Having strong self esteem is the key to living a more confident and happy life, and without it, people will just walk all over you. However, like everything else in this world, self-esteem doesn’t look the same for everyone, and that’s why there are different types of self esteem.
Self esteem can be defined as your perception of your personal value, worth, and respect. How you regard yourself and treat yourself even during difficult and challenging times shows your sense of self esteem. The higher your self esteem, the higher your self-worth and the lower your self esteem, the lower will be your self-worth.
Your level of self esteem changes with your life experiences and what it looked like 5 years back, it might not look the same now. This is where the different types of self esteem come into play, and the more you understand them, the better you will be able to work with it.
So, ready to know what are the types of self esteem? Come on, let’s find that out!
Related: Do Empaths Have Low Self Esteem And Confidence?
8 Types Of Self Esteem
1. High and unstable
One of the most prominent types of self esteem is this one. If you belong to this category, then you’re someone who even though has high self esteem, you are unable to maintain it when things get difficult and stressful. You are very confident but in stressful situations, you end up questioning yourself and your abilities.
You don’t have enough tools and ideas to deal with such situations. So in case you get resistance and opposition from others, you end up taking it personally or you refuse to listen to other people’s solutions.
2. High and stable
People with high and stable self esteem tend to be very sure of themselves and know exactly how to handle a difficult situation if one ever arises. They have a strong sense of self esteem and are rarely bothered by negative situations. This is one of the positive types of self esteem.
They are confident about their abilities and know that they have the right mindset for handling even the most challenging circumstances. Even if they have people disagreeing with them, they never lose their cool and are always able to calmly put forward their opinions without letting it turn into an ugly affair.
3. Unstable and low
Amongst all the different types of self esteem, this one is probably one of the easiest to recognize. People with unstable and low self esteem tend to question themselves very much, and always feel that they are not capable and competent to handle anything.
They prefer to be inconspicuous all the time, are sensitive, and are too anxious to take a stand for what’s right. Their low self esteem always stops them from questioning someone even when it’s very clear that they are wrong. Feeling scared and not being able to speak up for themselves eventually starts to take a toll on their mental and emotional health.
4. Stable and low
People with stable and low self esteem tend to be underestimated a lot and unless they prove their mettle, they are considered to be the black sheep. The truth is, they are more than capable of fulfilling their dreams and goals, all they need is a little bit of encouragement and positive reinforcement.
At the same time, because they are a bit on the underconfident side, they need a lot of reassurance and emotional support. They normally don’t fight strongly for their opinions, and most of the time end up taking the backseat, even when they don’t need to. This is probably one of the most difficult and saddest types of self esteem.
Related: 10 Toxic Habits That Secretly Crush Your Self-Esteem
5. Regular and vulnerable
This is one of the most interesting types of self esteem. When you have vulnerable self esteem, it means that you have positive self-perception, but sometimes challenging situations end up taking a toll on you. You end up in a very fragile mental and emotional state when you are faced with difficult situations, like losing your job, going through a breakup or divorce, or losing a loved one.
This sort of thing leads you to remove yourself from the situation and you try your best to not make any major decisions because you don’t really trust yourself. You would rather have someone else make the important decisions for you.
6. Inflated
One of the many types of self esteem is inflated self esteem which is characterized by a strong personality but at the same time, the inability to consider and respect other people’s opinions. People with inflated self esteem tend to believe they are better than everyone else around them, which is why they could care less about their opinions.
Because they are very egoistic, they have a hard time listening to others and hate it when their opinions and viewpoints are not given the most importance. They are incapable of taking criticism and firmly believe that they can never be wrong. Additionally, they can be quite superficial, over the top and very, very arrogant.
7. High and strong
Amongst all the types of self esteem, this one is the healthiest type there is. If you have high and strong self esteem, you know that it’s okay to make mistakes and it’s in no way a reflection of who you are as a person. Even if you make mistakes, you have the ability to own up to them and learn from them.
You are secure enough to respect and consider others’ feelings and opinions, and you never try to impose yours on them. You are humble, optimistic, down-to-earth, and mentally strong, and always try to make sure to do the right thing.
8. Low and decreased
People with low self esteem usually don’t appreciate themselves at all, and constantly think that they are not good enough and will never be good enough. They can be extremely sensitive, especially when faced with criticism. Negative words make them feel defeated and bad about themselves and positive words make them feel happy and validated.
Most of the time, they feel sorry about themselves, which is why they end up being bullied, especially in high school and even in their workplace. Due to their low self esteem, they are unable to fight back and end up believing and internalizing all the negative things that are said to them.
Related: 20 Things That Low Self-Esteem Steals From You
How To Improve Self Esteem
If you are someone who struggles with their self esteem, then there are a few things you can do to change that. Here are a few things you can do to improve your self esteem.
1. Be proud of who you are.
Whatever you might have achieved in life to date, and no matter how imperfect you are as a human being, be proud of that. Embrace your authentic self and love yourself for who you truly are. If you keep on criticizing yourself for every little flaw, you will never be happy.
Perfection is overrated, rather be genuine, honest, and real. You are who you are and this is your life. Do what makes you happy and show the same love to yourself that you show others.
Related: How To Improve Self Esteem
2. Don’t obsess about being perfect.
There is no such thing as perfection, and the more you chase perfection, the less happy you will be in life. Being hypercritical about yourself just because you are not ‘perfect’ can completely destroy your self-esteem. So, stop doing that to yourself.
Perfectionism is overrated and it’s high time you stop judging your self-worth and value based on where you stand on the perfectionism scale.
3. Understand that it’s okay to fail sometimes.
Life is not always about winning, sometimes you have to take a few losses and failures too on the way. Because it is only through failure can you learn some of the most important lessons of life.
So just because things might not be working out for you the way they should, don’t be too hard on yourself. Have faith in yourself and your abilities, and you will see that it’s just a matter of time before the tides turn and all your hard work pays off.
Related: 30+ Self-Worth Quotes For A Fulfilling Life
Having a strong sense of self esteem is a must when it comes to loving yourself. The importance of self esteem can never be ignored nor can it be taken casually. Which of these types of self esteem do you think you belong to? Let us know your thoughts in the comments down below!
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