Your self-esteem is critically important. Everything you do, the person you choose to marry, the career you choose, the hobies you persue, the way you respond to criticism or praise is all depedent on your sense of self-worth. So what is your mental picture of self, what do you think about yourself? The Bible says, "As a man thinks within himself, so is he." Your self-image has tremendous power to work for you or against you.
Ten questions to help detect a low self-image:
1. Was your childhood marked with parental abuse, parental neglect, parental ignorance, or parents who excercised overbearing authority?
2. Do you fear opening up, being real, and being vulnerable with those closest to you?
3. Do you get discrouraged easily.
4. Do you lack confidence, especially in decision making.
5. Do you have difficulty in admiting you were wrong, always need to be right, have difficulty in forgiving others?
6. Are you a driven person?
7. Are you cricial of others?
8. Are you a perfectionist?
9. Are you hard on yourself?
10. Do you indulge in escapisms (alcohol, drugs, or denial)?
Suggested Reading: Building Your Mates Self-Esteem by Dennis and Barbara Rainey. These ten questions were adapted from the Rainey's book on pages 28-37.
