Virtues of Loving Yourself

¶ … Master Self-Esteem Self-esteem is actually a virtue. From the perspective of a literal definition, self-esteem is the regard that one has for oneself. It is a type of valuation that can either be negative or positive, and which can greatly influence the sort of values a person has and the decisions that such a person makes. Self-esteem is of immense importance in maintaining a healthy balance that all people need to deal with for the myriad vicissitudes of life.

Mastering self-esteem is perhaps a prerequisite to living a happy, healthy, and content life. Without positive self-esteem, it is difficult for people to maintain standards and to seek or attain the best that life has to offer them. The crux of mastering self-esteem is that people must learn to maintain a positive valuation of themselves at virtually all times. If they are able to do so, they can rightfully claim that they have mastered self-esteem.

The true test for this sort of mastery comes in the form of adversity, which people can encounter in numerously difficult ways. For instance, it is essential to maintain one's positive self-esteem in the event of rejection. Rejection is evinced in many different manifestations -- some of the most poignant, painful and emotional rejections pertain to personal relationships. Perhaps the most searing rejections are found in romantic relationships, while rejections are also manifest in professional settings and in other aspects of life.

If a person is still able to feel good about himself or herself following rejection, contextualize the situation within their overall life and go forward seeking to change or surmount those circumstances, then they have mastered self-esteem in one of its most difficult tests. Negative self-esteem is a severe hindrance to people of all varieties and in many different aspects of their lives. Perhaps the most classic and eminent example of low self-esteem is found in that of women who have low self-esteem.

There are so many different and arduous circumstances that women willfully endure when they do not innately feel good about themselves. For instance, women might compromise their freedom, safety and livelihoods by remaining in both mentally and physically abusive relationships. There are so many women who eventually seek counseling or help for their complications from such relationships who believe that they were simply not pretty enough, charming, sexy enough, or smart enough to be with anybody else.

The root of all of these issues, of course, is self-esteem, and a lack of mastery of positive self-esteem. The critical aspect of self-esteem is that it can be taught to people. Typically, it is the job of the initial teachers of a child -- his or her parents -- to instill the virtues of positivity as it relates to self-esteem so that people can feel good about themselves.

Nonetheless, the most pivotal facet of self-esteem is that regardless of whether or not it is taught (which partially explains why children in.