Self-identification&

self-esteem
Self actualization
Content
 Self-awareness
• Self-concept

• How self-concept formed

• Positive and negative self-concept

 Self-identification

 Self-esteem definition

o Theory

o Chrecristrics of low and high self-esteem

o Steps to boost-up self-esteem

 Self-actualization
 What is Self-Concept? A Definition
 Self-concept is an primary idea we have about who we are—physically, emotionally, socially,
spiritually, and in terms of any other aspects that make up who we are (Neill, 2005). We
form and regulate our self-concept as we grow, based on the knowledge we have about
ourselves. It is multidimensional, and can be broken down into these individual aspects.
 For example, you may have a very different idea of who you are in terms of your physical
body, and who you are in terms of your spirit or soul.
 The influential self-efficacy researcher Roy Baumeister (1999) defines self-concept as
follows:

 “The individual’s belief about himself or herself, including the person’s attributes
and who and what the self is.”

 A similar definition comes from Rosenberg’s 1979 book on the topic; he says self-concept is:

 “…the totality of an individual’s thoughts and feelings having reference to himself

as an object.”
 Self-concept is related to several other “self” constructs, such as self-esteem, self-
image, self-efficacy, and self-awareness.

 Self-Concept vs. Self-Esteem

 Self-concept is not self-esteem, although self-esteem may be a part of self-concept.
Self-concept is the perception that we have of ourselves, our answer when we ask
ourselves the question “Who am I?”
 It is knowing about one’s own tendencies, thoughts, preferences and habits, hobbies,
skills, and areas of weakness.
 According to Carl Rogers, founder of client-centered therapy, self-concept is an
overarching construct that self-esteem is one of the components of it (McLeod, 2008).
 Self-Concept vs. Self-Image
 Self-image is related to self-concept but is less broad. Self-image is how an individual
sees themselves, and it does not have to align with reality.
 A person’s self-image is based on how they see themselves, while self-concept is a
more comprehensive evaluation of the self, largely based on how a person sees
themselves, values themselves, thinks about themselves, and feels about themselves.
 Carl Rogers posited that self-image is a component of self-concept, along with self-
esteem or self-worth and one’s “ideal self” (McLeod, 2008).
 Self-Concept vs. Self-Efficacy
 Self-concept is a more complex construct than self-efficacy. While
self-efficacy refers to an individual’s judgments of their own abilities,
self-concept is more general and includes both cognitive (thoughts
about) and affective (feelings about) judgments about oneself (Bong &
Clark, 1999).

 Self-Concept vs. Self-Awareness

 Self-awareness also influences self-concept. It is the quality or trait that
involves conscious awareness of one’s own thoughts, feelings,
behaviors, and traits (Cherry, 2018A). To have a fully developed self-
concept (and one that is based in reality), a person must have at least
some level of self-awareness.
Development of Self-Concept

 Self-concept begins to develop in early childhood. This process

continues throughout the lifespan. However, it is between early
childhood and adolescence that self-concept experiences the most
growth.
 By age 2, children begin to differentiate themselves from others.

 By the ages of 3 and 4, children understand that they are separate

and unique selves. At this stage, a child's self-image is largely

descriptive, based mostly on physical characteristics or concrete
details. Yet, children increasingly pay attention to their capabilities.
 By about 6 years old, children can communicate what they want

and need. They are also starting to define themselves in terms of

social groups.
 Between the ages of 7 and 11, children begin to make social
comparisons and consider how they’re perceived by others. At this
stage, children’s descriptions of themselves become more abstract.
They begin to describe themselves in terms of abilities and not just
concrete details, and they realize that their characteristics exist on a
continuum. For example, a child at this stage will begin to see himself
as more athletic than some and less athletic than others, rather than
simply athletic or not athletic. At this point, the ideal self and self-
image start to develop.
 Adolescence is a key period for self-concept. The self-concept

