building Self-Esteem by Niko Everett

Another great TEDx Talk comes from the founder of the Girls for Change organization, Niko Everett. In this talk, she goes over the power of self-knowledge, self-acceptance, and self-love. She highlights the importance of the thoughts we have about ourselves and the impact they have on our self-esteem and shares some techniques to help both children and adults enhance their self-esteem.

Self-Esteem – Understanding & Fixing Low Self-Esteem by Actualized.org

This video from Leo Gura at Actualized.org defines self-esteem, describes the elements of self-esteem, and the factors that influence self-esteem. He shares why self-esteem is important and how it can be developed and enhanced.

How to Build Self Esteem – The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem by Nathaniel Branden Animated Book Review by FightMediocrity

This quick, 6-minute video on self-esteem outlines what author Nathaniel Branden sees as the “Six Pillars” of self-esteem:

The practice of living consciously Be aware of your daily activities and relationship with others, insecure reflections, and also personal priorities.
The practice of self-acceptance This includes becoming aware and accepting the best and the worst parts of you and also the disowned parts of ourselves.
The practice of self-responsibility This implies realizing that you are responsible for your choices and actions.
The practice of self-assertiveness Act through your real convictions and feelings as much as possible.
The practice of living purposefully Achieve personal goals that energize your existence.
The practice of personal integrity Don’t compensate your ideals, beliefs, and behaviors for a result that leads to incongruence. When your behaviors are congruent with your ideals, integrity will appear.

The speaker provides a definition and example of each of the six pillars and finishes the video by emphasizing the first two words of each pillar: “The Practice.” These words highlight that the effort applied to building self-esteem is, in fact, the most important factor in developing self-esteem.

Sometimes all you need to get to work on bettering yourself is an inspirational quote. The value of quotes is subjective, so these may not all resonate with you, but hopefully, you will find that at least one or two lights that spark within you!

“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”

Sharon Salzberg

“The greatest thing in the world is to know how to belong to oneself.”

Michel de Montaigne

“The man who does not value himself, cannot value anything or anyone.”

“Dare to love yourself as if you were a rainbow with gold at both ends.”

“As long as you look for someone else to validate who you are by seeking their approval, you are setting yourself up for disaster. You have to be whole and complete in yourself. No one can give you that. You have to know who you are—what others say is irrelevant.”

“I don’t want everyone to like me; I should think less of myself if some people did.”

Henry James

“Remember, you have been criticizing yourself for years and it hasn’t worked. Try approving of yourself and see what happens.”

Louise L. Hay

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?”

Marianne Williamson

“I don’t entirely approve of some of the things I have done, or am, or have been. But I’m me. God knows, I’m me.”

“To me, self-esteem is not self-love. It is self-acknowledgement, as in recognizing and accepting who you are.”

Amity Gaige

“Self-esteem is as important to our well-being as legs are to a table. It is essential for physical and mental health and for happiness.”

Louise Hart

“Self-esteem is made up primarily of two things: feeling lovable and feeling capable. Lovable means I feel people want to be with me. They invite me to parties; they affirm I have the qualities necessary to be included. Feeling capable is knowing that I can produce a result. It’s knowing I can handle anything that life hands me.”

Jack Canfield

“You can’t let someone else lower your self-esteem, because that’s what it is—self-esteem. You need to first love yourself before you have anybody else love you.”

Winnie Harlow

“A man cannot be comfortable without his own approval.”

“Our self-respect tracks our choices. Every time we act in harmony with our authentic self and our heart, we earn our respect. It is that simple. Every choice matters.” Dan Coppersmith

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We hope you enjoyed this opportunity to learn about self-esteem! If you take only one important lesson away from this piece, make sure it’s this one: you absolutely can build your own self-esteem, and you can have a big impact on the self-esteem of those you love.

Self-esteem is not a panacea—it will not fix all of your problems or help you sail smoothly through a life free of struggle and suffering—but it will help you find the courage to try new things, build the resilience to bounce back from failure, and make you more susceptible to success.

It is something we have to continually work towards, but it’s absolutely achievable.

Stay committed.

Keep aware of your internal thoughts and external surroundings. Keep focused on your personal goals and all that is possible when self-doubt isn’t holding you back.

What are your thoughts on self-esteem in psychology? Should we be encouraging it more? Less? Is there an “ideal amount” of self-esteem? We’d love to hear from you! Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

You can read more about self-esteem worksheets and exercises for adults and teens here .

Thanks for reading!

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don’t forget to download our three Self Compassion Exercises for free .

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Interesting, and clear and quite precise in this definitions…..definitions are the most important.

Extremely good article addressing the prevalence of low self-esteem in Western society and how to overcome it. But did it consider the possibility self-esteem could ever be too high? I am still influenced by my old-school upbringing, where being labeled as “conceited” was a a thing. I was told that’s only an attempt to compensate for low self esteem, along with “egomania” and other disorders, but perhaps related to the driven personalities that have influenced much of history.

Excellent, Elaborative, Enduring and Eloquent ESSAY 🙂 Loved this article, very clear, very informative, very useful and practically implementable if determined to improve the quality of one’s life. THANK YOU is a small word for the author of this article.

thak you for this good article

Very helpful. Thank you very much

Thanks for sharing it. I’m happy after reading it , please keep continue to enlighten people

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Essay on Building Self Confidence

Students are often asked to write an essay on Building Self Confidence in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Building Self Confidence

What is self confidence.

Self-confidence is a feeling of trust in one’s abilities, qualities, and judgment. It is a key part of success in life. When you believe in yourself, you can face challenges with ease. Self-confidence is not about being perfect, but about knowing your worth even with your flaws.

Importance of Self Confidence

Building self confidence.

Building self-confidence takes time and effort. Start by setting realistic goals and working towards them. Celebrate your achievements, no matter how small. Learn from your mistakes instead of feeling bad about them. Try to stay positive and surround yourself with positive people.

Role of Positivity

Being positive can boost your self-confidence. Try to focus on the good things in your life. Be kind to yourself and others. Remember, everyone makes mistakes. It’s how you learn and grow. So, always stay positive and believe in yourself.

250 Words Essay on Building Self Confidence

Self-confidence is the belief in oneself and one’s abilities. It’s like a bright light inside you that shines when you believe in what you can do. It’s a key part of success and happiness.

Why is Self Confidence Important?

Being self-confident helps you face challenges and overcome fears. It helps you do better in school, sports, and hobbies. Self-confident people are more likely to try new things, take risks, and solve problems.

Building self-confidence is like building a muscle. It gets stronger with practice. Here are some steps to build your self-confidence.

Start by setting small goals that you can achieve easily. Achieving these goals will make you feel good about yourself and boost your confidence.

Positive Self-Talk

Speak to yourself in a positive way. Instead of saying “I can’t do this”, say “I will try my best”. This positive self-talk can help build your confidence.

Don’t Fear Failure

Everyone makes mistakes. It’s part of learning. Don’t be scared of failing. Instead, learn from your mistakes and keep trying.

Believe in Yourself

The most important step in building self-confidence is to believe in yourself. You are unique and capable. Believe in your abilities and let your confidence shine.

Remember, building self-confidence takes time. Be patient with yourself, keep trying, and never give up. You can do it!

500 Words Essay on Building Self Confidence

Self-confidence is important for many reasons. First, it helps you to feel good about yourself. This feeling can make your life happier and more enjoyable. Second, it helps you to reach your goals. When you believe in yourself, you are more likely to take action and work hard to achieve what you want. Third, it helps you to handle stress and problems better. If you trust your ability to solve problems, you won’t panic or feel stressed when things go wrong.

Steps to Build Self Confidence

Set realistic goals.

Start by setting goals that you can achieve. They should be challenging, but not impossible. When you achieve these goals, you will feel proud of yourself. This can boost your self-confidence.

Practice Regularly

Just like learning a new skill, building self-confidence requires practice. Try to do things that make you uncomfortable or scared. The more you do them, the more confident you will become.

Think Positively

Your thoughts can affect your self-confidence. Try to think positively about yourself and your abilities. If you make a mistake, don’t beat yourself up. Instead, learn from it and move on.

Surround Yourself with Positive People

Take care of your body.

Your physical health can affect your self-confidence. Try to eat healthy foods, exercise regularly, and get enough sleep. When you feel good physically, you are more likely to feel good mentally.

Building self-confidence is a journey, not a destination. It’s about learning to trust yourself and your abilities. It’s about facing your fears and overcoming challenges. And most importantly, it’s about believing in yourself, even when things get tough. So, start today, take small steps, and watch your self-confidence grow.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

Essay on Self Confidence

Introduction to Self-Confidence

Welcome to the exhilarating world of self-confidence, where belief meets brilliance, and every step is a dance of self-discovery! Picture yourself strutting onto life’s grand stage with a swagger that screams, “I’ve got this!” self-confidence, that magical elixir of self-assurance and spunk, is your ticket to the ultimate adventure – a rollercoaster ride of triumphs, challenges, and endless possibilities. The secret sauce turns dreams into reality and transforms obstacles into stepping stones. So grab a seat, my dear reader, and join me as we set out to solve the riddles around self-confidence. We’ll arm ourselves with magic, humor, and curiosity. Get ready to dazzle because your confidence game is about to reach legendary status!

Importance of Self-Confidence in various aspects of Life

Self-confidence is a superpower that permeates every facet of our lives, catalyzing personal growth, professional success, and overall well-being. Its significance resonates in various aspects of life, shaping our attitudes, behaviors, and interactions with the world. Here’s a closer look at the importance of self-confidence in different domains:

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Professional Success:

Career Advancement: Confidence is a magnet for opportunities. Individuals with self-assurance are more likely to seize opportunities, take on challenges, and climb the professional ladder.
Leadership: Confident leaders inspire trust and respect. Their belief in their abilities motivates teams, fosters innovation, and creates a positive work culture.

