Page 10 - Hannzce

B. Self-esteem or self-worth comprises what we think about ourselves. It pertains to the confidence you
feel about yourself.
 Carl Rogers (1902-1987), a humanist psychologist, believed that feelings of self-worth developed
in early childhood and were formed from the interaction of the child with the mother and father.
 For Carl Rogers (1959) a person who has high self-worth, that is, has confidence and positive
feelings about him or herself, faces challenges in life, accepts failure and unhappiness at times,
and is open with people.

 A person with low self-worth may avoid challenges in life, not accept that life can be painful and
unhappy at times, and will be defensive and guarded with other people.

 A number of factors can impact self-esteem, including how we compare ourselves to others and
how others respond to us.
 Your self-esteem affects many aspects of your life. For example, when you have high or positive
self-esteem, you feel good about yourself, believe you can be successful, and have the confidence
to try new things.
 When people respond positively to our behavior, we are more likely to develop positive
self-esteem. When we compare ourselves to others and find ourselves lacking, it can have a
negative impact on our self-esteem.
 Constructive criticism is helpful advice. It is meant to help you grow and improve and often
includes suggestions for solutions.

 For example, if your music teacher suggests a different song to fit your voice, you could
improve your performance by following that advice.
 Learning to accept constructive criticism is a good way to improve your self-esteem.

C. Values are the beliefs and principles you choose to live by and what is important to you.
 Your values define who you are, shape your attitudes and your choices, and help you identify your
priorities.
 Values are usually influenced by family, religious beliefs, teachers, friends, society, and personal
experiences. Perhaps your family places a value on how birthdays and holidays are celebrated. A
good family life is a common value shared by most people.
 People have different values because their interests and experiences are different. People come
from a variety of backgrounds. The way you prioritize your values may also be different from the
way others prioritize their values.
 Prioritize means to rank or order things by their
importance. For example, some people put a high priority
on regular exercise and healthful eating.
 Knowing what you value will help you make good decisions.
As you develop your value system, you may notice that
some of your values are in conflict with each other.
 For example, you may spend the afternoon finishing a
math assignment because you value good grades. What
if your friends invite you to the movies that same
afternoon?
 You will have to decide which value is more important.
Is it completing your math homework or is it being with
your friends? What you value says a lot about you.

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