established during adolescence is usually the basis for the self-concept

for the remainder of one’s life. During the adolescent years, people
experiment with different roles, personas, and selves. For adolescents,
self-concept is influenced by success in areas they value and the
responses of others valued to them. Success and approval can
contribute to greater self-esteem and a stronger self-concept into
adulthood.
 Self-Concept Theory
 There are many theories about what exactly self-concept is and how it develops.
Generally, theorists agree on the following points:
 On the broadest level, self-concept is the overall idea we have about who we are and
includes cognitive and affective judgments about ourselves;
 Self-concept is multi-dimensional, incorporating our views of ourselves in terms of several
different aspects (e.g., social, religious, spiritual, physical, emotional);
 It is learned, not inherent;
 It is influenced by biological and environmental factors, but social interaction plays a big
role as well;
 Self-concept develops through childhood and early adulthood when it is more easily
changed or updated;
 It can be changed in later years
 Self-concept does not always align with reality. When it does, our self-concept is
“congruent.” When it doesn’t, our self-concept is “incongruent.” (Cherry, 2018B; Gecas,
1982).
 A Model of Global Self-
concept:
 The Self
Thus, from a behavioral perspective the “self” is thought of as a pattern of
behaviors that is sufficiently unique to an individual to characterize the
individual. It is these behaviors that are used to describe the individual
(Bracken, 1992). In other words, the self cannot be observed but
psychologists, teachers, and parents suppose children’s and adolescents'
self-concepts from their unique personal behaviors and behavioral patterns.
For example, students who interact with others in a confident manner would
likely be identified by their teachers as having positive self-concepts. These
individuals might also vocalize descriptive and evaluative personal
statements about their social interactions that others cite as evidence for
the person’s positive self-concept.
 Global Self-concept
 global self-concept that In included all aspects of self-
evaluation (see also Cooley, 1902). As a global entity, self-
concept was seen as all encompassing and generalizable to all
aspects of a person’s life-much like general intelligence.
Although most theorists currently accept self-concept as a
multidimensional construct (e.g., Byrne, 1996; Hattie, 1992;
Marsh, 1990; Shavelson, Hubner, & Stanton, 1976), the media,
public, and the “occasional” self-concept researcher continues
to focus on global self-concept rather than to its various
subdomains.
Competence

Global Self-
Concept
 Academic Self-Concept
Academic self-concept represents how a person feels about himself or factors that
affect academic self-concept include influences such as: (a) successes and failures
in the school curricula (subject specific c self-concepts can also be acquired, such
as a reading or math self-concept); (b) ease or difficulty with which information is
acquired; (c) the student’s overall intellectual or cognitive abilities (and
comparatively, the abilities and achievement of the student’s peers); (d) the
student’s relationship with adults and peers within the school setting (e.g.,
classroom, lunchroom, playground); and (e) acceptance of the student’s ideas,
contributions, suggestions, and so on, by others in the school setting
 Affect Self-Concept