Personal Relationships:

Communication: Confidence enhances effective communication . Building good relationships requires being assertive and having clear communication of one’s opinions and feelings.
Attractiveness: Confidence is inherently attractive. It draws people in, making individuals more appealing and engaging in social interactions.

Mental Health and Well-being:

Resilience: Confident individuals bounce back from setbacks with resilience. They view challenges as opportunities for growth rather than insurmountable obstacles.
Reduced Stress: A strong sense of self-confidence helps in managing stress. Confident individuals are more likely to approach problems with a positive mindset, reducing the impact of stressors.

Educational Achievements:

Learning Engagement: Confidence fosters a willingness to participate and engage in learning activities. Students with higher confidence levels are more likely to take risks in their studies.
Academic Performance: Confidence positively influences academic performance. Students who believe in their abilities are more likely to set and achieve educational goals.

Health and Lifestyle:

Healthy Choices: Confident individuals tend to make healthier lifestyle choices. Regular exercise, a balanced diet, and an emphasis on their general well-being are more common among them.
Risk-taking: Healthy risk-taking behaviors are often associated with confidence. This can lead to personal growth and exploring new, beneficial experiences.

Goal Achievement:

Goal Setting: Confidence empowers individuals to set ambitious and achievable goals. A strong belief in oneself fuels the determination to persevere in facing challenges.
Motivation: Confident individuals are intrinsically motivated. They believe in their capacity to achieve their goals, maintaining focus and dedication throughout their journey.

Benefits of Self-Confidence

Self-confidence is akin to a magic potion that unlocks many benefits, enriching every aspect of our lives. Here are some of the key benefits of cultivating and nurturing self-confidence:

Enhanced Performance: Self-confidence is the engine that drives people to succeed in various activities and reach their goals. Believing in one’s abilities and competencies enables individuals to perform at their peak potential, whether in academics, career, sports, or creative pursuits.
Improved Mental Health: A strong sense of self-confidence serves as a shield against the onslaught of negative emotions and mental health issues. Confident individuals are better equipped to cope with stress, anxiety, and depression as they possess the resilience and inner strength to navigate life’s challenges with grace and optimism.
Better Relationships: Confidence breeds charisma and magnetism, making individuals more attractive and engaging in interpersonal relationships. Confident individuals exude warmth, authenticity, and assertiveness, fostering deeper connections and healthier communication with others.
Increased Resilience: Self-confidence is a buffer against setbacks and failures, transforming them into valuable learning experiences. Confident individuals view obstacles as opportunities for growth and innovation, bouncing back from adversity with resilience and determination.
Greater Assertiveness: Confidence empowers individuals to assertively and respectfully assert their needs, boundaries, and opinions. Assertive communication fosters mutual respect and understanding in relationships, leading to more meaningful and fulfilling interactions.
Heightened Creativity: Self-confidence allows people to explore novel concepts, try novel strategies, and think beyond the box by igniting their dormant creative potential. Confidence fuels innovation and imagination, driving progress and ingenuity in all endeavors.
Increased Motivation: Confident individuals possess an unwavering belief in their ability to achieve their goals, fueling their motivation and perseverance in facing challenges. The self-assurance derived from confidence instills a sense of purpose and direction, inspiring individuals to pursue their aspirations with passion and dedication.
Positive Self-Image: Self-confidence cultivates a positive self-image and self-esteem, enabling individuals to appreciate their strengths, accept their flaws, and embrace their uniqueness. A healthy self-concept lays the foundation for self-acceptance, self-love, and inner peace.
Opportunities for Growth: Confidence opens doors to new opportunities and experiences, as individuals are more inclined to step out of their comfort zones and embrace uncertainty. Confident individuals embark on continuous growth and self-discovery by embracing challenges and embracing change .

Factors Influencing Self-Confidence

Self-confidence, that elusive yet empowering quality, is influenced by many factors that shape our perceptions of ourselves and the world around us. Understanding these influences is crucial for nurturing and bolstering self-confidence. Here are some key factors that play a pivotal role in shaping self-confidence:

Childhood Experiences: Our formative years lay the groundwork for our self-confidence levels. Encouragement, praise, and validation from caregivers and authority figures foster a sense of worth and competence in children. Conversely, criticism, neglect, or abuse can erode self-esteem and confidence, leaving lasting scars into adulthood.
Social Comparisons: Comparing ourselves to others is a double-edged sword that can either boost or undermine self-confidence. Constantly measuring ourselves against unrealistic standards or idealized images portrayed in the media can lead to feelings of inadequacy and inferiority. Conversely, surrounding ourselves with supportive peers and role models who celebrate our strengths and encourage our growth can bolster our self-confidence.
Personal Achievements and Setbacks: Our past successes and failures significantly impact our self-confidence levels. Accomplishments reinforce our belief in our abilities and fuel our confidence to take on new challenges. Conversely, experiencing setbacks or failures can dent our confidence and trigger self-doubt. But one way to lessen the detrimental effects of failures on confidence is to see them as chances for development and education.
Social and Cultural Norms: Societal expectations and cultural norms shape our beliefs about ourselves and our capabilities. Gender stereotypes, racial biases, and societal pressure to conform to specific standards can either bolster or undermine self-confidence. Challenging and transcending these norms is essential for cultivating authentic self-confidence that transcends societal expectations.
Peer and Family Support: The support and validation we receive from our social networks, mainly family and friends, profoundly impact our self-confidence. Encouragement, affirmation, and constructive feedback from loved ones nurture a sense of belonging and acceptance, bolstering our confidence to navigate life’s challenges.
Internal Dialogue: The way we talk to ourselves internally, also known as self-talk, significantly influences our self-confidence levels. Positive self-talk involves cultivating a supportive inner dialogue that acknowledges our strengths, celebrates our achievements, and offers self-compassion in times of struggle. Conversely, negative self-talk characterized by self-criticism, self-doubt, and harsh judgments can erode self-confidence and perpetuate feelings of unworthiness.
Physical Appearance and Body Image: Our perceptions of our physical appearance and body image can impact our self-confidence. Reduced self-esteem and confidence are caused by body shaming and the pressure from society to meet unattainable beauty standards. Adopting a body-positivity mindset and engaging in self-care can foster a better relationship with our bodies and increase self-confidence.
Educational and Professional Environment: Our experiences in educational and professional settings can shape our self-confidence levels. Supportive mentors, opportunities for skill development, and a nurturing learning environment can foster confidence and competence. Conversely, experiencing discrimination, microaggressions, or imposter syndrome in academic or workplace settings can undermine self-confidence.

Strategies to Build and Maintain Self-Confidence

Gaining and retaining self-confidence calls for commitment, awareness of oneself, and purposeful practice. Here are some effective strategies to help individuals cultivate and sustain a strong sense of self-confidence:

Set Realistic Goals: Set quantifiable, attainable goals that complement your abilities, values, and interests. Divide more ambitious objectives into more doable tasks, and acknowledge each accomplishment as it occurs. Success breeds confidence, and accomplishing goals reinforces your belief in your abilities.
Challenge Negative Self-Talk: Be mindful of your conversation with yourself and confront any negative self-talk. Replace self-critical thoughts with positive affirmations and self-encouragement. Cultivate a compassionate and supportive inner voice that reinforces your worth and capabilities.
Celebrate Your Strengths: Identify and celebrate your unique strengths, talents, and accomplishments. Recognize the value you bring to various aspects of your life, whether in your relationships, career, hobbies, or personal achievements. Embrace your strengths and leverage them to build confidence in yourself.
Step Out of Your Comfort Zone: Beyond your comfort zone is where confidence and growth bloom. Make it a challenge to embrace uncertainty, try new things, and take measured risks. Every step you take outside your comfort zone increases your resilience and boosts your self-assurance in your capacity to adjust and prosper.
Practice Self-Compassion: Treat yourself with kindness , understanding, and self-compassion, especially in moments of failure or setbacks. Recognize that obstacles are a necessary component of education and a chance for personal development. Treat yourself with the same compassion and strength you would extend to a friend in a comparable situation.
Visualize Success: Use visualization tools to see yourself achieving your goals. Visualize yourself confidently navigating challenges, achieving your goals, and overcoming obstacles. Visualization primes your mind for success and instills confidence and belief in your abilities.
Seek Support and Feedback: Be in the company of encouraging peers, mentors, family, and friends who support you and believe in your ability to progress. Seek constructive feedback and guidance from trusted individuals who can offer insights, perspective, and encouragement to help you build confidence and improve.
Focus on Progress, Not Perfection: Embrace a growth mindset that values progress over perfection. Instead of striving for flawless performance, focus on continuous improvement and learning from mistakes. Accept failure as a chance to improve, learn, and hone your abilities.
Practice Assertiveness: Assertively communicate your needs, opinions, and boundaries in various situations. Practice saying no when necessary and advocating for yourself respectfully and assertively. Assertiveness builds self-respect and earns the respect of others, fostering confidence in your ability to assert your needs and values.
Celebrate Your Achievements: Recognizing and commemorating your accomplishments, regardless of how minor they may appear, is essential. Celebrating your successes reinforces positive behavior and boosts your self-confidence. Keep a journal of your accomplishments and reflect on how far you have come.

Overcoming Obstacles to Self-Confidence

Overcoming obstacles to self-confidence is an essential aspect of personal growth and development . While challenges may arise, there are effective strategies to help individuals overcome barriers and cultivate a strong sense of self-assurance. Here are some key obstacles to self-confidence and strategies for overcoming them:

Fear of Failure: One significant barrier that often keeps people from taking chances or achieving their goals is their fear of failing. To overcome this fear:

Embrace a growth mindset: Consider failure a chance for personal development and advancement and a normal component of the learning process.
Reframe failure: Instead of focusing on the negative outcomes of failure, focus on the lessons learned and the progress made.
Set realistic expectations: Recognize that failures are a typical part of the road to success and that perfection is unachievable.

