The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem Summary
5 min read ⌚
The Definitive Work on Self-Esteem by the Leading Pioneer in the Field
“The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem” paves the path to a better life, filled with better choices.
Who Should Read “The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem” and Why?
We could all use a self-esteem boost.
That is why we recommend the comprehensive guide to maintaining and boosting your self-esteem – “The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem” to all readers who are interested in the topic, and who would like to understand how they can build a culture that supports self-esteem.
About Nathaniel Branden
Nathaniel Branden is an American writer and psychotherapist, who has published many books on the topic of self-esteem.
“The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem PDF Summary”
It seems that nowadays everyone talks about self-esteem.
There are tons of books and lectures on elevating your self-esteem, but other than those quick fixes, have you ever wondered what do you actually know about this psychological concept?
Let’s start by defining it.
Self-esteem is a person’s source of resistance, strength, and ability to regenerate. It is the immune system of your mind, and just like your body’s immune system, it is innate.
Self-esteem is crucial in handling life’s challenges and difficulties.
It is also vital for the development of a healthy psyche.
No, no one died because of lack of self-esteem, but no one can live a proper and fulfilled life without it as well.
Why does self-esteem have such a significant impact on the quality of your life, you ask?
Well, the answer to this question is connected to the ways self-esteem functions.
We continuously create certain expectations about our capabilities, based on the beliefs that we have.
However, these expectations are not just imaginary – the affect our behaviors and turn themselves into reality.
So, the beliefs you have about yourself become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
That is great if your beliefs are positive.
However, if they are negative, you will be stuck in a loop of disappointment.
If we try to simplify self-esteem, we will comprehend that its essence is something quite simple: the right to be happy.
We all have that right, but the levels of self-esteem a person has determined whether one perceives this right or not.
Low self-esteem manifests in our choices. People who have low self-esteem make decisions that just fuel their negative beliefs and turn them into reality.
People with high self-esteem, on the other hand, do not only steer away from problems but also are not afraid to face and resolve their difficulties.
Okay, having high self-esteem is clearly beneficial, but what can you do to build it?
Do not worry; the process is not complicated and abstract. In fact, there are six pillars of self-esteem that can show you the way.
First Pillar: The Practice of Living Consciously
First, you have to shift your mindset. In other words, you need to begin living consciously.
No, we are not talking about meditations and spirituality, we are talking about the willingness to become aware of three distinct facets of perception: emotion, interpretation, and facts.
Most of the time, when you see something, you interpret it in a certain way, and then you feel an emotion connected to this experience.
The problem arises when people misinterpret things, which happens frequently.
Becoming aware that it is possible to misinterpret the things you see, will allow you to assess them from a distance, and disempower them in affecting your emotions completely.
Second Pillar: The Practice of Self-Acceptance
The second pillar of self-esteem is self-acceptance, which actually is a result of choosing to value ourselves.
Self-acceptance does not mean that you like your negative behaviors and actions. It means that you are willing to accept your reactions and search for their roots.
Accepting your behavior in the present moment will lead to reducing the likelihood of such behavior in the future.
Third Pillar: The Practice of Self-Responsibility
Self-acceptance is connected to the third pillar of self-esteem: self-responsibility.
This pillar explains the need to take control of your happiness and your existence.
Many of us continuously blame external factors for the things that happen. However, the blame will not get you anywhere.
Instead, you have to adopt a solution-oriented mindset.
Fourth Pillar: The Practice of Self-Assertiveness
The next pillar of self-esteem is self-assertiveness, which means that you show the world and yourself your true nature.
To practice it you need to realize that your beliefs are significant.
Each time you express them, you strengthen your self-esteem.
Fifth Pillar: The Practice of Living Purposefully
The purpose is your sense of direction and reason. Living purposefully means that you know where to go and what you want.
Even if you feel that you already are living purposefully, you have to continually monitor your progress, in order to be sure that in every moment your actions match your goals.
Sixth Pillar: The Practice of Personal Integrity
However, the match between actions and goals is just as important as the one between your actions and behaviors and words.
This explains the importance of personal integrity, which manifests itself into a number of everyday, seemingly unimportant things.
At times, integrity seems to be the hardest pillar to lean upon, since we live in a society that promotes hypocrisy and dishonesty.
Key Lessons from “The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem PDF”
1. The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem
2. Same Prefix, Different Meaning
3. External Factors to Self-Esteem
The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem
1. The Practice of Living Consciously
2. The Practice of Self-Acceptance
3. The Practice of Self-Responsibility
4. The Practice of Self-Assertiveness
5. The Practice of Living Purposefully
6. The Practice of Personal Integrity
Same Prefix, Different Meaning
Self-responsibility, self-acceptance, and self-esteem are three concepts that people have a hard time differentiating.
The difference is that self-esteem is a result of self-acceptance and self-responsibility, which are the actions we take and the choices we make in life.
External Factors to Self-Esteem
As we already discussed there are internal mindsets and actions that are completely in our power on the path to building self-esteem.
However, there are also external factors that are crucial to building a healthy individual, among which the most important ones are the people that are with us since the very beginning: our parents.
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“The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem Quotes”
The greater a child’s terror, and the earlier it is experienced, the harder it becomes to develop a strong and healthy sense of self. Click To Tweet Self-esteem is the reputation we acquire with ourselves. Click To Tweet We must become what we wish to teach. Click To Tweet If my aim is to prove I am enough, the project goes on to infinity—because the battle was already lost on the day I conceded the issue was debatable. Click To Tweet What is required for many of us, paradoxical though it may sound, is the courage to tolerate happiness without self-sabotage. Click To Tweet
Our Critical Review
“The Six Pillars of Self Esteem” is a well-researched book that the author based on a lifetime of clinical practice.
The book offers a comprehensive definition of the term and outlines six practices that anyone can take to improve the quality of life by building his or her self-esteem.
