Do you count yourself among God's unfortunate creatures who do not deserve to be loved, praised, or appreciated? If so, you must hide it quite well, but it is more likely that you as a person must also be very insecure. What you need to realize at this point is that as you try to hide your true feelings, they will find a way to manifest themselves in the form of low self-esteem.
How you think about yourself and how you assess your worth is described as self-esteem. In this sense, those people who have low self-esteem or feel inferior to others are those who suffer from low self-esteem. Low self-esteem is not about being fickle, it is about being happy and acknowledging that there is indeed a real problem that needs to be solved before it affects all other aspects of life, the most important of which is happiness.
Typical Symptoms of Low Self-Esteem
Some behavioral traits that are characteristic of people with low self-esteem are:
Very sensitive to criticism - Unlike most people who take criticism with ease, a person with low self-esteem is overly sensitive to criticism. Psychologists attribute this to an insecure way of thinking, which is characteristic of such a person when they closely observe other people's reactions and often tend to draw negative conclusions.
If you are a person with low self-esteem, you will usually feel that others are justified in treating you badly.
Socially Isolated - People with low self-esteem tend to remain socially isolated, whether in the form of staying away from their roommates or spending time on the phone even though they are part of a larger gathering. Even if someone doesn't try to approach such a person and start a conversation, the attempt is futile, because all that happens is the passing of fear in an effort to feel excellent.
Ascribing everything to happiness - A typical trait of low self-esteem is to reject hard-earned successes and attribute them to blessings or simply to happiness. A sign of healthy self-esteem is to accept the success and return the compliment with a simple "thank you". On the other hand, if you show low self-esteem, you will reflect the feeling that good things have happened through someone else's fault or that something better could have been done.
Appeasement Policy - Knowingly withdrawing from an argument or apologizing to someone, whether or not they deserve it, is a sign of low self-esteem. This is because people with low self-esteem are afraid to express their true feelings and opinions for fear of being laughed at or rejected. Appeasement seems to be the best option to avoid conflicts and arguments.
Tiredness and insomnia - Spending too much time in bed without feeling tired or falling asleep is an expression of an escapist mentality due to low self-esteem. Leaning on your shoulders also indicates that you do not feel worthy enough.
Dealing with Low Self-Esteem
There are several factors that contribute to low self-esteem, from negligent or uninvolved parents to critical peer groups, physical or psychological trauma, negative thinking patterns, and unrealistic expectations. Nevertheless, it is equally important to remember that self-esteem is something that can be dealt with, that is, it is ultimately a state of mind, something that can be changed.
Strengthening your self-esteem may take a lot of time and practice, but as long as you are determined enough to challenge your own way of thinking and push it towards change, there is nothing that can stop you. Participating in self-esteem exercises and self-esteem workshops are some recommendations that can speed up the process, but in the end, you have a choice. And if you choose to change the way you think, you will not only gain healthy self-esteem but also have a positive world to live in.