Negative Self-Perceptions: Negative self-perceptions, such as low self-esteem or feelings of inadequacy, can undermine self-confidence. To combat negative self-perceptions:

Practice self-compassion: Recognize everyone has strengths and shortcomings, and treat oneself with compassion and understanding.
Challenge self-limiting beliefs: Identify and challenge negative thoughts and beliefs about yourself. Replace them with positive affirmations and evidence of your abilities and accomplishments.
Surround yourself with positivity: Surround yourself with supportive people who uplift and encourage you. Limit exposure to negative influences and environments that reinforce self-doubt.

Comparison with Others: Constantly comparing yourself to others can diminish self-confidence and breed feelings of inadequacy. To overcome the comparison trap:

Focus on your journey: Shift your focus inward and concentrate on your progress and growth rather than comparing yourself to others.
Celebrate your uniqueness: Recognize and celebrate your strengths, talents, and accomplishments. Embrace what sets you apart from others.
Use comparison as motivation: Instead of viewing others as competition, use their successes as inspiration and motivation to strive for your goals and aspirations.

Perfectionism: Pursuing perfection can be a significant barrier to self-confidence, often leading to unrealistic expectations and fear of failure. To overcome perfectionism:

Set realistic goals: Establish achievable and measurable goals that allow growth and progress rather than striving for perfection.
Embrace imperfection: Accept that mistakes and imperfections are a natural part of the human experience. Embrace the process of learning and growth, even if it means making mistakes along the way.
Practice self-acceptance: Value yourself and your efforts, regardless of whether you meet arbitrary standards of perfection. Accept the quirks and flaws that make you unique and precious.

Imposter Syndrome: Imposter syndrome manifests as inadequacy and self-doubt despite evidence of success and competence. To overcome imposter syndrome:

Acknowledge your accomplishments: Recognize and internalize them, attributing them to your skills, talents, and hard work.
Seek support and validation: Talk to trustworthy friends, mentors, or coworkers about your self-doubt so they can provide perspective and assurance.
Reframe negative thoughts: Challenge the validity of your self-doubt and replace negative thoughts with positive affirmations and evidence of your capabilities.

Cultivating a Growth Mindset

Psychologist Carol S. Dweck coined the term “growth mindset,” emphasizing that commitment, diligence, and experience-based learning can enhance aptitude and intelligence. Unlike a fixed mindset, which sees abilities as innate and unchangeable, a growth mindset fosters adaptability and resilience in facing challenges.

Understanding the Growth Mindset: The idea that obstacles present chances for growth and learning is the foundation of a growth mindset. Growth-minded people embrace challenges rather than run from them, seeing effort as the route to mastery. Acknowledge the mindset shift that lies in cultivating talents over time through dedication and perseverance.
Embracing Challenges as Opportunities: Individuals with a development mindset perceive obstacles as opportunities to enhance and perfect their abilities. Instead of fearing failure, they understand that setbacks are part of the learning process and offer valuable insights for improvement. This perspective transforms challenges from intimidating obstacles into stepping stones for personal and professional development.
The Role of Effort and Persistence: In a growth mindset, individuals perceive effort as a positive indicator of their commitment to improvement. Individuals are more likely to persist in facing challenges, recognizing that hard work contributes directly to skill development. This focus on effort promotes a positive attitude toward learning and encourages a deeper engagement with tasks.
Adopting a Positive Self-Talk: People who have a growth mindset typically have an optimistic internal monologue. Instead of self-criticism or negative self-talk, they approach challenges with a constructive mindset, emphasizing the potential for growth and improvement. This shift in self-talk contributes to increased self-confidence by fostering a belief in one’s ability to overcome obstacles.
Learning from Feedback: Individuals with a growth mentality see criticism not as a judgment of their intrinsic abilities but as a crucial tool for personal improvement. Since it offers suggestions for improvement, constructive criticism is crucial to the learning process. This openness to feedback contributes to a continuous cycle of improvement, reinforcing self-confidence through a commitment to growth.
Instilling a Growth Mindset in Others: Cultivating a growth mindset is not only a personal endeavor but can also be encouraged in others. Praise hard work, tenacity, and persistence to foster a culture of learning and development within groups, households, or communities. Honor those who have overcome obstacles and shown a growth attitude, serving as role models for others.

Case Studies

Here are a few case studies that exemplify the importance and impact of self-confidence:

1. Case Study: Overcoming Public Speaking Anxiety

Background: Sarah, a marketing professional, struggled with public speaking anxiety throughout her career. Despite her expertise in her field, she would often avoid speaking engagements and presentations due to fear of judgment and failure.
Intervention: Sarah decided to confront her fear of public speaking by enrolling in a public speaking course and seeking support from a mentor. Through guided practice and constructive feedback, she gradually learned to manage her anxiety and build confidence in her speaking abilities.
Outcome: With perseverance and determination, Sarah gradually overcame her public speaking anxiety and began to thrive in professional settings. She was recognized for her knowledge and leadership abilities, made powerful presentations, and confidently interacted with audiences. Sarah’s journey illustrates the transformative power of self-confidence in overcoming obstacles and seizing opportunities for growth and development.

2. Case Study: Career Transition and Self-Confidence

Background: John, an accountant, felt stuck in his career and yearned for a change. Despite harboring aspirations of pursuing a career in entrepreneurship, he lacked the self-confidence to take the leap and pursue his dreams.
Intervention: John sought guidance from career coaches and mentors to explore his passions and identify potential opportunities for career transition. Through introspection and self-discovery exercises, he clarified his goals and developed a roadmap for transitioning into entrepreneurship.
Outcome: With renewed confidence and determination, John launched his consulting firm, specializing in financial management for small businesses. Despite facing challenges and uncertainties, he remained resilient and focused on his vision. Today, John’s business is thriving, and he credits his success to his unwavering belief in himself and his abilities to navigate challenges and pursue his entrepreneurial dreams.

3. Case Study: Building Confidence in Academic Achievement

Background: Emily, a high school student, Emily struggled with low self-confidence and academic performance. Despite her intelligence and potential, she doubted her abilities and often felt overwhelmed by academic pressures.
Intervention: Emily sought support from teachers, counselors, and tutors to address her academic challenges and boost her self-confidence. Through personalized academic support and encouragement, she developed effective study habits, learned to manage stress, and gained confidence in her ability to succeed academically.
Outcome: With determination and support, Emily’s academic performance improved significantly, and she began to excel in her studies. She embraced challenges as opportunities for growth, participated actively in extracurricular activities, and pursued her passions with newfound confidence. Emily’s journey exemplifies the transformative power of self-confidence in academic achievement and personal fulfillment.

Self-confidence is the cornerstone of personal growth, resilience, and success. Through introspection, determination, and a willingness to confront challenges, individuals can cultivate a mindset of self-assurance and belief in their abilities. Real-life examples, such as Oprah Winfrey, Serena Williams, Steve Jobs, and Malala Yousafzai, highlight the transformative power of self-confidence in overcoming adversity and achieving greatness. We can realize our full potential and have happy, satisfying lives by accepting our strengths, growing from our mistakes, and steadfastly pursuing our objectives. Let self-confidence be the guiding force that empowers us to navigate life’s complexities and seize opportunities with courage and conviction.

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Why Self-Confidence Is More Important Than You Think

Self-confidence is linked to almost every element involved in a happy life..

Posted September 20, 2018 | Reviewed by Gary Drevitch

Cultivating Confidence
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Self-confidence is linked to almost every element involved in a happy and fulfilling life. I highlight five key rewards of self-confidence below. Understanding these benefits is an important first step toward living your best life with confidence.

Less Fear and Anxiety

The more confident you become, the more you’ll be able to calm the voice inside you that says, “I can’t do it.” You’ll be able to unhook from your thoughts and take action in line with your values.

If you’ve suffered from low self-confidence, you’re probably familiar with rumination, or the tendency to mull over worries and perceived mistakes, replaying them ad nauseam. Excessive rumination is linked to both anxiety and depression , and it can make us withdraw from the world. But by filling up your tank with confidence, you’ll be able to break the cycle of over-thinking and quiet your inner critic .

Greater Motivation

Building confidence means taking small steps that leave a lasting sense of accomplishment. If you’ve ever learned a language, mastered a skill, reached a fitness goal, or otherwise overcome setbacks to get to where you wanted to be, you’re well on your way.

You might be thinking, “Well, sure, I was proud of my ‘A’ in Calculus back in high school, but what does that have to do with anything now?” If you think back to a key accomplishment in your life, you’ll likely find that it took a lot of perseverance. If you could triumph through adversity then, you can do it in other areas of your life where you feel self-doubt.

As your confidence grows, you’ll find yourself more driven to stretch your abilities. “What-if” thoughts will still arise: “What if I fail?” “What if I embarrass myself?” But with self-assurance, those thoughts will no longer be paralyzing. Instead, you’ll be able to grin and act anyway, feeling energized by your progress in pursuing goals that mean something to you.

More Resilience

Confidence gives you the skills and coping methods to handle setbacks and failure. Self-confidence doesn’t mean you won’t sometimes fail. But you’ll know you can handle challenges and not be crippled by them. Even when things don’t turn out anywhere close to what you planned, you’ll be able to avoid beating yourself up.

As you keep pushing yourself to try new things, you’ll start to truly understand how failure and mistakes lead to growth. An acceptance that failure is part of life will start to take root. Paradoxically, by being more willing to fail, you'll actually succeed more — because you're not waiting for everything to be 100 percent perfect before you act. Taking more shots will mean making more of them.

