Self Esteem: The Impact of Self-esteem on Daily Life

Scene 1

• You're out shopping for something to wear for a special occasion. You have decided to look for something blue. The store clerk comes along and says: "Oh, no. Blue is not in this year. You really should go for this lemon yellow. It suits you better too."
• Your choices might be:
  • Okay, I guess you know best.
  • Thanks, but I've thought about this and I really prefer blue.

Scene 2

• You spent several days working on a project and you feel proud of your accomplishment when it's finished. A friend stops by and compliments you on the great job you've done.
• Your choices might be:
  • Oh but look what happened here... I really didn't know what I was doing, and I messed up this area.
  • Thanks... I worked hard on this and it's great of you to notice.

Scene 3

• You come home from work excited with some very important news about your day. Your partner signals to you to wait because she is working at something and doesn't want to be disturbed.
• Your choices might be:
  • If I were really important to her, she would be interested in what I have to tell her right now.
  • Whatever she's doing is important too. We can enjoy my good news together when she's finished.

Which choice would leave you feeling down?
Which choice would boost self-esteem?

• In any situation, you have an emotional reaction, accompanied by related thoughts and your response. Sometimes, these seem to occur all at once. You can learn to understand them better by separating them out.