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Building Self-esteem, Even If You've Never Had It

By: Rick London..

If I said self-esteem could do wonders for your self-esteem you'd probably think I was pulling your leg, or I made a mistake in typing. I did not.

A lot of people think that one has to be either born with self-esteem, or maybe was popular in high-school and held onto that for the rest of their lives, always succeeding at whatever due to public support. The truth is, nothing could be further from the truth.

In many cases the opposite happens. The slim-trim blonde high-school cheerleader who maybe relied totally on looks for self-esteem later marries, has children and stretch marks, not to mention her hair turned gray from dealing with the children and possibly irate husband and she gained a good bit of weight from the extra bon-bons passed around at her literary club.

In other cases, children born into royalty, Hollywood elite families, etc. have much expected out of them from the start. This can erode self-esteem early. I am not saying this happens to all the high and mighty, but it is more commonplace than one might think.

I will go back to basics. Self-esteem can do wonders for your self-esteem. That might not make sense if you feel your self-esteem has diminished for whatever reason. My point is, it can be learned for the first time, or re-learned in a whole new fashion.

Maybe you were the football jock who lifted weights regularly and was applauded every time you blocked a tackle. You kept your grades up and you got more positive feedback. This helped your esteem very much. Later in life, you landed a high paying marketing job and you hate it. The pay all goes to an ungrateful wife who spends it on fashions and takes vacations with her girlfriends. Where did your self-esteem go?

The simple fact is, that in adulthood, we have to create our own self-esteem. We do not necessarily receive all the unconditional love, attention, and acknowledgment of our deeds we did when we were younger. We can't do it in a day, and there is no one path in which to build it.

It may mean, on a day you are feeling lowest, you pick yourself up and go to a soup kitchen and volunteer. Maybe a nursing home and visit with the elderly. Tutor a kid with his/her homework. Do something positive to get outside of yourself. You will not get back your self-esteem most likely in one day. But if you find yourself making it a habit of helping others, you will slowly find your self-esteem rising. It is a natural consequence of helping others and getting outside oneself. Maybe it's physics. Maybe its the way the universe operates. But it works for many.

I fought low self-esteem for many years. Suddenly I looked up and I was fifty. But now, I'd had a major heart attack and I was keenly aware of my mortality. Heart attack? That was what other people had, not me. I guess everyone thinks that. So I took a week and analyzed my life. I took, (as Richard Dreyfus' book in 'What About Bob?', baby steps. I studied. I researched. I learned. I even went back to college online. I helped other elderly people learn the Internet and even helped a few get into college.

It is an interesting experience, to experience higher self-esteem, especially when one never had it. I fall into that category. I take it slow and easy. I enjoy the learning process. It has nothing to do with money or fame. It has to do with knowing me, and, finally, learning to like me, and maybe even love me, so I can love others.

Many people have had it much rougher than me. I have endured much in my life including homelessness, and I am certain there are many others who have even meaner stories, so if I can do it, anyone can. I just take a little time out of each day and do something positive, or create something, work on one of my projects, write a story like this one, to build my self-esteem. I may miss the mark some of the time, but I try to learn to do it right the next time, and still, I take time for myself to do just a little something positive for me or someone else, or both, for no pay, even if they insist.

In ten years of doing this, I feel I've made me a better person, and given that, made the world a little better place.

I created the largest cartoon site o the Internet which makes people feel good. I then launched nine gift stores; LTSuperstore, RickLondonCollection, Justfunnygreetingcards,Justfunnycoffeemugs, Justfunnyaprons, Mirthgirthbirth, RickLondonwear, Justfunnymousepads, Justfunnyhoodies, etc. Surfers stop at my stores and often order either for themselves or a friend or family member. Laughter is a great self-esteem builder and is quite bonding.

Being around humor makes us feel "lighter". It is human nature to want to laugh. We should laugh. Laughter, like crying, are both very important releases. And they both put us in touch with our feelings. And our feelings put us in touch with who we are. And when we know who we are, we have our self-esteem.

But don't do it all at once. Remember, baby steps, a little bit each day, and in a year, you'll look back wondering who that sad person was (that was once you).

Article Source: http://www.myarticlesdirectory.com

Cartoonist Rick London battled depression and low self-esteem for years. He has since taken a path to higher self-esteem. He makes others laugh with his cartoon gifts & collectibles and Top Internet Offbeat Cartoons Easy Self-Esteem: Even If You've Never Had It

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