Self esteem Definition: What It Is and Why It Must Be High

Article by Alexx

In this article, to be given is a self esteem definition, as well as some points on why high self esteem is desirable and natural.

Self esteem definition is a confidence in oneself, a satisfaction of what one is and the self respect that that confidence brings. It is the appraisal or assessment of a person on his self worth. It encompasses a belief about one’s capacity and worthiness. This could be specific or general. For example, self-esteem in one’s particular profession is distinctly separate from self-esteem as a person as a whole. An engineer, for example, may feel inadequate in his skills and capabilities in his chosen field, and therefore feel low self-esteem in that area. As a human being, however, he may have a high self-esteem, knowing his spiritual and personal worth as a member of society and humanity in general.

Self-esteem is also regarded in two other ways by psychologists. They classify it as a trait and as a temporary state. The former defines self-esteem as an ingrained character of the individual personality, while the former, as being a transient state of mind.A self esteem definition may be inferred through its synonyms. Terms similar or loosely related to self esteem include self respect, self love, self regard, self confidence, self integrity, and self worth, among others.

It is inherent in human nature to have the ability to develop within him a healthy self respect. A little analysis will show that the mere fact of being a human, with all the capabilities that it entails, logically results in a fairly high self esteem.

Such abilities include first and foremost the capacity to think. This ability alone arguably makes a human the most wonderful piece of work in the whole universal scheme of creation. Neither theist nor nihilist can deny that thinking is a very extraordinary trait, whether it was obtained from a creator god or from the nebulous processes of evolution.

self esteem definitionSeen from a different perspective, it is understandable to see how the uniquely human capacity for thought can be underrated rather than considered as an immensely extraordinary achievement. Emotional suffering, the daily rigors of earning a living that modern society demands, and the woeful condition of humanity at present, all but obscure the grandness of the human mind. Thinking has even been blamed for its contribution in elevating the level of human suffering to inconceivable proportions. The abominations brought upon man by man magnify the capacity for evil that thinking can bring.

On the other hand, the human mind has also been the cause of so many beautiful things, such as art, technological innovations, poetry, music, and literature. Thus, it is not the capacity to think per se that is at fault, but the way it is applied to good or bad things.

Secondly, the simple fact that one is alive and well physically is the basis that he should strive to be happy. Happiness is a basic, innate human need. It is hardwired into man. Therefore, these two pillars of thinking and the desire of happiness logically point to the natural state of man having a high self esteem. Self esteem definition can be very subjective value

Still, many people fail to ponder on this fact, and focus instead on the negative side of existence, resulting in a high incidence of low self esteem in the world. This negative thinking and guilt arises from environmental influence and wrong upbringing. In any self esteem definition, its natural presence and abundance must always therefore be emphasized.

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