That hearing impaired, High School drop out, went on to become a well respected TV News Anchorman and News Director in spite of the odds. I am that person and I learned how to build my self-esteem so I was ready when opportunity knocked.



The concept of self esteem can be summed up as:

?Confidence in our ability to think and in our ability to cope with the basic challenges of life and confidence in our right to be successful and happy, the feelings of being worthy, deserving, entitled to assert our needs and wants, achieve our values and enjoy the fruits of our efforts.?

Here are some quick tips to identify your current level of self esteem:

1. You didn't have good models of self esteem as children from your parents, or at school.

2. Do you assess how you feel about yourself based on the temporary ups and downs of life? When something goes wrong, do you feel bad about yourself?

3. Do you have a healthy sense of humor, the ability to laugh at yourself (within reason)?

4. Do you struggle with self discipline? Are you a procrastinator?

5. Do you really know yourself? How are you energized? What are your strengths and weaknesses? What are your passions?

6. What are the top two things that you feel are pulling down your self esteem. For example, does your biggest self esteem issue stem from your being overweight? Being short? Balding? Lack of education? Your color? Your nationality?

If you see yourself in these six points, low self esteem is an issue you need to deal with. In extreme cases, the help of a licensed therapist may be the way to go for you. You can also search the Internet for resources to help you develop your own approach to the problem.

On thing I guarantee from personal experience - raising your self esteem could be the path to a whole new life.

Here are some quick mental exercises to get your started on a path to greater self esteem.

Start believing that......

? You are worthy to be loved, worthy to be cared for, worthy to be nurtured, worthy to be touched and supported, worthy to be listened to, worthy to be recognized by others, worthy to be encouraged, worthy to be reinforced as a "good" person.

? You have a productive personality; the determination to achieve success to the best of your ability in school, work, and society.

? You are capable of being a creative, imaginative problem solver; of being a risk taker, optimistic in your approach to life and in the attainment of your personal goals.

? You can be a leader, skillful in dealing with people. You are neither too independent nor too dependent on others. You have the ability to size up a relationship and adjust to the demands of the interaction.

? You have a healthy self-concept. Your perception of yourself is in synchrony with the picture of yourself you project to others.

? You are able to state clearly who you are, what your future potential is, and to what you are committed in life. You are able to declare what you deserve to receive in you lifetime.

? You are able to accept the responsibility for and consequences of your actions. You do not resort to shifting the blame or using others as scapegoats for actions that have resulted in a negative outcome.

? You are altruistic. You have a legitimate concern for the welfare of others. You are not self-centered or egotistical in your outlook on life. You do not take on the responsibility for others in an over-responsible way. You help others accept the responsibility for their own actions. You are, however, always ready to help anyone who legitimately needs assistance or guidance.

? You have healthy coping skills. You are able to handle the stresses in your life in a productive way. You are able to put the problems, concerns, issues, and conflicts that come you way into perspective. You are able to keep your life in perspective without becoming too idealistic or too morose. You are a "survivor" in the healthiest sense of the word. You have a good sense of humor and are able to keep a balance of work and fun in your life.

? You look to the future with excitement, a sense of adventure and optimism. You recognize your potential for success and visualize your success in the future. You have dreams, aspirations, and hopes for the future.

? You are goal-oriented with a sense of balance in working toward your goals. You know from where you have come, where you are now, and where you are going.

There are many more like these that make up the person with high self esteem but, at least, think on these few points to get you started. Grab those that you believe you can implement starting this weekend! I know it can be done. What are you waiting for?