What is Positive Self-Esteem? How do Self-Concept and Self-Esteem Develop?
Back to: Gender, School and Society- Unit 3
In the context of psychology, self-esteem is a term used to refer to a person’s overall subjective sense of personal value and worth. It can be defined as the amount of appreciation a person has for himself or herself regardless of the circumstances. A lot of factors may contribute to defining self-esteem, some of which include self-confidence, identity, sense of belonging, feeling of security, and feeling of competence. Few terms that are often used interchangeably with self-esteem are self-regard, self-respect, and self-worth.
According to Monica A. Frank,
“The self-concept is a factual description of how you perceive yourself. If your perception is distorted, this description may not be an accurate depiction of you, but it is an accurate statement of what you believe about yourself.”
A few factors that contribute to the development of self-concept and self-esteem are as follows:
Positivity
Developing a positive view of the self and possessing an appreciative and grateful attitude towards life can help improve one’s self-esteem. They can praise others as well as themselves freely and look for the positive aspects of life instead of dwelling on the negative.
Self-Improvement
Putting efforts to improve oneself in all areas such as the mindset to the way one perceives others can also develop one’s self-esteem.
Willingness to Take Risks
People with high self-esteem are willing to take on risks and overcome challenges. Therefore, seeking to take risks is a sign of high self-esteem.
Reflect on Accomplishments
Reflecting on one’s accomplishments can often serve as a source of positivity and motivate people to become a better version of themselves. This will help them to become more confident and develop a better self-concept and self-esteem.
Recognize Self-Worth
People will always try to bring you down in one or the other way but staying true to yourself by having faith and belief in yourself is a great way to improve one’s self-concept and self-esteem.
Self-esteem plays an important role because it has a huge impact on your decision-making process, your emotional health, your mental health, your relationships, and your overall well-being. It also impacts the amount of motivation you have. People with healthy self-esteem and a positive view of themselves recognize their potential and may feel more inspired to take on new challenges than those with low self-esteem.
