subject: Low Self Esteem Signs - Here's One I Made Today [print this page] Low Self Esteem Signs - Here's One I Made Today
Copyright (c) 2010 Steve M Nash"Low self-esteem is like driving through life with your hand-break on."That's what Maxwell Maltz says anyway, in one of those self esteem quotes you find all over the place. I think it pretty much sums up the negative effects of low self esteem, though, and is a good way of introducing this low self esteem signs article.Okay, the first act in boosting self esteem - or making any improvement in your life, for that matter - is to recognise that you have the 'problem' in the first place.(This 'awareness' is vital, actually, and goes beyond just knowing you have a problem, but let's leave 'awareness' for another time.)And so, trying to walk the talk here, this article is my attempt to do just that right now, by sharing with you one of my low self esteem signs.I warn you that my symptoms of low self esteem aren't pretty. I certainly don't 'look good', and it isn't easy to share this with you. But I do believe I can improve, I am improving, and this process of sharing helps (both me, and you, the reader).So let me share one of my low self esteem signs that I made today (July 12th, 2010), and let's see if it reminds you of anyone you know.So today, the very day I'm writing this article, I got a chance to talk on UK live radio (Radio 5live) about my thoughts on the state of UK education and how it affects UK children. It was a phone-in program (hosted by Nicky Campbell) wondering what, if anything, could be done about the small percentage of poor/incompetent teaching that was being reported.By way of wanting to contribute (passively) to the debate, I sent this text message into the program..."What percentage of parents are incompetent? And how much damage does that do to children?... Teachers will never be perfect. And neither will a child's life. Discipline is the main issue that needs to be dealt with, and the problems of discipline begin at home."Anyway, moments later (and to my surprise) "Natasha" from the BBC called me to see if I wanted to talk about my views with Nicky.And my immediate response was no. And I said as such. Just like that, a first opportunity to share with millions had vanished.And the reason I said no? My immediate fear was what would my siblings think if they heard that I had dared talk about parenting and children to a UK-wide audience, when they are parents and I am not.(Re-read that paragraph again, and see if you can understand the way fear weaves its way into your daily life using assumptions based on often faulty views of the past. And look at everything that is "going on" here, for me. And then see how low self esteem dare not challenge the fear, dare not attempt to contradict it with the 'truth of the present moment'.)Anyway, I had an opportunity to share my "fair and reasoned views" with millions. And the fear of what others might think put me off. Others close to me, and others whose views seem to matter more than my own.Now this says something about my relationship with my siblings, I agree - or what I think about my relationship with them - but it also says much more about my relationship with fear.So this is my symptom of low self esteem. And I experienced it today. (And now *all* I need do is to be aware of it as it happens next time, and see how it feels to me in the present moment...)--So there we have it. Sharing didn't hurt that much after all. In fact I feel a whole lot better that I've shared these thoughts about my 'lesser self' to you. And a situation that might have troubled me weeks and months later on, and one that I might 'blame' on my siblings, has now been understood by me, a lot more; and the cause of the blame is MY fear.Thanks for reading.
