Self-Esteem, Body Image, and Self-Compassion

Key takeaways

• Celebrate Self-Esteem Month

• Be Your Own Valentine

• The Manly Man Crisis

• What’s Wrong with Self-Esteem?

• National Women’s Health Week

• Self-Esteem and How Can I Improve Mine?

Celebrate Self-Esteem Month

If you made a resolution to become a better version of yourself this year, we have great news. February is International Boost Self Esteem Month. These 28 days provide a fresh opportunity to assess how we see ourselves and find ways to improve our perspective. MHCS has a few tips to help you recognize your worth and celebrate self-esteem month.

Our self-esteem is measured by how we feel about ourselves. After making a mistake or having a bad day, it’s understandable to feel disappointed or disheartened. We’ve all been there. But focusing on one misstep or tough situation invites that negativity to become central to the way we view ourselves.

Be Your Own Valentine

The original meaning of Valentine’s Day has nothing to do with the now traditional customs of sending flowers, cards and candy. It had more to do with an early saint called Valentinus who was imprisoned and tortured. The history behind this day is an interesting read but not exactly the stuff of Hallmark and Godiva Chocolate.

What if you are one of the many (though it might not seem so) for whom the advertising, marking and celebration of Valentine’s Day seems like a cruel joke? The advertising of Valentine’s Day starts early and it is difficult not to assume that everyone you know is probably sending pounds of chocolate, trucks of flowers and that one special card. For those who are not in a romantic relationship or who are in relationships that are sour, here are some tips for getting through the holiday.

The Manly Man Crisis

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been increasingly mindful of the avalanche of information coming from all media-types about weight-loss, in light of New Year’s resolutions. As I thought about ways to describe this phenomenon, of information overload, avalanche seemed suitable as it’s described as, “…a sudden arrival or occurrence of something in overwhelming quantities”.

Not surprisingly, body-image isn’t always first thought on our list when we catch up with friends. While authentic conversations about how we feel inside our bodies aren’t priorities, the passive messages seem to barge their way into every part of our lives. Has there been any conversation around your office about “being good”, which is some indication that refraining from eating the birthday cake brought to celebrate a colleagues special day is a sort of moral victory.

What’s Wrong with Self-Esteem?

The short answer is nothing. Many clients identify increasing self-esteem as a goal or identify having low self-esteem as a problem. There are literally hundreds of books about self-esteem on the market. The offerings include workbooks, audiotapes, and self-esteem books for teens, adults, women, and even “Self-Esteem For Dummies”. How elusive is self-esteem that we need a Cliff’s Notes version to get?

So if we have to raise , get or increase self-esteem, the goal then is to set the standard of self-esteem against the standard of others who appear to have it. We measure our self-esteem “weight” much like we do the scale, in terms of losing, gaining or being imperfect. We ignore the very thing that makes us human.

National Women’s Health Week

The 18 th Annual National Women’s Health Week is May 14-20, 2017. Beginning every year on Mother’s Day and led by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Office of Women’s Health, the week brings awareness to a very important topic. It’s not uncommon for women to spend most of their time and energy taking care of the people around them, and therefore neglect or disregard their own needs. The goal of Women’s Health Week is to empower women to prioritize their own health and wellbeing and to take action for improvement.

Schedule a well-woman check-up or preventive screenings. Stay up-to-date on vaccinations and review your prescription or over-the-counter medication usage. Understand your family health history and assess your risk for certain conditions, especially cancer. Get moving with at least 30 minutes of physical activity a day. Choose healthy food options. If overweight or obese, commit to reach and maintain a healthy weight with a doctor-approved weight loss and fitness plan. Avoid unhealthy behaviors such as smoking, excess alcohol consumption, or texting while driving. Pay attention to your mental health.

What is Self-Esteem and How Can I Improve Mine?

In honor of International Boost Self-Esteem Month, we wanted to discuss what low self-esteem is, how to recognize it, and how to improve your self-esteem , so it doesn’t create roadblocks in your journey to better mental health or affect your relationship with others.

To get started, let’s take a step back and talk about what self-esteem is.

Self-esteem is the value or worth you apply to your own existence. High or low, self-esteem shapes your confidence, self-respect, and how you see yourself from another’s perspective. According to Psychology Today , “Confidence in one’s value as a human being is a precious psychological resource and generally a highly positive factor in life; it is correlated with achievement, good relationships, and satisfaction.”

When to reach out

If symptoms are affecting relationships, work, school, sleep, or daily routines, professional support can help you sort through what is happening and choose a realistic next step.

MHCS provides therapy and mental health support for individuals, couples, families, teens, and adults.