Affect self-concept is a self-evaluative awareness and acceptance of one’s

affective state and those issues or conditions that contribute to different affective
states experienced by the individual. For example, some students are easily
embarrassed, shamed, angered, saddened, or made anxious, and their ability to
cope, to be resilient in the face of these negative affective states, and to maintain
a positive affective orientation is key to maintaining a positive affect self-concept.
 Competence Self-Concept
 Competence is defined herein as a person’s evaluation of his or her ability to
get their basic needs met. Individuals who have the intellectual, verbal,
social, physical, financial, or other means to meet their needs in a facile
manner are more likely to develop positive sense of competence than others
who are less able or who struggle more to meet their needs.
 Family Self-Concept
 How people feel about themselves as members of a family, within their
family milieu, represents a person’s family self-concept. Family self-concept is
dependent upon many factors, including extra-individual characteristics such
as family constellation, size, and mental and physical health, and parenting
style (e.g., authoritarian, authoritative, permissive, neglectful, abusive).
Family self-concept is also dependent on intra-individual characteristics such
as the physical and mental health of the child, the child’s academic, social,
physical, artistic successes and failures, and the child’s early temperament
and resulting later behaviors (e.g., easy going, disruptive children).
 Physical Self-Concept
 Physical self-concept is essentially how a person feels about himself
or herself as a physical person. This includes one’s physical
appearance (e.g., size, attractiveness, hair or skin color), health and
physical limitations (e.g., chronic health limitations, disabilities,
robust health), and prowess (e.g., stamina, agility, athletic ability).
 Social Self-Concept
 Social self-concept reflects how a person feels about his or her ability
to interact with others, participate socially, and be accepted within
social settings. As with any specific domain, there may be subareas
of social self-concept that can be acquired, depending on individual
successes and failures (e.g., same sex peer relations, opposite sex
peer relations, same sex adult relations, opposite sex adult relations).
Importantly, social interactions and interpersonal relations are key to
healthy mental health (Bracken, 2006)
 Humanist psychologist, Carl Rogers believed that
there were three different parts of self-concept:
 Self-image, or how you see yourself. Each individual's self-image is a
mixture of different attributes including our physical characteristics,
personality traits, and social roles. Self-image doesn't necessarily coincide
with reality. Some people might have an inflated self-image of themselves,
while others may perceive or exaggerate the flaws and weaknesses that
others don't see.
 Self-esteem, or how much you value yourself. A number of factors can
impact self-esteem, including how we compare ourselves to others and
how others respond to us. When people respond positively to our behavior,
we are more likely to develop positive self-esteem. When we compare
ourselves to others and find ourselves lacking, it can have a negative
impact on our self-esteem.
 Ideal self, or how you wish you could be. In many cases, the way we see
ourselves and how we would like to see ourselves do not quite match up
Congruence and Incongruence
 Rogers said that people’s self-concepts often do not exactly match reality. For
example, a person may consider himself to be very honest but often lies to his
boss about why he is late to work. Rogers used the term Incongruence to refer to
the discrepancy between the self-concept and reality.
 Congruence, on the other hand, is a fairly accurate match between the self-
concept and reality.
 According to Rogers, parents promote incongruence if they give their children
conditional love. If a parent accepts a child only when the child behaves a
particular way, the child is likely to block out experiences that are considered
unacceptable. On the other hand, if the parent shows unconditional love, the
child can develop congruence. Adults whose parents provided conditional love
would continue in adulthood to distort their experiences in order to feel accepted.
 Rogers thought that people experience anxiety when their self-concepts are
threatened. To protect themselves from anxiety, people distort their experiences
so that they can hold on to their self-concept. People who have a high degree of
incongruence are likely to feel very anxious because reality continually threatens
their self-concepts.
 Negative self-
Positive self-concept concept
 A person sees herself as an  A person sees herself as stupid and
intelligent person. slow.
 A man perceives himself as an  A man perceives himself as
important member of his expendable and a burden on his
community. community.
 A woman sees herself as an
 A woman sees herself as a terrible
excellent spouse and friend. spouse and friend.
 A person thinks of himself as a
 A person thinks of himself as a cold
nurturing and caring person. and unapproachable person.
 A person views herself as a lazy and
 A person views herself as a
incompetent employee.
hard-working and
competent employee
What is Self-Esteem?

Self-esteem reflects an individual's overall subjective

emotional evaluation of their own worth. It is the decision
made by an individual as an attitude towards the self. Self-
esteem encompasses beliefs about oneself, (for example,
"I am competent", "I am worthy"), as well as emotional
states, such as achievement, misery, pride, and shame.
Definition of Self-esteem
 Smith and Mackie (2007) defined it by saying "The self-concept is what we think
about the self; self-esteem is the positive or negative evaluations of the self, as in
how we feel about it.
 American psychologist Abraham Maslow included self-esteem in his hierarchy of
human needs. He described two different forms of "esteem": the need for respect
from others in the form of recognition, success, and admiration, and the need for
self-respect in the form of self-love, self-confidence, skill, or aptitude. Respect from
others was believed to be more fragile and easily lost than inner self-esteem.
 According to Maslow, without the fulfillment of the self-esteem need,
individuals will be driven to seek it and unable to grow and obtain self-
actualization.
 Maslow also states that the healthiest expression of self-esteem "is the one which
manifests in respect we deserve for others, more than renowned, fame and flattery".
 Abraham Maslow states that psychological health is not possible unless
the essential core of the person is fundamentally accepted, loved and
respected by others and by her or his self. Self-esteem allows people to
face life with more confidence, benevolence and optimism, and thus easily
reach their goals and self-actualize
 What Is Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs?