Improved Relationships

It might seem counterintuitive, but when you have more self-confidence, you’re less focused on yourself. We’ve all been guilty of walking into a room and thinking, “They’re all looking at me. They all think I look dumpy and that every word I say is stupid.” The truth is, people are wrapped up in their own thoughts and worries. When you get out of your own head, you’ll be able to genuinely engage with others.

You'll enjoy your interactions more because you won't be so worried about the kind of impression you're making, and you won’t be comparing yourself to others. Your relaxed state will put others at ease as well, helping you forge deeper connections.

Self-confidence can also breed deeper empathy. When you’re fully present, you’re more likely to notice that your date seems to be a little down, or that a friend in the corner looks like she needs a shoulder to cry on. When you’re not preoccupied with your own self-doubt, you can be the person who reaches out to help others.

Stronger Sense of Your Authentic Self

Finally, confidence roots you in who you really are. You’ll be able to accept your weaknesses, knowing they don’t change your self-worth. You'll also be able to celebrate your strengths and use them more fully.

Your actions will be in line with your principles, giving you a greater sense of purpose. You'll know who you are and what you stand for. You’ll have the skills to show up, stand up, and speak up. In other words, you'll be able to let your best self shine through.

A Few Action Steps

Write down a favorite confidence quote and put it somewhere you'll see it often. My colleague Meg Selig has compiled a great list.
Do you have a photograph of a time you felt confident and successful? It could be a graduation photo, a picture of you as a kid after you learned to ride a bike or anything else that resonates with you. Hang it on your fridge or bathroom mirror, and reflect on all the steps it took to get to that point.
Try one of these self-confidence tricks from my colleague Alice Boyes.

Barbara Markway, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist with over 20 years of experience. She is the author of four psychology books and has been featured in media nationwide.

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Essay On Self Confidence

Self Confidence Essay

500 words self confidence essay.

Self-confidence is essential in achieving goals and success in your life. A person needs to have self-confidence to achieve success. Self-confidence is something that comes from within. It helps people think freely without any negativity and focus on their goals. A self-confident person has fewer chances of failure. People cannot achieve their goals without self-confidence because they are optimistic, eager, and positive by nature. It is also vital in leading a healthy and happy life. This Essay on Self Confidencewill help students know the importance of self confidence and boost their confidence.

Knowledge is the key to self-confidence. It helps you to understand your capabilities. The power of knowledge can be used to protect yourself from failure. If knowledgeable people surround you, they will support you and even advise you with good ideas and suggestions.

Definition of Self-Confidence

Self-confidence is a term defined to explain people’s state of mind that makes them push boundaries and encourages them to believe in themselves. Self-confidence has the power to motivate people to do things that seemed to be impossible for them. A self-confident person possesses an attitude that nothing is impossible, and they accomplish everything in life. It is important to have strong self-confidence, to avoid failure in life.

The concept of self-confidence is divided into three levels; self-confidence based on feeling, self-confidence based on belief and self-confidence based on knowledge. These three levels are used in different combinations, and a person who lacks these three levels would typically be less confident.

Self-confidence helps a person improve their career, as it is simple for them to follow the rules and regulations of their job. It helps them to achieve success in their life. It also helps to strengthen relationships and work on leadership and communication skills. Overall, we can say that self-confidence is necessary to become independent in life.

The Key to Success

It won’t be wrong to say that self-confidence is the key to success or the initial step towards success. People in workplaces and schools achieve success when they voluntarily take the initiative and come forward actively in life. They even participate actively in the decision-making process, as they feel confident in themselves. If a person is self-confident about himself, he has won half the battle.

People will notice you when you make yourself unique and stand apart from the crowd. Thus, it helps in attaining success in life. A person should believe in himself to gain self-confidence. Self-confidence is necessary if you want to move forward in your career, too. Success comes with lots of perks. For example, you can find your desired job efficiently.

People with less self-confidence are scared of getting criticised and exposed to failure. So, you should work on your self-confidence to get back on your feet and succeed in life.

Importance of Self Confidence

A person with self-confidence can face any kind of challenge in life. They are not scared of hurdles because they are confident that they can handle any situation. On the other hand, some people are afraid of failure, making them under-confident. A person who lacks self-confidence will get scared and leave the task midway.

Self-confidence is considered the first step towards success. In today’s society, people who lack confidence are looked down upon. They are always neglected and left behind in the race of life.

However, many people are famous because of their extraordinary achievements. Success cannot be achieved overnight. It is a long process of hard work, patience and passion towards your desired field.

Conclusion of the Essay on Self Confidence

To live a successful and healthy life, self-confidence is an essential trait. For people who keep themselves calm and compose, everything seems more straightforward. People face challenges at some point, but they remain confident enough to trust their abilities and work accordingly.

A person gains self-confidence with their own experience. No one can bring changes overnight, nor can they be obtained from others. It is a slow and constant process, and we all should participate in it. It takes time, but once you achieve it, nothing can stop you from conquering every height in life. So, to hype up your confidence, always give yourself a pep talk.

From our BYJU’S website, students can also access CBSE Essays related to different topics. It will help students to get good marks in their exams.

Frequently Asked Questions on Self confidence Essay

How to build self-confidence.

One can build self-confidence by setting achievable goals, thinking positively and through constant practice and hard work.

Why is self-confidence important?

Self-confidence helps us to move freely with other people and also improves our communication in the workplace.

How does self-confidence affect success?

People who are confident automatically spread an aura and are more likely to get hikes and promotions.

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Self Confidence Essay | Essay on Self Confidence for Students and Children in English

February 7, 2024 by Prasanna

Self Confidence Essay: Self-confidence can be defined as the belief and assurance you feel towards yourself. It is not something you are taught in school, as confidence has to come from inside. In a way, it’s freedom from doubting about every step you take in life.

Self-confidence is one of the most important routes you have to take in your path to success. It makes a person independent, eager, optimistic, loving and positive.

You can also find more Essay Writing articles on events, persons, sports, technology and many more.

Long and Short Essays on Self Confidence for Students and Kids in English

We provide children and students with essay samples on a long essay of 500 words and a short essay of 150 words on the topic “Self Confidence” for reference.

Long Essay on Self Confidence 500 Words in English

Long Essay on Self Confidence is usually given to classes 7, 8, 9, and 10.

Self-confidence is a state of mind where someone pushes their boundaries and encourages belief from the very beginning, and this comes from a place of self-love. You ought to love yourself to gain that freedom from doubting your actions.

Self Confidence is the key to success, or we can say it the first step towards success. If a person possesses self-confidence, then he/she has inevitably won half the battle.

We see people in school, workplaces and public sectors who have achieved success be more initiative, more forward and active, and more confident with their decisions, making them stand out from the crowd.

But when it comes to a person who cannot trust themselves or believe in themselves, success is a hard gain for them. They become more vulnerable to criticism and failure. They also find it super hard to get back on their feet and carry on.

Everyone who has self-confidence gets to enjoy various perks that come along with that state of mind. One of them being is finding the magnitude of a difficult job lesser than it is.

It helps you face your failure and own up to it in a positive light. It helps you rise multiple times to believe that you will excel and improve in your next attempt.

If you somehow lack this ability, there are high chances of you overcoming with pessimism. Simple jobs and daily chores feel like a challenge in every way. It’s harder for them to take a stand and they are most likely not to be taken seriously.

You can now access more Essay Writing on the topic Self Confidence and many more topics.

But one why does it make a self-confidence person more persist-able to success? — It’s not because they are lucky, or smarter, or because of something external. It’s because self-confident people understand the impact of believing in themselves and relying on their abilities.

Though being confident in themselves is one of the best abilities to acquire, but one must also be familiar with the fine line separating self-confidence with overconfidence. Excess of anything is bad, and self-confidence is no exception to that rule.

Overconfident people tend not to acknowledge every form of criticism and work on it. People who are experiencing tend to overlook the other side of the coin and embrace themselves now and then, which at some point in time proves harmful. Their narcissism leads them to spiral down in the tunnel of failure.

So having moderation helps one attain just the right amount of self-confidence and self-love that will assure them success and satisfaction and happiness that we’d all love to experience from life.

The way to gain self-confidence is completely personal and an internal decision, so no speech or essay or conversation will leave a person lacking; it changes all at once.

Just like self-love, self-confidence takes time to acquire. But once you start believing in yourself, no one can stop you from conquering all the heights in your life and career.

Short Essay on Self Confidence 150 Words in English

Short Essay on Self Confidence is usually given to classes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.

See yourself as the self-confident person you want to be, and before you know it, you will become that person. That’s how self-confidence works! Once you decide your mindset, nobody can stop you.

You have to start deciding for yourself as this comes from within. Exude confidence even if you don’t feel like it. Encouragingly talk to yourself and try to stay away from negative thoughts and people. Surround yourself with positive and confident people. This will become a habit and will build confidence.

This confidence will ultimately form opportunities for success, and their success builds up another block of self-confidence within a person, and the cycle repeats.

Therefore we come to see, self-confident people perceive themselves as able to achieve those things they set out to do, and this perception creates reality in their lives.

So start looking at yourself differently, in a positive way. It can change your life and help your confidence level to rise.

10 Lines on Self Confidence Essay in English

1. Self-confidence is the key to success. 2. The confidence of a person can be seen in the work done by that person. 3. A person with self-confidence can alone face the biggest problems or challenges in his/her life. 4. A self-confident rarely give up as they strive to achieve success even if it takes multiple tries. 5. We should overcome your fears and weaknesses to become self-confident. 6. One should avoid negativity and try to get surrounded by positivity to do much better. 7. Self-confident people should always be careful not to become overconfident. 8. To develop self-confidence, one must also start loving themselves. 9. Every person should have self-confidence because it is essential for us to have confidence in us for doing any work. 10. We all should have faith in ourselves, and that will become the reason for our success.

