Self-esteem is an indispensable characteristic to achieve our goals efficiently, taking into account that it is related to self-confidence.

This personality characteristic begins to be established from childhood, with environmental factors (upbringing, friendships, etc.) being decisive.

In this article we will see what exactly this psychological construct consists of, and we will also review what the main benefits of having good self-esteem are .

What is self-esteem?

To understand the benefits of having good self-esteem, we must first become familiar with its concept. Self-esteem is the valuation we have of ourselves , based on an adequate perception of our abilities and our personality.

Contrary to what many may think, a person with high self-esteem need not be a show-off. It often happens that people with a good self-esteem are the most discreet and reserved.

Self-esteem begins to be established during the early stages of development , through the training that parents or caregivers give to the infant and their interaction with their peers. That is why parenting styles are a determining factor in this process, and it is not advisable to be too permissive with the youngsters, nor to have absolute authority over them.

The ideal is to find the healthy balance so that they can feel loved and at the same time be able to perform certain tasks for themselves.

Advantages and benefits of having good self-esteem

In the following lines we will see a list with the benefits of having good self-esteem

1. Self-confidence

People with good self-esteem are confident, which is basically beneficial for any project they undertake, as well as being a protective factor against stress and depressive states .

2. Ability to forgive

Well-established self-esteem allows the subject to be able to forgive properly, with no resentments involved.

This capacity does not consist only in forgiving others, but also applies in forgiving oneself .

3. Better skills development

Being the bearer of a good self-esteem facilitates a better development of personal skills, taking into account that the better concept we have of ourselves the greater the tendency to aspire to stimulating goals that enhance our capabilities .

4. Adequate health concern

Health care is an issue that is quite related to good self-esteem.

Because the people who care most about being healthy are those who have a good image of themselves and value themselves. This makes them lead healthy lifestyles, and avoid excesses.

5. Ability to face and overcome problems

Another benefit of having good self-esteem is using more effective coping styles. In general, people with this psychological characteristic face problems assertively and head-on , do not need to avoid them because they trust their abilities and know they have what it takes to overcome the problem.

6. Better mental health

The correlation between mental health and self-esteem is highly positive, since people who have a better self-concept tend to avoid conflicts and toxic situations in their lives .

The higher the self-esteem, the greater the emotional assertiveness, and therefore the lower the levels of stress and distress.

7. Better Life Purposes

Life goals and purposes are matters that are subject to the perception we have of ourselves. In this sense, if a subject has a better self-concept of himself, he will believe that he is capable of achieving better things in life and will do his best to do so.

8. The ability to take responsibility in the best way

A good self-esteem helps us to assume and fulfill our responsibilities in a better way, understanding that it is not only enough to be able to fulfill our obligations , but it is also important to do them well.

9. Better interpersonal relations

Enjoying good self-esteem means tending to develop good relationships with their peers , taking into account that those who have a properly adjusted self-concept relate to others in an adaptive way, and are also selective subjects who avoid relating to conflicting individuals.

10. Safety in decision making

When we have good self-esteem, it is common for us to make decisions in a more committed and confident way.

Of course, this fact responds to a previous evaluation of the situation related to the confidence we have when establishing plans, to look beyond the present .

People with well-established self-esteem evaluate the feasibility of their actions before making the corresponding decisions, to avoid the possible frustration of not having achieved the objectives set out at the beginning.

Bibliographic references:

  • Greenberg, J. (2008). “Understanding the vital human quest for self-esteem. Perspectives on Psychological Science. 3 (1): 48 – 55.
  • Isberg, R. S.; Hauser, S. T.; Jacobson, A. M.; Powers, S. I.; Noam, G.; Weiss-Perry, B.; Fullansbee, D. (1989). “Parental contexts of adolescent self-esteem: A developmental perspective. Journal of Youth and Adolescence. 18 (1): 1-23.