Lisa O
We all have moments when we’re hard on ourselves. But if you think negatively about yourself a lot, you might be dealing with low self-esteem. It happens, and it’s okay. Sometimes, stuff from when you were little, like bullying or being neglected, can mess with your self-esteem. It’s super important in many areas of life, like your relationships, confidence, motivation, and overall quality of life. That’s why having low self-esteem is such a big deal. Here are some signs of someone with low self-esteem!
Negative Self-Talk
The first and most important sign of having low self-esteem is talking negatively about yourself. Do you often criticize yourself about how you look, what you do, and who you have become? If so, then you have poor self-esteem. When things go wrong, you blame yourself instead of finding the real culprit behind the problem. You never think positively about yourself, and this affects your mental health a lot.
Compliment Conundrum
Rejecting compliments is another important sign of low self-esteem. While being humble is okay, if you often say no to nice things people say about you, it might mean you don’t really think those things are true. Here’s the deal: you might not see much value in yourself because of imposter syndrome or if people have only valued one thing about you. In any case, it shows you have a very low self-esteem.
Relationship Roadblocks
If you don’t feel great about yourself, it can cause major problems in your relationships. You might have trouble being close to someone, trusting them, or setting clear rules for how you’re treated.
According to experts, you’re more likely to stay in a relationship that’s not good for you, like one where you’re treated badly or where you depend too much on your partner. Basically, you’ll be attracted to red flags!
Social Withdrawal
If you usually say no to party invites or cancel plans with your best friends and generally prefer being alone, it could be a sign of low self-esteem. Maybe you don’t feel like chatting or discussing your life because it could make the depression and anxiety you’re already feeling even stronger. Whatever the reason, avoiding social situations is one of the most important signs of having poor self-esteem.
Think of self-esteem as seeing the bright side of yourself. When that’s missing, you might find yourself comparing yourself to others a lot. People with low self-esteem tend to zoom in on the positives in others and start feeling like they’re falling behind or not as perfect. This constant comparison makes them feel down about themselves and drags their already low self-esteem even further.
Lack of Control
Have you ever felt like you’re not in control of a situation or just anything in life? This is another sign that you don’t esteem yourself. Thinking that everything is out of your hands and you can’t change a single thing about your life or other people’s lives is a sign that you need to work on your poor self-esteem. Understanding “why” you’re losing control over little things can be the first step in this journey.
Boundary Battles
Have you ever noticed yourself saying “yes” to things you don’t really want to do? It might be a subtle hint that your self-esteem isn’t as strong as you thought. When we lack confidence, we often let our boundaries slide and agree to things we’re not comfortable with to please others. It’s like we don’t trust that we can speak up for ourselves and still keep good relationships. So, learn how to say no to others.
Confidence Crisis
It’s totally normal to question ourselves from time to time because, hey, we’re only human. But if you always doubt your own decisions or constantly look for other people’s opinions, it might be connected to your self-esteem. According to experts, this could also mean you’re afraid of making mistakes and letting that fear guide your life instead of feeling confident when dealing with challenges.
Fear of Failure
People with low self-esteem often doubt their own abilities to succeed. They’re scared of failing, so they might steer clear of tough situations or throw in the towel too soon. This fear of falling short shows up in how they act – maybe they get frustrated when things don’t go smoothly or try to hide their doubts. They might even cook up excuses, point fingers, or brush off the task altogether.
Sense of Unworthiness
Ever felt like you don’t deserve love, praise, or recognition at work? It’s closely tied to how much you believe in yourself and your skills. See, many people with low self-esteem often look for validation from things like jobs, relationships, or success to feel better about themselves. But here’s the thing: self-esteem comes from within and is very tightly linked to happiness.
Poor Outlook
When someone struggles with low self-worth, they might think the future won’t be any better than how things are now. This sense of hopelessness can make it really tough for them to take actions that could bring positive changes into their lives. Self-sabotage becomes a common way of dealing with these feelings. It’s like a tricky cycle that holds them back from making the positive changes that could lead to a better, shiny future.
Criticism Avoidance
When someone deals with poor self-esteem, getting defensive or becoming really aggressive can be their way of protecting themselves. If they sense criticism or feel vulnerable, lashing out might be a sign of low self-esteem. It’s like a shield against being exposed or criticized. And here’s the catch—they might not even welcome constructive criticism that could help them do better in the future. So, if this sounds like you, start working on yourself.
People-Pleasing Patterns
Ever find yourself bending over backward to make sure everyone else is happy? Well, that could be a sign of super low self-esteem. It’s like a hunt for external validation, where folks who aren’t feeling their best will go above and beyond to keep others comfortable and smiling. But here’s the twist – in the process of pleasing others, they often forget about their own needs. They say yes even when they want to say no.
Over-Apologizing
Folks dealing with low self-esteem often have a tendency to believe they’re somehow bad or always in the wrong. To make up for it, they find themselves apologizing a lot, even when it’s not necessary. Picture this: someone with low self-esteem having a friendly chat and suddenly throwing in an apology like, “Ugh, sorry, I’m talking so much.” It’s like a reflex, and understanding this behavior is a step toward building high self-esteem.
Taking Things Personally
While being sensitive can be a strength, it could be a sign of low self-esteem if you often feel hurt by what others say or do. Wondering why? Well, if you were really comfortable with who you are, outside words or actions wouldn’t shake your sense of self. Experts even suggest that those with high self-esteem don’t take things too personally because they already feel pretty good about themselves.