FAQ’s on Self Confidence Essay

Question 1. What’s the difference between self-confidence and self-esteem?

Answer: Self-confidence is the belief that you have in yourself, and self-esteem is how much you love yourself.

Question 2. Can you “fake” self-confidence?

Answer: When you first start building your self-confidence, it’s okay to fake it a bit. There is a famous saying — “fake it until you make it.”

Question 3. Can self-confidence lead you to success?

Answer: Absolutely! The more self-confident you are, the more attracted you will be to success.

Question 4. Can meditation increase self-confidence?

Answer: Yes, meditation can help you to develop this skill, but it is you who needs to believe in yourself to become self-confident.

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Self-Confidence Essay: Writing Guide, Topics, & Sample

The picture provides introductory information on a self-confidence essay.

Problems with self-confidence are relatively common, especially among teenagers and young adults. We all have experienced a lack of self-confidence in certain situations.

What can be the main factors causing low self-esteem?

Fear and anxiety. It comes from self-doubt and the comparison of yourself to others.
Lack of motivation. It happens because of criticism or other factors.
Lack of support. Approval or help from peers or mentors is essential.
No sense of authenticity. Feeling confident in who you are, gives a great source of power.

It is essential to address these issues as soon as possible. They can lead to problems with communication, personal growth, and difficulties in studies or career.

In this article, our expert team explains how to write a paper about self-confidence. You’ll find writing tips, topics, and an essay example at the end.

✍️ Writing a Self-Confidence Essay
🧾 82 Topics
✒️ Essay Sample

✍️ Essay on Self-Confidence – How to Write

Let’s start with the basics. Follow the steps below to prepare your paper smartly.

1. Choose a Topic

When you write about self-confidence, try to make your topic more specific .

Example of a bad topic: Why is self-confidence important to every person?

Example of a good topic: The connection between self-confidence and studying performance among first-year students.

The first topic is rather general and probably very common. The second one is narrower and implies that you have researched and prepared the paper.

2. Make an Outline

Planning your essay will save you some time and help you focus on the essential aspects.

Here is how to build an outline:

		Present the issue. After providing some background, finish the paragraph with a thesis statement.
		Describe the points mentioned in your thesis.
		and synthesize the information.

3. Research

Depending on the topic, you might need to conduct research. Don’t choose sources like Wikipedia or forums in your paper; read them only to overview the issue.

Here is why research is always beneficial:

Information inspires, even if you don’t plan to use particular materials.
Sources will add your writing some quality and competence.
It will help you define if your topic is overused or too narrow.

Use these tips to write an essay easily:

Start with body paragraphs and finish with a conclusion or introduction.
Create several drafts or versions of your essay and choose the best one.
Proofread and check for plagiarism.
If you write a narrative essay based on personal experience, don’t forget about the academic requirements.

🧾 82 Self-Confidence Essay Topics

Here is our selection of the best self-confidence essay topics.

The correlation between self-confidence and career expectations. Use research to show the connection between ambitions and confidence.
How does stereotyping affect self-confidence in communication? Explain your opinion about popular stereotypes and people’s ability to confront them using their confidence.
The reasons why self-esteem is as important as intelligence in the educational sphere. Describe your experience or use statistics to prove this statement.
The factors that influence the formation of children’s self-esteem. Describe the aspects connected with family, peers, education, hobbies, etc.
What professions demand a high level of self-confidence? Choose from one to three careers and explain the role of confidence in them.
What are the negative sides of being too self-confident? Use something you have experienced, a real story, or a book or film plot to develop this topic.
Why are many people confident only in some spheres of their life? Describe this phenomenon and connect it with your life or research data.
Discuss the impact of self-confidence in relationships with family members. Write about the competition that often takes place in families and how it is connected with confidence.
How not to let criticism harm self-confidence. Explain how to embrace problems and use criticism for your personal growth.
What is the difference between having high self-esteem and being selfish? Compare these concepts and provide your readers with similarities and differences.
How do bullying and discrimination affect teenagers’ self-esteem?
Describe the situation when you wish you had more self-confidence.
Adolescents’ depression: Issue analysis.
The factors that show that a child has problems with self-confidence.
Teachers’ sense of self-efficacy.
Is it easier for self-confident people to succeed in life?
Low self-esteem women and their relationships with men.
How to prepare for a public speech if you are not confident enough?
Depression development and its causes.
How does self-esteem affect romantic relationships?
Digital self-harm, causes, and interventions: Annotated bibliography.
Define the importance of self-confidence in stressful situations.
Motivational strategies to enhance the student’s self-efficacy.
What are the best strategies to boost self-confidence as a student?
How does a divorce affect children’s self-esteem?
Digital self-harm overview: Causes and interventions.
How does self-confidence influence people who work in creative industries?
Social psychology: Group influence on the self.
Define the word “confidence” using your life experiences.
Depression in adolescents.
Is it possible to lose your confidence completely?
The developing discipline and self-concept in early to mid-adolescence.
The importance of counseling in educational institutions.
Competence and self-esteem in human relations.
How to define if you have issues with self-confidence?
Is self-confidence a character feature you have naturally or need to develop?
Self-harm and suicide among adolescents .
How to define if the person is confident based on their body language?
How does child neglect affect a child’s self-esteem in adulthood?
Is it easier for confident people to make friends?
Suicide prevention: Bullying and depression.
Do you consider yourself a confident person?
What are the negative outcomes of being too self-confident?
Define what is meant by “child neglect becomes self-esteem.”
How does capitalism regard individualism and self-confident people?
What are the things self-confidence depends on?
Childhood bullying: Depression and suicidal attempts.
Do you need a specialist to eliminate problems with self-confidence?
Native American adolescent females and self-esteem concerns.
How does self-confidence influence life choices?
How would you explain the word “self-confidence” to someone who doesn’t speak English?
Bullying and participation in classes.
How does learning new things boost students’ self-confidence?
Instagram addiction and self-esteem in high school students.
Why should teachers do their best to boost their students’ self-confidence?
How does lack of self-confidence affect kids’ motivation to learn?
Childhood trauma and bullying: Adulthood effects.
The connection between self-confidence and social acknowledgment in high school.
Obesity and self-esteem in children and adolescents.
How does lack of self-confidence affect mental health?
How to embrace failures as a self-confident person?
The relationship between bullying and participation in physical education classes.
How can parents influence children’s self-esteem?
The role of self-confidence in nursing clinical practice.
How does external motivation help to build self-confidence?
Teenage suicide: The silent killer of the youth.
How do sports help to build your self-confidence?
Bullying in schools: History, causes, and solutions.
What is the difference between self-love and self-confidence?
Self-esteem measurement scale proposal.
What are the challenges underconfident teenagers face at school?
The influence of a toxic social environment on self-confidence.
Teenage suicide factors and psychological aspects.
The connection between stress resilience and self-confidence among young adults.
Risk factors for deliberate self-harm.
How to practice self-confidence daily?
The relationship between teenage suicide and depression.
Does overcoming challenges and solving problems make you more self-confident?
LGBTQ students’ bullying in schools.
Describe your experience when self-confidence helped you to succeed.
Statistics: Teachers’ self-efficacy and gender.
The importance of self-confidence in a highly competitive environment.

✒️ Self-Confidence and Healthy Life Essay

In the end, check our examples of a self-confidence essay.

When we start thinking about leading a healthy lifestyle, the first things that come to our minds might be nutritious food, regular sports, and getting enough sleep. It can be not so obvious, but having enough self-confidence is a reasonable basis for a healthy lifestyle. Self-confidence influences mental and physical health because it defines how you treat yourself and your relationships and enables you to enjoy your accomplishments fully. If you are self-confident, you value and treat yourself the way you deserve it. Wasting your time and effort on the things you do not need becomes redundant. It also means that you are optimistic and know what you want most of the time. Such an approach helps to reduce anxiety and stress levels. Self-confident people surround themselves with positive relationships that are beneficial for their health. They are not afraid to say “no” to those they do not like. Self-confidence also helps you establish relationships based on mutual respect and understanding each other’s self-worth. This is how you can protect yourself from toxic people and useless interactions. Knowing that you succeeded because you deserve it brings more positive emotions. When you lack self-confidence, you might undervalue your effort and think that you simply got lucky. Confident people know that they invested their resources and received a particular reward. Establishing this logical connection not only maintains but also boosts confidence. Self-confidence can be a great thing to start with if you want to improve your health. It also makes you surround yourself with the right people and experiences. Knowing your self-worth, having a positive social circle, and appreciating your achievements are always beneficial to mental health.

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106 Ideas, Examples, and Topics on Self Esteem

🏆 best research title about self esteem, 💡 interesting self-esteem topics for discussion, 📌 good self-esteem research topics, 🔎 simple & easy research titles about low self-esteem, ❓ research questions about self-esteem.

