Project Happiness Articles — selfesteem

A typical classroom is not necessarily conducive to talking about personal topics. In fact, it's just the opposite - it's set up for learning, not "venting." Project Happiness Curriculum and Handbook ask students to open up and to become vulnerable so that personal growth can occur.  In order for students to feel comfortable, facilitators must explicitly establish a safe space when working our program.

Self esteem is described by Psychology Today as “self judgement” or how one perceives their own sense of personal worth. Self esteem tends to fluctuate at different parts of one’s life, raising during times of victory or growth and waning a bit when things aren’t going well. A low self esteem is associated with higher rates of anxiety and depression. It’s important to nurture one’s self esteem and there are many ways to do so.

We all know that when we feel great emotionally life seems to be so easy. Remember when you fell in love and everything felt so great or when your child was born and your emotions were spontaneously happy and you felt such joy. Conversely, when we feel down, or even depressed, its like we are walking through treacle and everything seems to be fighting against us and life is very tough going. Well, there are five definitive steps you can take to get you to such emotional wellness and with it physical wellness too.

So, tell me, did I sleep through the portion of Home Ec where they taught us that in addition to sewing on a button, we needed to learn positive self-talk? Did I miss the college course: “Care for Thyself Fundamentals?” At what point are we taught to love and honor ourselves as individuals and human beings?

I now see my life with only physical limitations. I can write in bed even if it’s a paragraph at a time. I want to succeed, but this time I will do it. No more being scared of the future. Cancer is often the hardest thing people go through. But the way I see it, feeling negative with cancer will only make you feel worse.

In all ways, I believe this is true. At the very burning, volcanic diamond-centers of ourselves, we are complete. Enough. Multiversal. I do, however, have trouble reconciling this truth with my inherent impulse to try and improve myself constantly.

I was bullied and I never told anybody about it. Yep. I kept it to myself as if it was a best kept secret. It was as if I had to deal with it alone because that’s just the kind of kid I was. Those experiences with being bullied influenced my self esteem more than I ever knew.