How Is My Self-Esteem Doing Today?

"Self-esteem has two interrelated components. One is a sense of basic confidence in the face of life’s challenges: self-efficacy. The other is a sense of being worthy of happiness: self-respect." – Nathaniel Branden (The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem).

A short list I found in one of my journals took me way back to the days when self-love and worth weren't my things. I used to be guilty of all of them, some are still but a lot less than in my teens, twenties, and thirties (pretty much my entire adult life).

This is one of the many benefits of keeping a journal; it's the breadcrumbs on the path of personal growth, a non-linear path that every so often we need to introspectively examine and assess if we have made progress.

I would use this to check in with myself now and then if I'm still...sometimes–

1. saying negative things and being critical of myself
2. joking about myself in a negative way
3. focusing on my negativities and ignoring my achievements (choosing to only see the wrong and the bad)
4. blaming myself when things go wrong
5. thinking that other people will always be better than I am
6. Thinking that I don't deserve to have fun
7. finding it hard to accept compliments (or deny it all totally)
8. avoiding challenges for fear of failing
9. being overly upset by disapproval or criticism
10. feeling sad, depressed, anxious, angry, or worthless

And lastly, am I giving myself the credit I deserve for all the work that I've done well?

Check in with yourself often on this as it essentially measures if you're seeing yourself in a good light.

“Of all the judgments we pass in life, none is more important than the judgment we pass on ourselves.”
― Nathaniel Branden

Be kind to the most important person in your life– yourself.

Have a wonderful day 🌻