The Oxford Dictionary defines esteem as:
Therefore, you esteem something because it has positive qualities. Likewise, self-esteem is how you regard and value yourself.
It is possible to have too much confidence and pride. But can someone have too much self-esteem?
If you do not recognise your limits and have unrealistic confidence in your skills, then you might suffer a hard fall. Similarly, too much pride builds a large ego and if expectations fall short of what the ego expects, pain and hurt follow. As with everything else, you need balance. Self-esteem gives you that balance.
A healthy level of self-esteem is a precious psychological resource and generally a positive factor in life; it is closely related to achievement, good relationships, and satisfaction. Self-esteem can influence life in a myriad of ways, from academic and professional success to relationships and mental health.
Studies have shown a close correlation between exercise and enhancing self-esteem.
“Exercising creates empowerment both physical and mental,” says Debbie Mandel, author of Addicted to Stress, “especially weight lifting where you can calibrate the accomplishments. Exercise organizes your day around self-care.”
Mandel suggests dropping a task daily from your endless to-do list for the sole purpose of relaxing or doing something fun and seeing how that feels.
Glenn R. Schiraldi, Ph.D., author of The Self-Esteem Workbook, describes healthy self-esteem as a realistic, appreciative opinion of oneself. He writes, “Unconditional human worth assumes that each of us is born with all the capacities needed to live fruitfully, although everyone has a different mix of skills, which are at different levels of development.” He emphasises that a person's core worth is independent of externals, such as wealth, education, health, or status.
So exercise and focus on realistic positive assumptions about yourself. And enjoy the ride!
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