Self-Esteem and Confidence in the Workplace Secondly, gradual learning and improvement of job skills will help to feel more confident and show management that the employee is ready to learn and develop.
The Role of Self-Esteem in Education Speaking about practice, it is also possible to note the ambiguous nature of schools that promote self-esteeming by constantly saying to children that they can do anything, while teachers manipulate them by means of rewards […]
Concept of Self, Self-Esteem, and Behavior The concept of the self According to McLeod self concept is the perception that an individual holds about him or herself.
Self Concept and Self Esteem in Interpersonal Communication Low self-esteem is associated with a person’s emotional response to self-perception and social expectation. Low-self esteem is associated with the feeling of failure to meet social expectation.
Instagram Addiction and Impact on Self-Esteem The effect of social media use is reported to have a mixed effect on the user. First, social media addiction may have a varying effect on self-esteem depending on the type of use.
Instagram Addiction and Self-Esteem in Kuwaiti High School Students Besides, the study will explore the impact of social media and reveal the possible ways to resolve the social media addiction issues affecting the youth.
Instagram Addiction and Self-Esteem in High School Students To test the relationship between social media Instagram addiction and self-esteem in American high school students, a descriptive survey where students will be enrolled in an online, blinded survey will apply.
Child Neglect Might Affect a Child’s Self-Esteem in Adulthood Three situations in different locations are to be thoroughly discussed to illustrate the issue of the research. Indeed, the observation at the chosen playground seemed to be fruitful because of children of different ages.
Self-Handicapping, Self-Esteem, and Self-Compassion The higher the level of stress tolerance, the more successfully a person copes with anxiety, and, on the contrary, the lower the level, the more challenging it is for one to handle an unusual situation. […]
Promoting Self-Esteem in School-Age Children During the early school-age period, self-esteem concerns the way children accomplish set academic tasks and their performance in extracurricular activities.
The Relationship Between Polygamy and Self-Esteem in Children in Saudi Arabia Family cohesion in polygamous families is crucial for exploring in the context of this study because it directly involves the psychological well-being of children as well as the subsequent development of their self-esteem and adaptation […]
Psychology. “Self-Esteem” Book by Dr. Matthew McKay Self-Esteem: A Proven Program of Cognitive Techniques for Assessing, Improving, and Maintaining Your Self-Esteem is the book which teach people to live in piece with our society and with oneself.
The Increasing of Self-Esteem Importance This is part of a consciousness process in which one goes beyond what comes to be recognized as the illusion of separate selfhood.
Fathers’ Work, Conflicts and Children’s Self-Esteem On the other hand, the active involvement of the mother in the child’s life as well as the nature of the father’s occupation were found to act as mitigating factors to the quality of the […]
The Self Esteem: Scientific Approach In this respect the reliability of the research props up against the analysis of what is known at the time. The thing is that it is really the better predictor of high results compared to […]
Concept of the Self and Self-Esteem Among the most common and widely used ways of self, the approach is self-esteem and self-concept.self-esteem refers to how an individual views himself from an emotional or affective aspect.
Concept Analysis of Loneliness, Depression, Self-esteem The purpose of this direct study was to look at levels of depression, self-esteem, loneliness, and communal support, and the relationships stuck between these variables, in the middle of teenage mothers participating in the New […]
Evaluating the Self-Esteem of the Homeless The mission statement of the program indicates the central role played by the agency to the welfare of the society.”The Doe Fund’s mission is to develop and implement cost-effective, holistic programs that meet the needs […]
Relationships Between Anxiety, Perceived Support and Self-Esteem In particular, it sought to determine whether there is a relationship between anxiety, perceived support from friends, and self-esteem whereby anxiety and perceived support from friends act as predictors of the level of self-esteem.
Self-Esteem and Rejection: It Is Not Personal Taking things personally is problematic for many reasons, one of which is the bias connected to the perception of a situation.
Striving for Self-Esteem in Business The learning points from these articles are that self-assessment is only possible in the latter stages of business development and not the beginning, all businesses must go through ISO 9000 certification series and excellence models […]
Social Psychology Role: Self-Esteem and Human Development The relation between the concepts and the response is closely analyzed to determine the most important criteria people’s actions can be judged by. A person is stereotyped and the thinking leads to over-generalize towards others.
Mean Self-Esteem Scores for Boys and Girls The aim of this study was to determine if there was any difference in mean self-esteem scores for boys and girls.
Facebook Effects on Our Self-Esteem The title of the article “Facebook envy: how the social network affects our self-esteem” speaks for itself: the author Andrea Shea reflects on the impact that the social media has on its users, and in […]
Counseling Low Self-Esteem and Decision Making John was allowed to go out and meet with his friends, and the aunt was less concerned about the kind of company that he kept.
Women with Low Self-Esteem – Psychology Despite the fact that the given study is focused on the effects of separation on the women formerly engaged into relationships, it will still be necessary to consider certain issues concerning childhood; however, in the […]
The Link Between Self-Esteem and Self-Efficacy In explaining the dynamics of how self-esteem affects self-efficacy, it is important to note that low sense of self-worth will incapacitate the ability of an employee to succeed in specific situations due to lack of […]
Effects on Psychological Growth and Self-Esteem In 2007, approximately 794,000 cases of child maltreatment and abuse were reported in the US, translating to a maltreatment rate of 11 in every 1000 children.
Psychology Issues: Self-Esteem and Violence In my opinion, the argument by Boden, Fergusson, and Horwood is sociological since its main aim is to test the link between our self-esteem and later hostility and violent behavior.
Effects of Self-Esteem and Gender on Goal Choice The paper contains a discussion about the relationship between self esteem and gender to the type of goals that people make. Therefore, there is a link between high self-esteem and the behavior to make difficult […]
Women, Alcohol, Self-Concept, and Self-Esteem: A Qualitative Study of the Experience of Person-Centred Counselling This essay discusses the research setting and sample, the selection of the setting and the data collection procedure to be used during the project.
Self-Esteem and Students’ Health More so, life satisfaction is closely connected with the concept of self-esteem, and mental health also depends on proper development of self-esteem. It is also necessary to remember that a number of factors influence development […]
Raising a Child With High Self Esteem A good illustration of this is can be observed early on in babyhood growth of children who act in response and connect themselves to the adults or caregivers who show utmost love and care and […]
Social Networks and Self-Esteem Due to this fact, the main aim of this paper it to determine the impacts that social networks have on people and the role they play in the determination of the self-esteem of an individual.
Self Esteem and Culture in a Learning Environment Reflectively, the conceptual idea of this treatise is an in-depth analysis of the aspects of social environment and objective and their influence on quality of learning, self-evaluation, goal setting, decision making, and inclusive education as […]
The Effects of the Media on Creativity and Self-Esteem The controversy surrounding British sprinter Linford Christie and the British tabloid press in the mid nineties illustrates a crucial and heart breaking example of the media’s might in the area of self esteem.
The Connection Between Low Self-Esteem and Abusive Relationships
Adolescence and Impact of Self-Esteem Factors
Building Student Self-Esteem and Feelings of Security
Understanding Teenagers With Low Self-Esteem
The Connection Between Self-Esteem and Income
Bullying and Its Relationship to Self-Esteem
The Correlation Between Self-Esteem and Competition for Grades
Being Healthy Can Help With Self-Esteem and the Brain
Anticipated Regret and Self-Esteem in the Allais Paradox
Linking of Self-Esteem With the Tendency to Engage in Financial Planning
Linking of Alcohol Abuse, Self-Esteem, and Teenage Pregnancy Among Adolescents
Alcoholism and Its Link to Poor Self-Esteem
How Low Self-Esteem Predicts Future Unemployment
Impact of Social Media on One’s Self Esteem
Beauty Pageants Promote Self-Esteem and Confidence
Low and Decreasing Self-Esteem During Adolescence
Using Implicit and Explicit Self-Esteem
Authenticity and Its Influence on Psychological Well-Being and Contingent Self-Esteem of Leaders
Womanhood and Failures Through the Burden of Self-Esteem
Understanding Children’s Self-Esteem Development
Boost Your Self-Esteem With Acne Treatment
The Cause and Effects of Low Self-Esteem
Anxiety and Self-Esteem Among Undergraduate Students
The Factors That Affect the Self-Esteem of Women
Why Women Have Lower Self-Esteem
Linking of The Collective Self-Esteem and Social Identity Theory
Self Esteem Among Working and Non Working Woman
Self-Esteem: How It Is Built and Different Influencing Factors
The Connection Between Body Image, Self-Esteem, and the Fashion Industry
The Dark Side: Inflated Self-Esteem Is the Culprit of Negative Results
The Connection Between Low Self-Esteem and Depression in the Elderly
The Differences Between the Self-Esteem of Boys and Girls During Puberty
Discussion About Self-Esteem, It’s Differences and Relation to Sociology
Achieving Increased Self-Esteem Through Adaptive Sports
Building Self-Esteem in Children and Adolescents
The Different Causes and Effects of Low Self-Esteem
Impact of Makeup on the Self-Esteem of Young Girls
The Benefits and Importance of Boosting Self-Esteem in Children
The Adolescent’s Search for Self-Esteem and the Role of Professors in the Search
Social Phobia and Low Self-Esteem as Factors Behind Unhealthy Eating Behavior
How Do Bad Habits Affect People’s Self-Esteem and Self-Worth?
What Are Some Tips and Tools for Building Your Self-Esteem?
Can Positive Self-Esteem Lead to Positive Interactions and Connections with Others?
Does Divorce Cause Low Self-Esteem in Children?
What Is the Relationship Between Self-Reinforcement and Self-Esteem?
Are Media Images Harmful to Young People’s Bodies and Self-Esteem?
Does Yoga Increase Subjective Energy and Self-Esteem?
What Are the Causes and Consequences of Low Self-Esteem?
Is Self-Esteem or Self-Confidence More Important?
What Are the Differences Between Happiness and Self-Esteem?
How Do Peers and Media Influence the Development of Body Satisfaction and Self-Esteem?
What Is the Interrelated Role of Self-Esteem and Interpersonal Stressors in Predicting Adolescent Depression?
Do Social Phobia and Low Self-Esteem Cause Unhealthy Eating Behaviors?
Is There a Relationship Between Adolescent Plastic Surgery and Self-Esteem?
What Is the Correlation Between Self-Esteem and Competition for Grades?
Does Social Media Reduce the Self-Esteem of Young Girls?
What Are the Differences Between Boys’ and Girls’ Self-Esteem During Puberty?
How Does Our Self-Esteem Affect Interpersonal Communication?
Is There a Link Between Low Self-Esteem and Depression?
How Does Self-Esteem Relate to Our Level of Confidence?
Do School Uniform Policies Increase Student Self-Esteem and Improve Learning?
What Factors Contribute to Low Self-Esteem?
Has the Self-Esteem Movement Caused Young People to Overestimate Their True Skills and Disillusioned Many of Them?
Are Self-Esteem and Satisfaction in Romantic Relationships Related?
What Can Trigger Depression and Low Self-Esteem?
Does Physical Activity Affect Self-Esteem?
Are Self-Esteem and Impulsive Buying Behavior Related?
How Do Fashion Magazines and Television Affect Girls’ Self-Esteem?
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25 Self-Worth and Self-Esteem Quotes You Needed to Hear Today

These powerful words will remind you of your worth

Sanjana is a health writer and editor. Her work spans various health-related topics, including mental health, fitness, nutrition, and wellness.