 In order to better understand what motivates human beings, Maslow proposed

that human needs can be organized into a hierarchy. This hierarchy ranges from
more concrete needs such as food and water to abstract concepts such as self-
fulfillment. According to Maslow, when a lower need is met, the next need on the
hierarchy becomes our focus of attention.
 These are the five categories of needs according to Maslow:
 Physiological
 These refer to basic physical needs like drinking when thirsty or eating when
hungry. According to Maslow, some of these needs involve our efforts to meet the
body’s need for homeostasis; that is, maintaining consistent levels in different
bodily systems (for example, maintaining a body temperature of 98.6°).
 Maslow considered physiological needs to be the most essential of our needs. If
someone is lacking in more than one need, they’re likely to try to meet these
physiological needs first. For example, if someone is extremely hungry, it’s hard
to focus on anything else besides food. Another example of a physiological need
would be the need for adequate sleep.
 Safety
 Once people’s physiological requirements are met, the next need that arises is a
safe environment. Our safety needs are apparent even early in childhood, as
children have a need for safe and predictable environments and typically react with
fear or anxiety when these are not met. Maslow pointed out that in adults living in
developed nations, safety needs are more apparent in emergency situations (e.g.
war and disasters), but this need can also explain why we tend to prefer the familiar
or why we do things like purchase insurance and contribute to a savings account.
 Love and Belonging
 According to Maslow, the next need in the hierarchy involves feeling loved and
accepted. This need includes both romantic relationships as well as ties to friends
and family members. It also includes our need to feel that we belong to a social
group. Importantly, this need encompasses both feeling loved and feeling love
towards others.
 Since Maslow’s time, researchers have continued to explore how love and belonging
needs impact well-being. For example, having social connections is related to better
physical health and, conversely, feeling isolated (i.e. having unmet belonging
needs) has negative consequences for health and well-being
 Esteem
 Our esteem needs involve the desire to feel good about ourselves. According to
Maslow, esteem needs include two components. The first involves feeling self-
confidence and feeling good about oneself. The second component involves
feeling valued by others; that is, feeling that our achievements and contributions
have been recognized by other people. When people’s esteem needs are met,
they feel confident and see their contributions and achievements as valuable
and important. However, when their esteem needs are not met, they may
experience what psychologist Alfred Adler called “feelings of inferiority.”
 Self-Actualization
 Self-actualization refers to feeling fulfilled, or feeling that we are living up to our
potential. One unique feature of self-actualization is that it looks different for
everyone. For one person, self-actualization might involve helping others; for
another person, it might involve achievements in an artistic or creative field.
Essentially, self-actualization means feeling that we are doing what we believe
we are meant to do. According to Maslow, achieving self-actualization is
relatively rare, and his examples of famous self-actualized individuals include
Abraham Lincoln, Albert Einstein, and Mother Teresa.
Stages of self-actualization according to Abraham Maslow

