Building Self-Esteem: Psychological Underpinnings and Practical Tips

If you hear a voice within you say ‘you cannot paint,’ then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced. — Vincent Van Gogh

Photo by Mathieu Stern on Unsplash

Self-esteem, broadly conceptualized as a person’s overall evaluation of their own worth, exerts a profound influence on how individuals perceive themselves, navigate social relationships, and set life goals (Rosenberg, 2015). Deeply woven into the fabric of human psychology, self-esteem underlies crucial processes such as motivation, resilience, and emotional well-being, making it a central topic of research in personality and social psychology (Orth & Robins, 2014). Although some may view self-esteem merely as a fleeting feeling of confidence, numerous scholarly inquiries have shown it to be a far more complex and dynamic construct, shaped by developmental history, cultural context, and ongoing social interactions (Coopersmith, 1967). Notably, self-esteem can either bolster one’s capacity to learn from mistakes and persevere through adversity or, when markedly low, generate a cycle of self-doubt that hampers daily functioning (Branden, 1969). In response, researchers and therapists alike have focused on crafting evidence-based strategies to strengthen self-esteem, recognizing that doing so can enhance overall life satisfaction and equip individuals with psychological tools for handling life’s…