 It's a popular term, self-esteem, and it's one that is thrown around quite casually by pop-psychologists, doctors and even the media. But do we really understand what self-esteem is, what it means to have it and how easy it is to lose it? Most people have vague notions of self-esteem (sometimes called self-confidence) as being a certain forcefulness of personality or over-confidence, and that having too much self-esteem is what causes people to seem stuck-up or boastful. This is certainly not the case, in fact many people that come across as being over-confident are in fact suffering quite cruelly from feelings of self-doubt.
Self-esteem is not something that can be quantified or measured, and this can certainly lead to misunderstanding amongst the general public. Speaking generally, having self-esteem is to say that you have positive feelings towards yourself, your achievements and your capabilities as a person. Although you may still have periods of doubt or dismay, self-esteem is the state of mind that sees you convince yourself that you are doing your best and that others will see the good in you rather than the bad. For those who have poor self-esteem or no self-esteem at all, being confronted with criticism or a negative comment could lead to a prolonged period of depression, stress, or even an unwillingness to attempt to prove the antagonists wrong. As you can see, self-esteem is the difference between accepting and moving on, and wallowing in one's own lack of confidence.
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