Worry more about your character.
Integrity is its own reward.”
– Dr. Laura Schlessinger
In the name of fostering self-esteem, we often ask less of ourselves or others; to quickly escape emotional discomfort, we are gentle and understanding and comforting. All of that is very nice, but I don’t think it makes a dent in low self-esteem. To cultivate self-respect we must honestly face our mistakes, push ourselves to overcome personal weaknesses, buckle down and settle dilemmas, do whatever must be done to the best of our abilities, stand tall in our truth and do the right thing whether it feels good in the moment or not. When we remain true to a high personal moral code, it is natural for us to believe in ourselves.