Characteristics Common in Self-Actualized Individuals

Self-actualization is the final stage in the linear growth of an individual. Maslow believed
that in order to achieve this state of personal fulfilment, the person must first satisfy the
preceding needs (i.e. physiological, safety, love/belonging, and esteem, in that order). He
contested that self-actualized individuals possess a number of characteristics that enable
them to, first, satisfy the four initial categories of needs and, second, to contend with the
dissonant relationship between free will (i.e. the supposed capacity to act based solely on
our personal drives) and determinism (i.e. the effect of societal pressure and an internal
consideration of how we will appear to others and the effects our actions will have on
them). Below is a list of the characteristics possessed by self-actualized individuals as
outlined by Maslow (1954):
 Acceptance and realism:
 Self-actualization reflects the individual's acceptance of who he/she is,
what he/she is capable of, and his/her realistic and accurate perception
of the world around him or her (including the people within it and how
they relate to the individual). When we have an inaccurate view of
ourselves or the outside world, there is a harsh, disturbing and harmful
disparity between our internal self and the external world. Self-
actualization is achieved by those who have the most accurate view of
themselves and the world around them.
 Problem-centering:
 Self-actualized individuals are not purely focused on internal gain; they
appreciate the benefits of solving problems that affect others so as to
improve the external world. The desire to support others is borne out of
an internal sense of right and wrong, which is grounded in empathy.
 Spontaneity:
 The self-actualized individual thinks and acts spontaneously, as a result
of having an accurate self- and world-view. In spite of this spontaneity,
these individuals tend to act and think within the accepted social norms
and according to the expectations of others. These individuals are also
usually open in their interactions with others, yet unconventional in their
interaction styles, speech, and other aspects of behavior.
 Autonomy and Solitude:
 While the self-actualized among us conform to societal norms and are
often people-centered in their problem-solving, they often display the
need for personal freedom and privacy. These private times are spent
testing their potential, both mentally (i.e. thinking about their problems)
and physically (i.e. acting out to identify strengths and weaknesses).
 Continued Freshness of Appreciation:
 No matter how simple, straightforward or familiar an experience, the
self-actualized individual is capable of seeing things from new
perspectives and appreciating the breadth and wonder of things in
his/her world. This capacity allows these individuals to develop new
problem-solving strategies, and it fosters creativity as a result.
 Peak Experiences:
 These are experiences that display three core characteristics:
significance, fulfillment, and spirituality. These intense
psychophysiological experiences include joy, wonder, awe, and ecstasy,
and in self-actualized people they are thought to be more common.
These peak experiences are thought to produce invigorating feelings
such as inspiration, physical and mental energy, and a changed sense of
viewpoint.

A person with low self-esteem may show some of the following characteristics:

 Heavy self-criticism and dissatisfaction.

 Hypersensitivity to criticism with resentment against critics and
feelings of being attacked.
 Chronic indecision and an exaggerated fear of mistakes.
 Excessive will to please and unwillingness to displease any petitioner.
 Perfectionism, which can lead to frustration when perfection is not
achieved.
 Neurotic guilt, dwelling on or exaggerating the magnitude of past
mistakes.
 Floating hostility and general defensiveness and irritability without
any proximate cause.
 Pessimism and a general negative outlook.
 Sees temporary setbacks as permanent, intolerable conditions
A person with high self-esteem may show some of the following
characteristics:

 Act assertively without experiencing any guilt, and feel at ease communicating with others.
 Avoid dwelling on the past and focus on the present moment.
 Believe you are equal to everyone else, no better and no worse.
 Reject the attempts of others to manipulate you.
 Recognize and accept a wide range of feelings, both positive and negative, and share them within
your healthy relationships.
 Enjoy a healthy balance of work, play, and relaxation.
 Accept challenges and take risks in order to grow, and learn from your mistakes when you fail.
 Handle criticism without taking it personally, with the knowledge that you are learning and
growing and that your worth is not dependent on the opinions of others.
 Value yourself and communicate well with others, without fear of expressing your likes, dislikes,
and feelings.
 Value others and accept them as they are without trying to change them.
 Stop comparing yourself with others.
How to boost-up self-esteem
 Understanding positive thinking and self-talk
 Positive thinking doesn't mean that you keep your head in the sand and
ignore life's less pleasant situations. Positive thinking just means that
you approach unpleasantness in a more positive and productive way.
You think the best is going to happen, not the worst.
 Positive thinking often starts with self-talk. Self-talk is the endless
stream of unspoken thoughts that run through your head. These
automatic thoughts can be positive or negative. Some of your self-talk
comes from logic and reason. Other self-talk may arise from
misconceptions that you create because of lack of information. If the
thoughts that run through your head are mostly negative, your outlook
on life is more likely pessimistic. If your thoughts are mostly positive,
you're likely an optimist — someone who practices positive thinking.
 The health benefits of positive thinking
 Researchers continue to explore the effects of positive thinking and optimism on
health. Health benefits that positive thinking may provide include:
 Increased life span
 Lower rates of depression
 Lower levels of distress
 Greater resistance to the common cold
 Better psychological and physical well-being
 Better cardiovascular health and reduced risk of death from cardiovascular
disease
 Better coping skills during hardships and times of stress
 It's unclear why people who engage in positive thinking experience these health
benefits. One theory is that having a positive outlook enables you to cope better
with stressful situations, which reduces the harmful health effects of stress on
your body.
 It's also thought that positive and optimistic people tend to live healthier
lifestyles — they get more physical activity, follow a healthier diet, and don't
smoke or drink alcohol in excess.
 Avoid Generalization
 In private coaching, I often hear clients say: “I have low self-esteem.” There
are several problems with this statement. First, it presumes a general, “all or
none” perspective, as if either one has high self-esteem, or one has low self-
esteem. If you take an honest assessment of yourself, chances are that you
can come up with a list of qualities that make you feel good. For instance, if
you’re reading this article, it most likely means that you possess self-
awareness, the willingness to learn and grow, and a desire to realize more of
your potential, all of which bode well for your future success.
 Reducing the fear of rejection.
 One effective way to manage your fear of rejection is to provide yourself with
multiple options in important situations, so that no matter what happens, you
have strong alternatives going forward. Avoid putting all of your eggs in one
basket (emotionally) by identifying a viable Plan B, and also a Plan C, should
Plan A not work out.
 For example: Increased fear of rejection: “I’m applying for my dream job. I’ll
be devastated if they don’t hire me.”
 Identifying negative thinking
 Not sure if your self-talk is positive or negative? Some common forms of negative self-talk
include:
 Filtering. You magnify the negative aspects of a situation and filter out all of the positive
ones. For example, you had a great day at work. You completed your tasks ahead of time
and were complimented for doing a speedy and thorough job. That evening, you focus
only on your plan to do even more tasks and forget about the compliments you received.
 Personalizing. When something bad occurs, you automatically blame yourself. For example,
you hear that an evening out with friends is canceled, and you assume that the change in
plans is because no one wanted to be around you.
 Catastrophizing. You automatically anticipate the worst. The drive-through coffee shop gets
your order wrong and you automatically think that the rest of your day will be a disaster.
 Example: "If I fail this test, I will never pass school, and I will be a total failure in life."
 "If I don't recover quickly from this procedure, I will never get better, and I will be disabled
my entire life
 Polarizing. You see things only as either good or bad. There is no middle ground. You feel
that you have to be perfect or you're a total failure. In polarized thinking, things are either
“black-or-white” — all or nothing. We have to be perfect or we’re a complete and abject
failure — there is no middle ground.
 Focusing on positive thinking
 You can learn to turn negative thinking into positive thinking. The process is simple, but it does
take time and practice — you're creating a new habit, after all. Here are some ways to think and
behave in a more positive and optimistic way:
 Identify areas to change. If you want to become more optimistic and engage in more positive
thinking, first identify areas of your life that you usually think negatively about, whether it's work,
your daily commute or a relationship. You can start small by focusing on one area to approach in a