Rachel Goldman, PhD FTOS, is a licensed psychologist, clinical assistant professor, speaker, wellness expert specializing in eating behaviors, stress management, and health behavior change.

Maria Korneeva / Getty Images

25 Self-Worth and Self-Esteem Quotes

Why self-esteem and self-worth are important, how self-esteem and self-worth quotes work, how to use self-esteem and self-worth quotes, when quotes aren’t enough.

Do you sometimes question your worth? Does your inner voice whisper in your ear that you’re not good enough? Are you dealing with something difficult that’s making you doubt yourself?

Well, what if we told you there are powerful words waiting to be heard, ready to remind you of your incredible worth?

We've compiled a collection of self-worth and self-esteem quotes that are more than just words–they're affirmations to hold onto when life gets tough. These words by famous people will remind you to believe in yourself and love yourself as you are, because you are enough.

“Quotes can be powerful because they encapsulate affirming and empowering messages in concise and relatable ways,” says Aja Chavez, LMFT , executive director of adolescent services at AMFM Healthcare.

At a Glance

We all struggle with self-doubt and insecurity from time to time. The key to pushing through is to believe in yourself. On days when you’re struggling and need a little extra motivation, these quotes can give your self-esteem and self-worth a boost. You’ve got this!

Here are some quotes that will help remind your of your self-worth:

Always remember you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.

Life is tough, my darling, but so are you.

Believe you can and you're halfway there.

If you hear a voice within you say ‘you cannot paint,’ then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.

The most terrifying thing is to accept oneself completely.

Accept who you are; and revel in it.

Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are.

One of the greatest regrets in life is being what others would want you to be, rather than being yourself.

Why should I care what other people think of me? I am who I am. And who I wanna be.

Don't waste your energy trying to change opinions. Do your thing, and don't care if they like it.

You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.

Tear off the mask, your face is glorious.

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.

Never dull your shine for somebody else.

Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life, but define yourself.

The greatest thing in the world is to know how to belong to oneself.

You're always with yourself, so you might as well enjoy the company.

To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.

The better you feel about yourself, the less you feel the need to show off.

The most beautiful thing you can wear is confidence.

Self-confidence is contagious.

If you have no confidence in self, you are twice defeated in the race of life. With confidence, you have won even before you have started.

Remember, you have been criticizing yourself for years, and it hasn't worked. Try approving of yourself and see what happens.

Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.

Be messy and complicated and afraid and show up anyways.

Self-worth and self-esteem are two closely related ideas that are both essential for our overall well-being. They are foundational to our mental and emotional health, influencing how we perceive ourselves, interact with others, and navigate life's challenges, says Chavez.

These are some of the reasons why it’s important to have a healthy sense of self-worth and self-esteem , according to the expert:

Healthier relationships: When we value ourselves, we’re better at setting boundaries and demanding respect in our relationships. This allows for more balanced, fulfilling, and mutually respectful relationships, says Chavez.
Less dependency: High self-esteem reduces the tendency to seek attention and validation from others, leading to more genuine and equitable relationships.
Greater resilience: Resilience is our ability to bounce back from tough situations. Chavez explains that when we believe in ourselves, we become more resilient and better equipped to handle setbacks and adversity, because we possess the inner strength we need to persevere through difficulties.
Increased motivation: Believing in our own worth also motivates us to pursue goals and strive for self-improvement, encouraging us to take risks, explore new opportunities, and reach our potential, says Chavez.
Better decision-making: Believe it or not, having a healthy sense of self-worth and self-esteem also contributes to better decision-making abilities. We’re able to trust our instincts and judgments, leading to more confident and assertive choices, Chavez says. We’re also less likely to regret our decisions.
Greater adaptability: A strong sense of self-worth allows us to be flexible and adapt to changing circumstances, maintaining our sense of identity and purpose despite external changes.
More positivity: Self-esteem also fosters a more positive outlook on life, encouraging us to focus on our strengths and capabilities rather than our shortcomings.
Increased self-compassion: Self-worth promotes self-compassion , allowing us to treat ourselves with kindness and understanding, especially during tough times.
Improved mental health: High self-worth and self-esteem contribute to better mental health, says Chavez. Research shows us that they’re linked to lower levels of depression, stress, and anxiety, and greater happiness and well-being.
Better body image: Self-worth and self-esteem are also key ingredients to maintaining a healthier body image that isn’t contingent on our appearance.

You’re probably wondering how quotes can boost our self-esteem and self-worth.

Quotes can be powerful because they encapsulate affirming and empowering messages in concise and relatable ways.

Here’s how they work:

Act as positive affirmations: These quotes often act as positive affirmations . By repeating or simply reading statements about self-love, self-acceptance, and inner strength, they plant the seeds of more positive beliefs.
Challenge negative self-talk: These quotes can challenge and change negative thought patterns by providing new, positive perspectives that can help reframe how we see ourselves, says Chavez.
Validate our feelings: Sometimes, hearing a positive message from an outside source can be especially validating. When we read quotes that resonate with our experiences, it validates our feelings and assures us that we are not alone on the struggle bus.
Provide inspiration: Chavez notes that uplifting quotes inspire us to take action and make positive changes in our lives. They remind us what we’re capable of and give us the push we need to get going.
Motivate us: Quotes from successful or admired figures can be motivating. They remind us that even accomplished people have doubts and struggles, but they persevered. This can motivate us to believe in ourselves and keep pushing forward.
Improve mood: Engaging with positive messages can lift our spirits and improve our mood —this emotional boost can have a lasting impact on our self-esteem over time, says Chavez.
Shift focus: These quotes can take our attention away from negative thoughts and refocus it on empowering ideas. This mental shift can help us recalibrate our goals and energies.

Here are some tips that can help you effectively use self-worth quotes to boost your self-esteem and well-being:

Find the right quotes: Choose quotes that resonate with your current situation. Are you facing self-doubt, in need of a motivational push, or seeking validation ? Find quotes that address those specific needs.
Display them as reminders: You can write or print out the quotes you like and stick them around your home and workspace, to serve as daily reminders of your worth. If you prefer, you could also set reminders on your phone, so these positive messages pop up on your screen, offering a quick burst of encouragement during the day.
Read and reflect: Don't just skim the quotes when you see them. Take the time to read them slowly, understand their meaning, and reflect on how they apply to your life.
Internalize the messages: Rephrase the quotes in your own words. How would you express the message to yourself?
Visualize success: Pair each quote with a mental image of yourself accomplishing what it describes. Visualize achieving that goal. What does it look, feel, and sound like?
Recite them as mantras: If you like, you can repeat your chosen quote throughout the day like a mantra , especially when you’re in challenging situations.
Use them as a journal prompt: You can also use the quotes as journal prompts. Write about the experiences and emotions they evoke.

Quotes are a fantastic starting point, but they can't single-handedly build lasting self-esteem. Here's what you can do when quotes aren't enough:

Practice self-compassion: Quotes can nudge you in the right direction, but true self-worth comes from being compassionate to yourself. Chavez says it’s important to treat yourself with the same kindness and understanding you would offer to a friend. Self-compassion exercises can help you learn how to be kinder to yourself.
Develop your strengths: What are you good at? Actively engage in activities that utilize your strengths. This sense of mastery fosters self-belief.
Celebrate your wins: Keep a "win" jar or journal where you record your accomplishments, big or small. “Celebrate your progress and accomplishments, no matter how small they may seem,” says Chavez.
Help others: Helping others is a powerful way to boost your own self-esteem. Volunteer your time , support a friend, or simply offer a helping hand. Contributing positively fosters self-worth.
Surround yourself with positive people: Chavez recommends cultivating relationships with people who uplift and support you and avoiding those who consistently undermine or devalue you. The company you keep matters.
Focus on progress, not perfection: Don't get discouraged by setbacks. Everyone has them. Focus on learning from challenges and getting back on track.
Practice self-care: Chavez says to prioritize self-care activities that promote your physical, emotional, and mental well-being, such as regular exercise, healthy eating, adequate sleep, and relaxation.
Seek therapy: If you find it challenging to improve your self-worth and self-esteem on your own, Chavez says it may be helpful to see a therapist. “Therapy can provide personalized strategies and support to help you build a healthier self-view.”
Be patient: Building self-esteem takes time and consistent effort. Be patient with yourself and remember to celebrate your progress along the way.

While these quotes offer a powerful dose of inspiration, it’s important to remember that self-worth and self-esteem need to come from within. Use these words as a springboard to delve deeper. Challenge negative thoughts, celebrate your wins, and cultivate self-compassion. It’s not just about how the world sees you, but about how you see and value yourself. Remember, you are worthy of love and respect, no matter what!

