Our self-esteem is the internal knowledge that we are capable of handling anything that life throws at us. Self-esteem is a feeling of self-worth and an understanding that we are capable human beings that are strong and resilient. People with a high level of self esteem are confident in their abilities; handle stress and problems well and are able to hold their heads up high and feel good about them even when they screw up.

People with low self-esteem are the complete opposite. They often sport a negative outlook on life and themselves; tend to fear new experiences because they lack the feeling that they can accomplish or handle anything outside of their normal routine; use a lot of energy to maintain a false positive image of themselves; and tend to worry excessively and be overly sensitive to criticism,

Our self-esteem is how we feel about our abilities and ourselves. It can have a drastic effect on our motivations, attitudes and behaviors with those around us. It built from an early age), often toddler hood, when a baby tries something new like standing or walking and either succeeds or fails.

It really doesn't matter as much whether the child continually succeeds as it does how the people around the react to them. A child who manages to do everything right the first time, but who is not praised for their accomplishments or are belittled in some way may grow to have a very low self esteem; while a child who rarely succeeds but is praised for their effort may have a high level of self esteem.

This is an important fact for parents to remember when dealing with children of all ages. Healthy self-esteem is reached when the right balance is attained between the child's ability and the parent's interaction.

Our self-esteem can fluctuate as we grow and experience new hurdles in life. Teenagers are more apt to suffer low self-esteem as they struggles to handle changes in their bodies, world and even personality. This is a time when these young adults are struggling to figure out if they are capable enough to handle what life will throw at them in the future.

Adults may experience bouts of low self-esteem when faced with unexpected obstacles or hurdles they don't know how to handle. New parenthood is a common time for adults to find themselves questioning their abilities as caregivers. The goal here is admit that you are finding a new situation more challenging than you can handle; accept your limitations; and ask for help.

Those with too much self esteem can become arrogant, believing that their way is the only way and that everything they do is perfect, while those who suffer low self esteem may find it difficult to conquer new challenges and find themselves stuck in unhappy jobs and relationships because they lack the courage and strength to move on to something better.

Finding the right balance is essential to becoming a well-rounded person who feels good about themselves, their abilities and exudes the power to succeed in every aspect of their lives.