Self esteem is a concept that has been highly linked to health and one’s overall well-being. To most people it is more than half of what we need in order to be able to live well so we do our best to improve our own esteem. But what exactly is self esteem?. Is this the same as confidence or is it something that we should further understand to enhance our self esteem?.

In an article entitled “Facebook: Three Minutes to Improving Your Self Esteem?” written by Brett P. Kennedy, Psy.D. for Psychology Today, there are several definitions of self esteem that were provided by experts. One definition came from Merriam Webster where it says there that it is the confidence and satisfaction with oneself.

Nathaniel Branded defined self esteem as the confidence in one’s ability to think, to cope up with the basic ups and downs of life, and one’s confidence in his or her right to be successful and happy. Don Simmermacher had a shorter definition which is simply having a positive of image of oneself.

On the other hand, Diane Frey and Jesse Carlock’s self esteem definition is that it is one’s evaluation, of the emotional, intellectual, and behavioral aspects of his or her self-concept. Lastly, Connie Paladino defined it as a state of mind that addresses how you feel and think about yourself and others which can be measured by the way you act. Notice how the last two definitions of self esteem are a little less detached from having a positive idea or feeling towards the self.

In the English language, there are at least two popular synonyms for self esteem. One is “self-worth” which carries Paladino’s, Carlock’s and Frey’s self esteem definitions. On the other hand, another possible synonym for self esteem is “self-love” which if translated into the French, the language of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, could lead into two more meanings, thus versions, of self-love.

One translation of “self-love” is “amour-propre.” According to Rousseau, this is the form of self-love which depends on the opinion of others. Thus, we could say that the more a person receives the approval of others, the more this person begins to have a higher self-esteem. However, Rousseau and others who predated him contrasted this to what they say as the more primitive form of self-love which is “amour de soi.” Amoir de soi is the form of self-love that is independent of others. This, as they say, is the form of self-love that humanity shares with animals and predates even before we humans came together and form society.

Self esteem plays a great role in one’s life. And even though, science still hasn’t made a crystal clear conclusion on how self esteem affects a healthy life, its effect can be clearly seen such as in the cases of emergency patients that have a strong will to survive. As Franz Alexander said it back in 1960’s, the fact that the mind rules the body – no matter how it has been neglected by medicine and biology – is the most fundamental fact that we know about the process of life.

Try . Building Self Esteem to feel good about yourself. This download will help you not only to build your self esteem but also to have more confidence in your abilities and think more positively about life generally.

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