What to Know About Self-Esteem? How is Developed and Formed?

Self-esteem develops and forms during childhood and adolescence; It is part of the maturity of the person, as it is a fundamental indicator in their development. Maturity can be seen in situations in which a balance has to be manifested or, perhaps, a certain indifference to situations that can be relativized, making them temporary.

Throughout a person’s life there are moments in which, depending on the level of self-esteem shown by the individual, they can become happy or, on the contrary, it can be the case of generating diseases and complex situations in those to be able to live fully.

All of this has a lot to do with the dedication that has been given to self-esteem throughout the person’s life since it is essential to educate the child so that it develops from healthy and positive self-esteem.

What is self-esteem?

To answer this question, the person must take a look at their inner “I”, an introspection, where they recognize themselves and observe at what level they are.

Self-esteem is formed from the perception of one’s own personal qualities, as it is the individual’s way of thinking and feeling.

Likewise, self-esteem is born at the same time as the child himself, from the formation of the “self-image” and the personal assessment that he makes. Based on the sensations that occur throughout life, self-esteem is formed.

Therefore, it is about the constant self-evaluation that others do, and that at the end of the day is extrapolated to their own opinion. This is subject to the person valuing himself more or less and, therefore, this affects the achievement of his goals during his life.

We must also refer to the security that the person has when executing their tasks because self-esteem is from where the pillars of personal motivation are sustained, since in the face of positive and suitable self-esteem the person does not put up barriers and tend to overcome, leaving aside the possible failure that low self-esteem can cause.

However, many studies indicate that self-esteem is conditioned by the perception of the person, both positive and negative, that they may have about themselves.

In short, self-esteem corresponds to the personal perception that the person is obtaining throughout life. In turn, it is made up of external factors such as the point of view given by the environment and that, sometimes without realizing it, the person assumes it as their own and is a fundamental part of self-esteem.

Why is self-esteem important for human beings?

From the individual’s assessment, his participation in life and society is extracted. Likewise, it also influences their personal development and their insertion into society.

When faced with the question of whether self-esteem is important in the development of the person, the answer is simple: high and positive self-esteem implies an optimal perception of reality, and therefore an adequate social and interpersonal communication.

In this way, the stress level and the anxiety pictures that the person can manifest at different times are reduced.

Therefore, we can specify that the development of self-esteem is learning and this can be modified over time, like any other knowledge.

How does self-esteem form?

Self-esteem is linked to the self-knowledge of the person. This is something that the individual, through his own experience and feelings, develops throughout his life.

The child is not born with developed self-esteem, he acquires it over time, through the relationship he manifests with the environment and the result it has on him.

We must be clear that for the formation of self-esteem it is essential in the education that the child receives, and this appears from the educational styles that occur in the family. For this reason, the establishment of norms is, for example, a fundamental axis in the education of self-esteem.

Next, we are going to analyze two crucial stages in human learning and, therefore, in self-esteem:

In the childhood

From the moment one is born, the self-concept begins to form. This is the beginning of the observation and analysis of the human body itself, where the person realizes that his body is made up of two arms, two legs, and ahead, among other parts.

It is time to check that absolutely all individuals are different and that society itself establishes parameters where acceptances and rejections are created among people themselves. Therefore, from this idea, the child begins to debate between being accepted or being rejected.

In adolescence

The search for one’s own identity is what makes adolescence the most difficult stage, if possible, among all those that human beings develop throughout their lives. For this reason, it is the support that they may need from their environment that is necessary to forge adequate self-esteem in their development.

There is a broad change, as the adolescent leaves home to seek independence outside of it. For this reason, it is essential that in childhood self-esteem is worked so that the young person can successfully pass this stage.

What pillars support self-esteem?

Some studies support certain fundamental pillars in the formation of self-esteem: efficacy and dignity.

What influences the formation of self-esteem?

Criticisms are, without a doubt, builders of self-esteem or destructive depending on the case. That is why other people are often cited as those involved in this training because, depending on the level of development of self-esteem, criticism affects one way or another.

This is information that the person saves and evaluates, since they assume it as their own and, in one way or another, it affects them. Without a doubt, this utility can be both positive and negative. If it is negative, it can lead to disorienting the person by making them feel bad and transferring insecurity.

How do you develop self-esteem?

Within the development of self-esteem, self-concept, which we have mentioned previously, is included as a fundamental component.

The possibility of forming positive or negative self-esteem can always be given since the individual is in a continuous relationship with the environment. Self-esteem moves in the same contexts in which the person does, from the family to the school itself.

Therefore, its development is relevant, since it intervenes in the creation of the individual’s personality. If it is positive, it will favor the autonomy of the person and interpersonal relationships.

In addition, it also affects the suffering of the person in various situations, as it may be the case that negative self-esteem is generated, giving way to different disorders and behavioral problems, among others.

How is it possible to improve self-esteem?

Faced with low self-esteem, you must act immediately and, therefore, improve it so that the person can lead his life normally. Therefore, the following are a series of steps to follow to modify behavior in the face of negative self-esteem:

From the negative to the positive

“Silence” – “I need a moment to speak.”

“It’s hard for me” – “I’m pretty good at it.”

Stop generalization

People have flaws and, therefore, not all actions are negative, nor are they done in the same way.

In the center of the positive

The positive must be paramount, as it must be appreciated and valued since it is not optimal to subject all actions to constant evaluation.

Don’t use comparisons

The individual must be aware of his own characteristics. This is because each person has their own characteristics and their limitations must be recognized, without making comparisons with others.