Health, Wellness, and the Importance of Self Esteem

What is the importance of self esteem and what does it mean for you?

According to leading psychologists, positive self esteem is vital in development of a healthy personality. Nathaniel Branden calls self esteem: The immune system of consciousness.

What is Self Esteem?

Self esteem is how we feel about ourselves. It is our thoughts and feelings about ourselves. For example: I am good looking. I feel good about myself. I am kind. I am competent.

The level of our self esteem determines how we operate in life - how we interact with others, spouse, children, friends, and strangers. It determines our goals and what we strive for, our achievements, and our satisfaction and happiness in life.

The importance of self esteem can be seen when we look at the relationship between healthy self esteem and other psychological traits. Self esteem and personality are closely related.

Healthy self esteem is related with:

• Openness
• Honesty
• Acceptance
• Cooperativeness
• Independence

 

People with high self esteem tend to be more ambitious in what they want to experience in life.

High self esteem people have a drive to express themselves and to communicate openly and honestly about their needs and desires.

People with healthy self esteem choose healthy relationships and they recognize the value of relationships. They treat others with respect, non judgmental attitude, and fairness.

Much of your stress comes from internal sources. Having a high self esteem is vital for stress relief.

Can you see the importance of self esteem? It is no wonder that Nathaniel Branden says that self esteem is our basic need.

Quotes from Leading Psychologists on
the Importance of Self Esteem

 

If I were to search for the central core of difficulty in people as I have come to know them, it is that in the great majority of cases they despise themselves, regarding themselves as worthless and unlovable.

~Carl Rogers

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High self esteem people can surely be knocked down by an excess of troubles, but they are quicker
to pick themselves up again.

~Nathaniel Branden

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No psychological health is possible unless this essential care of the person is fundamentally accepted, loved and respected by others and by himself...

~Abraham Maslow

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Love of others and love of ourselves are not alternatives. On the contrary, an attitude of love towards themselves will be found in all those who are capable of loving others.

~Eric Fromm

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Probably the most important requirement for effective behavior, central to the whole problem,
is self esteem.

~Stanley Coopersmith

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Continue from importance of self esteem, to Self Esteem and Identity.

Related Articles:

Self Esteem Theory
Quotes about Self Esteem
Define Self Esteem
Perfectionism - The Dangerous Trap

 

Return from Importance of Self Esteem, to Stress Relief Tools