Signs of Healthy and Low Self-Esteem

We all know that self-esteem (sometimes referred to as self-worth or self-respect) can be an important part of success. Too little self-esteem can leave people feeling defeated or depressed. It can also lead people to make bad choices, fall into destructive relationships, or fail to live up to their full potential.

A grandiose sense of self-importance, on the other hand, can be off-putting to others and can even damage personal relationships. It can also be a sign of narcissistic personality disorder, a mental health disorder characterized by an excessive need for admiration and lack of empathy toward other people.

Self-esteem levels at the extreme high and low ends of the spectrum can be harmful, so ideally, it's best to strike a balance somewhere in the middle. A realistic yet positive view of yourself is generally considered the ideal. But what exactly is self-esteem? Where does it come from and what influence does it really have on our lives?

What Is Self-Esteem?

In psychology, the term self-esteem is used to describe a person's overall sense of self-worth or personal value. In other words, how much you appreciate and like yourself. It involves a variety of beliefs about yourself, such as the appraisal of your own appearance, beliefs, emotions, and behaviors.

Why Self-Esteem Is Important

Self-esteem can play a significant role in your motivation and success throughout your life. Low self-esteem may hold you back from succeeding at school or work because you don't believe yourself to be capable of success.

By contrast, having a healthy self-esteem can help you achieve because you navigate life with a positive, assertive attitude and believe you can accomplish your goals.

Theories of Self-Esteem

Many theorists have written on the dynamics involved in self-esteem. The need for self-esteem plays an important role in psychologist Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs, which depicts self-esteem as one of the basic human motivations.

Maslow suggested that people need both esteem from other people as well as inner self-respect. Both of these needs must be fulfilled in order for an individual to grow as a person and achieve self-actualization.

Factors That Influence Self-Esteem

As you might imagine, many factors influence self-esteem. Your inner thinking, age, any potential illnesses, disabilities, or physical limitations, and your job can affect your self-esteem. 

Additionally, genetic factors that help shape a person's personality can play a role, but it is often our experiences that form the basis for overall self-esteem. Those who consistently receive overly critical or negative assessments from family and friends, for example, will likely experience low self-esteem.

Signs of Healthy Self-Esteem

There are some simple ways to tell if you have healthy self-esteem. You probably have healthy self-esteem if you are more likely to:

• Avoid dwelling on past, negative experiences
• Express your needs
• Feel confident
• Have a positive outlook on life
• Say "no" when you want to
• See overall strengths and weaknesses and accept them

Signs of Low Self-Esteem

You may need to work on how you perceive yourself if you tend to experience these common problems caused by low self-esteem:

• You believe that others are better than you
• You find it difficult expressing your needs
• You focus on your weaknesses
• You frequently experience feelings such as shame, depression, or anxiety
• You have a negative outlook on life
• You have an intense fear of failure
• You have trouble accepting positive feedback
• You have trouble saying "no"
• You put other people's needs before your own
• You struggle with confidence