Short messages on Mental health, stress and anxiety issues from Respect Yourself, the guidance site for young people to help make good decisions in life.
Try your best to respond with kindness. Often, someone else’s behaviour is not about you. Someone may be acting immaturely, hating or being rude, but if you can, try to let it go.
People often lash out, spread hate, or act selfishly when they are hurt. They are feeling a deep, hurting part of themselves and may be trying to compensate by making others feel bad too.
“What happened is done. Stop giving time to things which no longer exist, when there is so much joy to be had here and now.” – Karen Salmansohn.
Some of us may struggle with mental illness, but none of us are “broken”. Feeling extreme pain is part of the human condition.
“Even the most troubled among us can begin to regain footing.” – Katharine Di Cerbo
To heal yourself and to build up your self-esteem, take one step above being like those who’ve wronged you, by looking at yourself with compassion and understanding.
Low self-esteem can have many causes, none of which are your fault. A traumatic experience where you haven’t received the proper support, or you feel judged or blamed for the event, or you felt lonely and abandoned afterwards, can lower self-esteem.
Being listened to, and having connection with others, can be such powerful feelings that they can relieve even the deepest pain.
For every one negative “fact” you’ve decided about yourself, there are other tens of positive facts about you. Choose what to notice about yourself, and value the strengths that you have.
Low self-esteem can cause you to notice and accept as true only the negative facts about yourself.