BellaOnline Forums Education Colleges Building Self-Esteem

Many people don't realize that self-esteem is something that can and should be worked on. If you would like information on building your self-esteem, check out my latest article Building Self-Esteem.

If you would like to discuss this topic, post to this threat or start your own. I can't wait to discuss college-related topics with all of you.

Without a healthy level of self-esteem, it is difficult to succeed in life. I know because even though I earned my bachelor's and master's and had several successful careers, I abruptly left them because I struggled with my self-worth. Somehow, I did not believe that I deserved the good fruits of my labor.

My daughter suffered from low self-esteem until a counselor explained that I never gave her a chance to succeed or fail. At any hint of a stumble, I would rush in to rescue her, giving her the impression that she was not capable of solving her own problems or earning achievements. We work on that and thankfully, she is a stronger person today.

As for other college-related topics, I'd like your thoughts about the importance of a college degree and the benefits that go beyond career advantages. I'm tired of hearing some people tell me that I "wasted" my education by leaving good careers to care for my family. What was I to do? Two of my children have/had a terminal illness, for heaven's sake.

You are absolutely right that it is difficult to succeed in life without a strong sense of self-worth. It is really interesting that you discovered that your daughter's struggle with her self-esteem had to do with not being allowed to fail, and thus not showing herself that she can overcome those failures and succeed. This is a story we can all lean from. I want to thank you for sharing it.

Part of having a strong self-worth is listening to yourself (as opposed to others) when you know you are right. It sounds like you made a decision that was right for you and your family, which others may not have understood. It is easy to let what other people say bother us. To combat that, we have to keep telling ourselves we know what we did was right and why.

You are also correct when you say that a college education has benefits outside of helping someone get a job. That idea may make for an interesting future article. I do have a few thoughts on it, which I will be happy to share. However, I would like to get your thoughts and the thoughts of other readers first. I am going to start a new thread asking for people's thoughts on this. Great idea. Thank you.

I also want to say that I am very sorry to hear about your children. I can't even begin to imagine how difficult that was for you. It sounds like you've over come a lot. I wish you all the best.