Self-Esteem and Its Impact on Society

Growing up is the most crucial time of our lives. There are so many different ups and downs, especially during adolescence, a time when our bodies and minds go through so many changes. The staple of our lives, self-esteem, plays a vital role in our lives. Society also shapes our self-esteem as well.

The issue of self-esteem usually shapes our childhood which will lead on into our adult lives. What is self-esteem? Basically, it is how individuals perceive him/her self and what do they think of self-worth and values.

There is no such thing as an “in-between” self-esteem. It is either a positive or a negative self-esteem. This may seem like common sense but unfortunately there are so many individuals in the world that cannot distinguish between the two.

Having a positive self-esteem is very essential. It allows individuals to have positive thoughts about him/her self and whatever they decide to do. It also gives people the opportunity to have respect for themselves, although mistakes will be made occasionally. If individuals respect themselves, then other people will be more likely have a high regard for him/her.

In addition to having respect for one's self, a positive self-esteem plays a significant role in making good life choices, for the most part, which involves the mind and body. With this type of self-esteem, individuals are aware that he/she has the intelligence to make their own decisions. As a person that had so many negative experiences that took place during some of my life, having a positive self-esteem keeps me grounded. It lets me be the individual that I am meant to be.

Unfortunately, there are so many people that suffer from having a negative self-esteem, which does have a negative impact on one's life, such as not feeling worthy. With a negative self-esteem, individuals do not have a positive perspective or themselves. Instead of building up their esteem, they tend to beat up themselves over one minute mistake or even criticizing his/her self.

I hear so many people that have a very negative perspective on themselves. For example, there was this girl that I knew who thought that she was too fat. In fact, she was the opposite of being obese. She had a very petite body frame. One day she asked me did she look fat. I told her that she was not fat and that she was fine the way she was. I guess she needed my validation.

In the mass media, there are so many images that are flashed in our faces constantly, as in fashion magazines and television. They know that people are very influenced by the images of models and celebrities that are seen on a daily basis, especially teen girls and young women. They want to emulate them. Unfortunately, celebrities represent a portion of the real world. In fact, many of them look very unrealistic. As a result, these individuals develop a negative self-esteem. The media tells us that we should look a certain way in society, which is unfair because everyone has their own distinctive look.

But there are many ways that individuals can reverse their negative self-esteem. They can focus on the activities that he/she enjoy doing, such as photography, give themselves positive compliments on a daily basis. This is also very pivotal in building up a positive self-esteem: be surrounded by positive individuals. With these suggestions, a person may be on the road to recovery from

negative thoughts.

Having an issue with self-esteem? Please feel free to comment.