What Are the Effects of Self-Esteem?

The effects of self-esteem can touch every aspect of a person’s life. Self-esteem can impact school performance in younger individuals and affect performance at work once an individual begins to pursue a career. Other life activities can be affected by self-esteem, including building relationships and developing friendships.

Self-esteem is defined as a measure of how much a person values herself. An individual’s self-esteem can also be related to how important a person thinks she is and what she thinks about her accomplishments. People with high self-esteem don’t flaunt it; they simply have a deep-seated belief that they are important and deserve the best.

The way a person feels about herself can impact nearly every aspect of life. Young children are affected by the actions of those around them. Praise and congratulations from adults is important in building their self-esteem. Without this, children can suffer from low self-esteem resulting in a wide range of consequences.

While in school, the effects of self-esteem can impact performance and the ability to relate to others in a social manner. Students with low self-esteem may find that test scores suffer, and they may feel that the overall learning process is difficult. In contrast, students with high self-esteem demonstrate confidence in their knowledge and excel in the classroom. The effects of self-esteem can also be seen in how a child relates to her peers. Those with low self-esteem may refrain from seeking out new friends.

The effects of self-esteem can continue to impact a person’s life long after the educational years. Once a person sets out on a career path, she may be met with difficulties and obstacles that may pose a threat to self-esteem. Examples include being passed over for a promotion or being criticized for a specific event. Those with high self-esteem will overcome these obstacles, even if they lose faith in themselves for a short time, while those with low self-esteem may find themselves struggling to see the positive, performing poorly and not meeting deadlines.

Effects of self-esteem can be felt far beyond performance at school or work. Throughout life, the ability to build and maintain healthy relationships can be impacted by self-esteem. Those with low self-esteem may surround themselves with toxic individuals and find it hard to end the relationship or walk away from dangerous situations. In contrast, individuals with high self-esteem tend to surround themselves with positive people and seek out nurturing and respectful relationships. These individuals understand how much they are worth and expect to be treated with respect.