more positive way.
 Check yourself. Periodically during the day, stop and evaluate what you're thinking. If you find that
your thoughts are mainly negative, try to find a way to put a positive spin on them.
 Be open to humor. Give yourself permission to smile or laugh, especially during difficult times.
Seek humor in everyday happenings. When you can laugh at life, you feel less stressed.
 Follow a healthy lifestyle. Aim to exercise for about 30 minutes on most days of the week. You can
also break it up into 10-minute chunks of time during the day. Exercise can positively affect mood
and reduce stress. Follow a healthy diet to fuel your mind and body. And learn techniques to
manage stress.
 Surround yourself with positive people. Make sure those in your life are positive, supportive
people you can depend on to give helpful advice and feedback. Negative people may increase
your stress level and make you doubt your ability to manage stress in healthy ways.
 Practice positive self-talk. Start by following one simple rule: Don't say anything to yourself that
you wouldn't say to anyone else. Be gentle and encouraging with yourself. If a negative thought
enters your mind, evaluate it rationally and respond with affirmations of what is good about you.
Think about things you're thankful for in your life.
 Negative social comparison has elements of narcissism.
 When we wish to look, be, or have like others, we’re not really
wishing for everything about that person, but only the idealized
aspects of the individual. This idealized and grandiose perception of
another is narcissistic in nature. Chances are, not even those whom
your compare yourself with can live up to your idealized images of
them. This is why so often when people spend some length of time
with their “heroes,” “heroines,” “role models,” or “idols,” they
discover that those whom they look up to also have weaknesses,
flaws, difficulties and problems just like everyone else.
 Stop being a perfectionist.
 Acknowledge both your accomplishments and mistakes. Nobody is
perfect, and trying to be will only lead to disappointment.
Acknowledging your accomplishments and recognizing your
mistakes is the way to keep a positive outlook while learning and
growing from your mistakes.
 Set realistic expectations.
 It’s important to set small, reachable goals that are within your power. For
example, setting an extremely high expectation or an expectation that
someone else will change their behavior is virtually guaranteed to make
you feel like a failure, through no fault of your own.
 Explore yourself.
 The importance of knowing yourself and being at peace with who you are
cannot be exaggerated. This can take some trial and error, and you will
constantly learn new things about yourself, but it is a journey that should
be undertaken with purpose and zeal. Be quiet, Realize who you truly
are, not who you want to be , Find what you are good at (and not
good at) & Assess your relationships
 Be willing to adjust your self-image.
 We all change as we age and grow, and we must keep up with our ever-
changing selves if we want to set and achieve meaningful goals.
 POSITIVE EFFECTS OF HIGH SELF-
ESTEEM
 The self-esteem is a personality trait related with the self-image and self- conscience
concepts. All personality traits, including self-esteem, could be viewed as a continuum
or a bipolar dimension. Individual differences through this continuum encompass
several grades and levels. Self-approval is a basic human desire. High self-esteem score
is a must factor in order to attain the feeling of happiness.
 Studies have identified self-esteem as an important determinant of emotional well-
being (Baumeister, Campbell, Krueger and Vohs, 2003). As early as 1890, William
James, one of the founding fathers of Western psychology, argued that self-esteem is an
important aspect of mental health. People with high self-esteem experience more
happiness, optimism, and motivation than those with low self-esteem, as well as less
depression, anxiety, and negative mood.
 Using several Arab participants, it was found that self-esteem significantly and
positively associated with love of life, mental health, satisfaction with life, happiness,
and hope (Abdel-Khalek, 2007, 2011, 2012, 2013, Abdel-Khalek and Snyder, 2007).
Persons with high self-esteem are more likely to keep it up in the face of difficult tasks
than are low self-esteem persons (Baumeister et al., 2003). High self-esteem people are
more resilient to the vicissitudes of life.
 A high level of self-esteem supplies individuals with the ability to accept happy
moments, to handle unpleasant situations, to cope effectively with challenges, to
engage in close relationships and to improve their strengths. High self-esteem is
also considered to positively moderate the expression of dysfunctional schemata
and depressive symptoms at the experience of negative life events (Stavropoulos,
Lazaratou, Marini and Dikeos, 2015).
 High self-esteem individuals are more persistent in the face of failure than the low
self-esteem individuals. High self- esteem individuals also appear more effective in
self-regulating goal-directed behavior (Di Paula and Campbell, 2002). Self-esteem is
important for self-regulation and quality of life, and the relevance of self-esteem for
positive psychology. Self-esteem provides the energy to mobilize human behavior as
well as contributing to its direction (Mackinnon, 2015, p. 18).
 Previous research has shown that self-esteem rises when a person succeeds, is
praised, or experiences another’s love, making self-esteem dependent on not only
one’s perceptions of himself but also other’s perceptions of him (Schmidt and
Padilla, 2003). Self-esteem is a major key to success in life. The development of
healthy self-esteem is extremely important for good personal and social adjustment.