Why do we not like ourselves, why do we have low self-esteem?
As with many conditions it often starts in childhood. When we are children something or an event happens that triggers our low self-esteem, and if you are not able to recognise it then, it festers and manifests itself in adulthood.
Lack of self-esteem shows itself in many ways, and one of the most extreme is eating disorders. Anorexia and Bulimia are hidden and invisible problems that often go unseen until the condition becomes acute. These conditions often affect young women, who see catwalk models, who are stick thin, as their role models.
As a society these images are a continual reminder that having this body type is beautiful and something to attain to. Impressionable young girls look up to thin Pop Stars and models and are given a false belief that they can only be happy and successful if you look like them.
The issue is that a large proportion of teenage girls are not happy with their weight and body shape, and resort to dieting or worse to cure it. This is always associated with low self-esteem. A consequence of this sees young girls take to smoking and drinking, with the highest proportion being in the 18-25 age group.
A growing number of boys are also sufferers of eating disorders and their role model pressure is also affecting their low self-esteem.
The way out of this issue, is for the people the youngsters look up to in authority, should provide encouragement, appreciation, love and generosity. what may seem impossible for us to give to a hormonal teenager is often exactly what is needed to bring them out of the spiral of negativity.
Of course it is not just young people who suffer from low self-worth, though they are the biggest group.
There are some questions you can answer which may help you discover the extent of your low self-worth.
How do I rate myself on a scale of 1-100?
What ways do I think I hold myself back?
What things do I do to be liked by others?
What do I repeatedly blame myself for?
How do I punish myself?
What stops me from loving myself more?
The answers will give you a good report on where you are now in relation to your self-worth. Now you must take the answers and try to make the changes needed to turn them around.
One exercise you can start with right now is to repeat the affirmation, "I like myself just the way I am". Repeat this sentence as often as you can, and if possible say it out loud. One more thing to do is to right the sentence down, think it and say it, as often as you can.