Self-Esteem

Hi Everyone,

Well this week, I've posted a day early (yes I know it's a day early, I just said that! Well don't read it until tomorrow then!), anyway, as I was saying, we're off Jet setting around the world tomorrow (Tenerife to be precise) and my laptop decided to split itself in half two days before hand. Therefore I won't be able to write this from a busy airport with people constantly looking over my shoulder and staring at this new contraption called a computer. OH NO WHAT A SHAME (!)

Well enough about my EXCITING lifestyle and constant fun, now to get onto the good stuff.

THE GOOD STUFF!

This week I'm talking (to myself) about self-esteem, why choose this topic, well because of the debate I recently had with my family about swimming in the pool. (When I say debate what I really mean is me sitting reading my book and simply saying 'no' or 'I'm not doing it'. What were they jabbering on about continuously in my ear for 20 minutes? The fact that I didn't want to go swimming in the hotel pool. Although I probably will (don't tell them that they were right, they don't read this) go for the odd swim, the reason I didn't want to was because of self-esteem.

Not because of my swimming ability (it’s not TOO bad), not because of the HIDEOUS swimming shorts I had to purchase (you know what it's like) no, none of these things were the main cause. The main cause was my view of myself. I may be the fattest or the thinnest person in the world, the ugliest, most beautiful, tallest, shortest, fashionable or unfashionable person in the world, it doesn't matter, what matters to ME is how I see myself.





How I see myself is probably HUGELY incorrect, but along with the majority of the population, I refuse to do anything about it. Of course, one of the most prominent features for both boys and girls, men and women, is weight. There are plenty of things we can do about our ACTUAL weight, but very few about the weight in our head (and I'm not talking about having a MASSIVE head or brain, you know like Stewie Griffin).





Another way that people can lack self-esteem is not having the confidence to perform or even just simple interact with people. I'm not talking about conditions such as Autism which actually PREVENT you from interacting, I'm talking about being just plain shy!





So why is it that SOOOOOOO many people lack self-esteem? Well I suppose that's up to what you think, but personally I think that it's the obvious source 'the media'. Sometimes though, it can be all too easy to blame 'the media' I think that society as a whole is to blame, partly out of being worried for our health, but also I feel that society can be quite selfish. Not thinking about other's feelings or the consequences of what's happening.


Why is it that we feel that we need to conform to society's boundaries and templates for us?


YOU ARE YOU, AND THAT'S GREAT!





So what's the solution to all this?

Well I recently read an interesting point from Derren Brown, in which he talked about a conversation he had once had with a friend who was very self conscious about a skin complaint that he had. He spoke about how embarrassing it was. Derren´s reply to him was that, he did not think so. Yes you could see he had eczema but you didn´t define your view of him by that. It is for others to decide about whether we look good or not. Whether something is embarrassing or not, and whether we should be embarrassed.

Although this is a rather excellent point, many of us, either think we don´t care what other people think, or think that other people think that we look bad.

And as a wise drug taking woman once said: 'AND IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEIIIIIIIII WILLL ALWAYS LOOOOOOVVEEEE YOOOOOUUUUU!!!!' no sorry, that's the wrong one, erm hang on...











....











OH YES!


' I believe the children are our are future. Teach them well and let them lead the way. Show them all the beauty they possess inside. Give them a sense of pride to make it easier' 'I decided long ago, never to walk in anyone's shadows' 'No matter what they take from me.They can't take away my dignity' 'Learning to love yourself It is the greatest love of all'





And on that note (or as that annoying and yet slightly addictive and you hate yourself for it named Jeremy Clarkson would say 'BOMBSHELL'!) I must leave you to 'THINK ABOUT WHAT I'VE SAID' and so that I can go and pack.




Just one more quick point, although lack of self-esteem can be crippling for people of all ages, it can (in some situations) work to your advantage to a certain extent, and work as a motivational tool. Though that doesn´t mean in most cases, this is in just a few.

Self-esteem is a terribly personal and destructive topic and so please, do what you can to help both others and yourself improve their self-esteem.

Thanks for reading, leave your comments about what boosts your self-esteem, (it will prove to me that there is someone out there, reading this page) THAT WILL BOOST MY SELF-ESTEEM! See what i did there!





Phil.





EDIT: I would like to thank Charlotte who said that this blog was AMAZING and gave ME a confidence boost, and so I suppose that this just supports Derren´s point again.

I´m liking the new look SARAH!!!