自 Self-esteem 自

by **♥ heart ♥** Fri Apr 03, 2009 11:06 pm

Lack of
self-esteem is a fairly common personal trait found in various segments
of our society, with young and old. It can hold back our progress, put
us under extreme stress, and make us feel generally bad about life.

It may have been building inside us for many years with the aid of bad
thinking. Fortunately bad thinking can be replaced with good thinking.
Whenever self-doubt creeps in, quickly replace your thoughts with a
good image of yourself and your actions.

"A person who doubts himself is like a man who would enlist in the
ranks of his enemies and bear arms against himself. He makes his
failure certain by himself being the first person to be convinced of
it." - Alexandre Dumas (1802-1870)

Be happy being yourself! It is much better to be you than to pretend to
be someone else. We should accept that we are just human beings and
forget trying to be perfect in the eyes of others. If those who are not
superstars are cast out it will be a very empty world.

"The finest lives, in my opinion, are those who rank in the common
model, and with the human race, but without miracle, without
extravagance." - Michel de Montaigne (1553-1592)

Speaking out can be one of the most difficult things to do when bogged
down with self-doubt. Some things to consider trying: Stop criticizing
yourself. Don't be too careful about what you are going to say - just
say it. Don't be too critical of others, and let people know that you
feel friendly toward them. When you are stuck in a wordless situation
don't worry about it. Relax, smile. Many others are in this boat with
you, at other times and places.

Improving our lives in other ways will make it that much easier to
improve our self-esteem. Try to eliminate worry, anger and stress by
learning more about them. Work on positive enhancements to your life
like friendship, relaxation, meditation, and purpose. As with any
serious personal health problem consider consulting a health
professional.