Self-Esteem and Insecurity
Self-Esteem & Insecurity
If you have ever met a young child, one thing you may notice about them is they LOVE themselves. They love looking at themselves in the mirror. They love dancing and singing. They feel totally deserving and worthy of getting what they want when they want it.
At some point, most of us have that confidence challenged to some degree as we our responsibilities grow and life gets harder to manage.
If you struggle with low self-esteem, insecurity, shame, and self-doubt, when did you change from a confident child to person who feels so undeserving?
Getting to the root of low self-esteem
Self-esteem is the degree to which you feel confident, valuable, and worthy of respect. It exists on a spectrum from high to low, and where your self-esteem falls on this spectrum can influence your overall well-being. Self-esteem also plays a huge role in lack of self-confidence and insecurity.
Although people are often described as having self-esteem that is either ‘high’ or ‘low’, you may find that your self esteem varies depending on the situation, or even day-to-day. You are not alone! Self-esteem fluctuates for everyone.
How Do I Recognize Low Self-Esteem?
Low self-esteem/insecurity often presents in one of three patterns:
Imposter Syndrome
You find yourself using accomplishments or false confidence to mask insecurities. You fear failure will reveal your true, flawed self.
Rebellion
You constantly pretend you don't care what others think of you. Your feelings of inferiority may manifest as anger or blame.
Victimhood
You believe you are helpless in the face of challenges. You may use self-pity to avoid changing your situation and often rely on others to save or guide.
Negative Self Talk?
Internally, insecurity often manifests as self-criticism. If any of these sound familiar you may be practicing negative self talk, which over time can be damaging.
- There’s nothing I truly like about myself.
- I’ll never do well enough at school or work to succeed.
- I’m not worthy of seeking things that interest me.
- Other people are more deserving of happiness.
- No one wants to hear about my life or the issues I’m facing.
- It’s all my fault I can’t seem to find people who are good to me. Good people wouldn’t want to be with me, anyway.
How Can Psychotherapy help my self-esteem?
Building up your self-esteem is a daunting task, but we are ready to tackle it with you! At Inside Psychotherapy, you will learn to recognize and shift your negative beliefs, and develop trust and compassion for yourself.
You will discover strategies to access your own inner resources to guide you in decisions, and work on finding confidence from within.
