If I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard, “I suffer from low self-esteem”, I don’t think I’d have to work this year. If you are part of this bandwagon, I am going to kindly ask you to GET OFF OF IT, RIGHT NOW!
True: Self-esteem, the value we know we bring to the world, comes from inside of us. The problem is we don’t bother figuring out what’s inside. If you believe you have low self-esteem and you believe it’s getting in the way of getting what you want out of life, I am giving you two choices.
First, think of yourself right now…and get a piece of paper. Think of your strengths, your attributes, and your qualities: the three beautiful things about you that YOU bring to your life situations. Think about times you’ve felt confident or have been successful. What are the skills, talents, and thoughts you used to bring you there? Go ahead, don’t worry about bragging, be honest. Write them down. Really, I want you to write them down!
Look at what you wrote. These form the roots of your self-esteem; the wonderful things you bring to each life situation. Now, are you conscious of them? Do you employ these things to reach success? Self-esteem, our understanding of our own real value, comes from us understanding that we “own” these qualities. They are ours to keep!
Second, and seriously, if you attempted the first choice and really couldn’t do it, the good news is, you still have choices. I am going to ask you to seek help: certainly a counselor is always a good choice in situations like this. A professional is trained to help you encounter the roots of your low self-esteem and begin to change your own self-concept. YOU are the one to decide if you need a professional. Another choice would be to meet with a trusted person who might be able to help you uncover your value. This person can’t simply tell you this (as self-esteem comes from within us), but they may be able to provide perspective so you can see yourself more “for real”.
So, respectfully, I suggest that you stop using “low self-esteem” as an excuse. Start focusing on knowing and owning those things that are great about you, RIGHT NOW, so that you can achieve all you want.