1. PSYC 126
PERSONALITY ENHANCEMENT
Chapter 1 Self-Esteem
Case Study: Olivia was pleased to be employed at Watkins Advertising. She has been on
the job for three months and feels comfortable with her new responsibilities. However,
today everything changed. Deanna, her supervisor, asked Olivia to create a spreadsheet
to forecast the costs for the product presentations in Kansas City and Denver next
month. Olivia was frantic—she had worked with spreadsheets before but had only
limited experience creating them from scratch. Deanna suggested that the Help feature
of the software would be Olivia’s best resource, but she also said she would be available
if Olivia needed help getting started. Olivia replied, “Oh, no thank you. I’m sure I can
figure it out. I’ve worked with spreadsheets.” But she couldn’t figure it out, and her
frustrations were beginning to show. To make matter worse, she observed a coworker
creating a spreadsheet with obvious ease. Olivia thought to herself, “I’ll never be able to
complete this spreadsheet. Maybe I shouldn’t have taken this job.”
SELF-ESTEEM: the extent to which you like, accept, and respect yourself.
Self-image: a picture of your “self,” an awareness of your essential qualities
that give you a unique identity; mental picture of who you are.
High Self-esteem: helps you to meet everyday challenges and stay on course
to become all that you can be.
Low Self-esteem: often leads to loneliness, anxiety, resentment, irritability,
and little life satisfaction.
When you dislike yourself, you have low self-esteem. Those who have low
self-esteem may react by:
 Blaming others for their own weaknesses or faults
 Becoming easily frustrated or defensive
 Avoiding situations that make them uncomfortable.
 Feeling weak and incompetent.
 Feeling that others don’t value them
 Expressing few emotions
 Being influenced easily by others
Components of Self-image:
 Physical appearance
 Values and beliefs
 Sense of humor
 Athletic ability
 Special talents
 Aptitudes
 Morals and ethics
Do’s of Building Self-Esteem:
 Engage in positive self-talk
 Remember what you like about yourself
 Talk with others about your good qualities
 Focus on your achievements
 Plan for your future
Don’ts of Improving Self-Esteem:
 Don’t try to imitate someone else
 Don’t think negatively about yourself
 Don’t neglect yourself
 Don’t let setbacks get the best of you
Rewards of Good Self-Esteem:
 Take on responsibility (have a “can-do” attitude)
 Take pride in their accomplishments
 Approach challenges positively and with enthusiasm
 Are not afraid to show a broad range of emotions
 Feel qualified to influence others
 Tolerate frustrations, challenges, and setbacks in life
TIPS ON BUILDING SELF-ESTEEM:
 Each evening, list your accomplishments for that day.
 Do something nice for someone else.
 Build the esteem of others.
 Do something challenging each day.
 Think positive thoughts.
 Establish and work toward your goals
 Look your best.
 Handle problems one at a time
 Eat the foods your body needs
 Learn a new skill or start a new hobby.
 Ask for and accept feedback.
 Take advantage of all educational opportunities.
 Allow personal time for yourself each day.
 Post self-improvement reminders in your work and personal
areas.
 Don’t make negative comments about yourself or others.
 Volunteer to help or share your skills with others.
POINTS TO REMEMBER:
 If you have good self-esteem, you appreciate your special gifts
and your value as a person. You strive to do your best and to
achieve your potential.
 A strong belief in your value and capabilities, coupled with proper
action, can help you achieve your goals in life.
 People with healthy self-esteem work to improve themselves.
They understand that believing in themselves and valuing their
positive qualities is not about competing with others but about
understanding themselves and pursuing what is best for them.
 Career, relationship, and mental health problems can often be
traced back to low self-esteem.
 Failure can lead to success. Learn from every situation and try to
do better the next time. But never give up on yourself.
 To benefit from everyday experiences, interpret and use feedback
(both positive and negative) that reflects how you are doing in
your life and work.
 Talking things over with a friend, counselor, or someone you can
share your feelings with will give you insight and understanding.
Reference:
Masters, L.A., et al. (2011). Personal Development for Work and Life. Cengage Learning
Asia Pte. Ltd.
Prepared by:
Mrs. Maria Angela L. Diopol
Instructor