Over and over again, throughout our lives, we're taught to distrust ourselves and be self-critical as a way of taking care of ourselves.
We learn to find things 'wrong' with our bodies, the way we dress, and the way we are. That voice in our head that tells us we're too fat, too thin, not smart enough, not kind enough, not good enough parents, not competent enough at work, not giving enough as lovers, or perhaps not valuable enough in our friendships.
The list of self-criticisms goes on and on and on...
The truth is many of us tell ourselves these things day after day. It's no wonder so many people struggle with low self-esteem.
And it doesn’t stop with us feeling down on ourselves.
Our level of self-esteem and self-image has far-reaching effects on other aspects of our lives.
Understanding our self-worth
According to research by Jennifer Crocker*, a psychologist at the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research, college students who based their self-worth on external sources – such as physical appearance, approval from others, academic performance – reported a higher level of stress, greater levels of anger, problems with their academic performance, conflicts in their interpersonal relationships, higher rates of drug and alcohol use, and various symptoms of eating disorders.
A study by the National Association for Self Esteem** found a strong link between self-image and employment outcomes. It concluded that self-esteem may have a far greater impact on future success than intelligence or talent.
Even more startling is a study published by Sagan that found, overall, the healthiest people are those with strong self-esteem and a sense of personal control. Those who feel good about themselves are actually more resistant to illnesses such as cancer. The study placed self-esteem above factors such as medical procedures and modern medicines, when it came to impacting health.
But there is good news...
Helping you improve your self-esteem is one of my passions.
I seek to enable you to change your beliefs – the messages that you send yourself. Your level of self-esteem and self-confidence is based upon your beliefs about yourself. All self-criticism, such as “I’m too fat,” “I’m not competent enough,” “I’m stupid,” and so on, is simply a litany of beliefs.
If these beliefs sound familiar, I have two important ideas to propose to you.
The first is that we hold these beliefs for a reason. We think we must tell ourselves these things in order to take care of ourselves in some way. That's why, in my programmes, I give you the tools to help you uncover what your reasons are.
The second idea is that our beliefs are changeable. Even if we've been sending ourselves the same messages for decades – and even if others have been telling us these things about ourselves, too – it's never too late to radically shift these beliefs.
I've worked with countless individuals who, after finding fault with themselves for a lifetime, have learned to find beauty within themselves.
And I promise you, there's no bigger step to a better life than this.
Get in touch now to discover how I can help you live the life you truly deserve.
* American Psychology Assoc., Vol. 33, No. 11, 12/2002
** "In Defense of Self Esteem”, National Association for Self Esteem
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