Orth U, Robins RW. Is high self-esteem beneficial? Revisiting a classic question . Am Psychol . 2022 Jan;77(1):5-17. doi:10.1037/amp0000922

Ryszewska-Łabędzka D, Tobis S, Kropińska S, Wieczorowska-Tobis K, Talarska D. The association of self-esteem with the level of independent functioning and the primary demographic factors in persons over 60 years of age . Int J Environ Res Public Health . 2022 Feb 10;19(4):1996. doi:10.3390/ijerph19041996

Muris P, Otgaar H. Self-esteem and self-compassion: A narrative review and meta-analysis on their links to psychological problems and well-being . Psychol Res Behav Manag . 2023 Aug 3;16:2961-2975. doi:10.2147/PRBM.S402455

Du H, King RB, Chi P. Self-esteem and subjective well-being revisited: The roles of personal, relational, and collective self-esteem . PLoS One . 2017 Aug 25;12(8):e0183958. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0183958

Chang OD. The stakes of self-worth: Examining contingencies of self-worth to clarify the association between global self-esteem and eating disturbances in college women . J Clin Psychol . 2020 Dec;76(12):2283-2295. doi:10.1002/jclp.23006

By Sanjana Gupta Sanjana is a health writer and editor. Her work spans various health-related topics, including mental health, fitness, nutrition, and wellness.

Home — Essay Samples — Life — Confidence — Definition Paper: Lack of Confidence

Definition Paper: Lack of Confidence

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Positive Psychology Interventions to Increase Self-Esteem, Self-Efficacy, and Confidence and Decrease Anxiety among Students with Dyslexia: A Narrative Review

Dana Abu Omar , Ann Kirkman , +2 authors Yoon Irons
Published in Youth 6 June 2024
Psychology, Education

63 References

Dyslexia, literacy difficulties and the self-perceptions of children and young people: a systematic review, effects of positive psychology interventions on the well-being of young children: a systematic literature review, growing up with dyslexia: child and parent perspectives on school struggles, self‐esteem, and mental health, mental health among students with neurodevelopment disorders: case of dyslexic children and adolescents, positive psychology goes to school: conceptualizing students’ happiness in 21st century schools while ‘minding the mind’ are we there yet evidence-backed, school-based positive psychology interventions, piloting 'clever kids': a randomized-controlled trial assessing feasibility, efficacy, and acceptability of a socioemotional well-being programme for children with dyslexia., effectiveness of positive psychology interventions: a systematic review and meta-analysis, effects of school-based multicomponent positive psychology interventions on well-being and distress in adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis, improving well-being, academic self-concept and academic achievement of indian children with specific learning disability by utilising positive psychology intervention, the effect of positive psychology interventions on well-being and distress in clinical samples with psychiatric or somatic disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis, related papers.

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Raising low self-esteem

We all have times when we lack confidence and do not feel good about ourselves.

But when low self-esteem becomes a long-term problem, it can have a harmful effect on our mental health and our day-to-day lives.

What is self-esteem?

Self-esteem is the opinion we have of ourselves.

When we have healthy self-esteem, we tend to feel positive about ourselves and about life in general. It makes us better able to deal with life's ups and downs.

When our self-esteem is low, we tend to see ourselves and our life in a more negative and critical light. We also feel less able to take on the challenges that life throws at us.

What causes low self-esteem?

Low self-esteem often begins in childhood. Our teachers, friends, siblings, parents, and even the media send us positive and negative messages about ourselves.

For some reason, the message that you are not good enough is the one that stays with you.

Perhaps you found it difficult to live up to other people's expectations of you, or to your own expectations.

Stress and difficult life events, such as serious illness or a bereavement , can have a negative effect on self-esteem.

Personality can also play a part. Some people are just more prone to negative thinking, while others set impossibly high standards for themselves.

How does low self-esteem affect us?

If you have low self-esteem or confidence, you may hide yourself away from social situations, stop trying new things, and avoid things you find challenging.

In the short term, avoiding challenging and difficult situations might make you feel safe.

In the longer term, this can backfire because it reinforces your underlying doubts and fears. It teaches you the unhelpful rule that the only way to cope is by avoiding things.

Living with low self-esteem can harm your mental health and lead to problems such as depression and anxiety .

You may also develop unhelpful habits, such as smoking and drinking too much, as a way of coping.

How to have healthy self-esteem

To boost your self-esteem, you need to identify the negative beliefs you have about yourself, then challenge them.

You may tell yourself you're "too stupid" to apply for a new job, for example, or that "nobody cares" about you.

Start to note these negative thoughts and write them on a piece of paper or in a diary. Ask yourself when you first started to think these thoughts.

Next, start to write some evidence that challenges these negative beliefs, such as, "I'm really good at cryptic crosswords" or "My sister calls for a chat every week".

Write down other positive things about yourself, such as "I'm thoughtful" or "I'm a great cook" or "I'm someone that others trust".

Also write some good things that other people say about you.

Aim to have at least 5 positive things on your list and add to it regularly. Then put your list somewhere you can see it. That way, you can keep reminding yourself that you're OK.

You might have low confidence now because of what happened when you were growing up, but we can grow and develop new ways of seeing ourselves at any age.

Other ways to improve low self-esteem

Here are some other simple techniques that may help you feel better about yourself.

Recognise what you're good at

We're all good at something, whether it's cooking, singing, doing puzzles or being a friend. We also tend to enjoy doing the things we're good at, which can help boost your mood.

Build positive relationships

If you find certain people tend to bring you down, try to spend less time with them, or tell them how you feel about their words or actions.

Try to build relationships with people who are positive and who appreciate you.

Be kind to yourself

Being kind to yourself means being gentle to yourself at times when you feel like being self-critical.

Think what you'd say to a friend in a similar situation. We often give far better advice to others than we do to ourselves.

Learn to be assertive

Being assertive is about respecting other people's opinions and needs, and expecting the same from them.

One trick is to look at other people who act assertively and copy what they do.

It's not about pretending you're someone you're not. It's picking up hints and tips from people you admire and letting the real you come out.

Start saying "no"

People with low self-esteem often feel they have to say yes to other people, even when they do not really want to.

The risk is that you become overburdened, resentful, angry and depressed.

For the most part, saying no does not upset relationships. It can be helpful to keep saying no, but in different ways, until they get the message.

Give yourself a challenge

We all feel nervous or afraid to do things at times. But people with healthy self-esteem do not let these feelings stop them trying new things or taking on challenges.

Set yourself a goal, such as joining an exercise class or going to a social occasion. Achieving your goals will help to increase your self-esteem.

Where to find help for low self-esteem

Talking therapies like counselling or cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can help.

You can refer yourself for talking therapies on the NHS.

If you prefer, you can talk to a GP first and they can refer you.

You could also find a private therapist. Make sure they're registered with a professional body.

Audio: Unhelpful thinking

In this audio guide, a doctor helps you to replace negative thoughts with more positive thinking.

Visit healthtalk.org to hear young people talking about their experiences of low self-esteem

Video: Talking therapies for stress, anxiety and depression

Animated video explaining self-referral to talking therapies services for stress, anxiety or depression.

Page last reviewed: 11 April 2023 Next review due: 11 April 2026

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After Affirmative Action Ban, They Rewrote College Essays With a Key Theme: Race

The Supreme Court’s ruling intended to remove the consideration of race during the admissions process. So students used their essays to highlight their racial background.

Keteyian Cade, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and jeans, and Jyel Hollingsworth, wearing a blue sweatshirt with a collared shirt, pose for a portrait outside the Missouri History Museum.

By Bernard Mokam

Bernard Mokam interviewed dozens of high school students, parents and counselors about preparing college applications in a new landscape.

Astrid Delgado first wrote her college application essay about a death in her family. Then she reshaped it around a Spanish book she read as a way to connect to her Dominican heritage.

Deshayne Curley wanted to leave his Indigenous background out of his essay. But he reworked it to focus on an heirloom necklace that reminded him of his home on the Navajo Reservation.

The first draft of Jyel Hollingsworth’s essay explored her love for chess. The final focused on the prejudice between her Korean and Black American families and the financial hardships she overcame.

All three students said they decided to rethink their essays to emphasize one key element: their racial identities. And they did so after the Supreme Court last year struck down affirmative action in college admissions, leaving essays the only place for applicants to directly indicate their racial and ethnic backgrounds.

High school students graduating this year worked on their college applications, due this month, in one of the most turbulent years in American education. Not only have they had to prepare them in the backdrop of the Israel-Hamas war — which sparked debates about free speech and antisemitism on college campuses, leading to the resignation of two Ivy League presidents — but they also had to wade through the new ban on race-conscious admissions.

“It has been a lot to take in,” said Keteyian Cade, a 17-year-old from St. Louis. “There is so much going on in the world right now.”

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COMMENTS

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What is Self-Esteem? A Psychologist Explains

This Article Contains:

Self-Esteem and Psychology

Self-Esteem vs. Self-Concept

Self-Esteem vs. Self-Image

Self-Esteem vs. Self-Worth

Self-Esteem vs. Self-Confidence

Self-Esteem vs. Self-Efficacy

Self-Esteem vs. Self-Compassion

Esteem in Maslow’s Theory – The Hierarchy of Needs

Download 3 Free Self-Compassion Exercises (PDF)

Download 3 Free Self-Compassion Tools Pack (PDF)

23 Examples of Self-Esteem Issues

6 Practical Tips on How to Increase Self-Esteem

2. Set realistic expectations.

3. Stop being a perfectionist.

4. Explore yourself.

5. Be willing to adjust your self-image.

6. Stop comparing yourself to others.

Measuring Self-Esteem with the Rosenberg Scale

The Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory (1967/1981)

Why Thinking You’re Ugly is Bad for You by Meaghan Ramsey

Meet Yourself: A User’s Guide to Building Self-Esteem by Niko Everett

Self-Esteem – Understanding & Fixing Low Self-Esteem by Actualized.org

How to Build Self Esteem – The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem by Nathaniel Branden Animated Book Review by FightMediocrity

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