Self-Esteem is your opinion of yourself. It is your estimate of how capable, worthwhile and successful you are. It is crucial in the psychological development of every individual. The way in which a person matures and progresses throughout life depends significantly on his or her view of them self. Self-Esteem is especially sensitive during adolescence. Many believe that a strong sense of one’s self is a key for success in every aspect of life. Self-Acceptance and esteem are essentials in life especially in our success driven societies. One theory that describes how interactions shape self views is Reflected Appraisals. This represents the way in which a person thinks they are viewed by others. It is the notion of receiving supportive and nonsupportive messages. It states that positive appreciation and a high level of self-value is gain when supportive messages are received. In contrast, receiving nonsupportive messages leads to feeling less valuable, lovable, and capable. Every person a child interacts with influences these self-evaluations, and all shapes how they view themselves, especially from their significant others. The strength of messages from significant others become stronger and eventually affect the health of an adolescent, when they are nonsupportive; depression, for instance, can occur. It is believed early childhood experiences shape one’s personality, which is why positive messages are crucial during adolescence. As we mature, self-esteem should become anchored more from an internal compass, a sense of whether or not we are aligned with our true purpose, and whether or not we are living according to our values. This requires a certain amount of self-awareness.
During the early development of a child their focus on the world is based largely on themselves. As a child grows and matures they begin to focus not only on themselves but also on how they measure up to the people around them. The new view of the world brings upon the...