How do you feel about yourself?

Self-esteem refers to the confidence that we have in our abilities, along with the value or worth that we see in ourselves.

Our self-esteem is shaped by our past experiences, our current expectations, and the vision and outlook we have of ourselves for the future.

You might have vivid memories of difficult or traumatic experiences growing up—or maybe none at all. What we experience as a child shapes us and affects how we see ourselves in the present.

You might think you should be “further ahead” in life than you are right now. Or maybe you don’t even know who you are right now. Maybe your self-esteem is so greatly affected by the validation you receive from others, so when there is none of that, you feel lost.

You might have goals and expectations that you set for yourself for your future that you may be far from reaching. When we set expectations that are unrealistic, this can lead to disappointment and feeling bad about ourselves.

It is possible to heighten our self-esteem, increase our confidence, and find our worth, but it takes a good deal of introspection.

Looking inward can be difficult, but looking closely at ourselves paves the way toward healing.