REBUTTAL I In the January issue of “Liberty,” Dr. Michael R. Edelstein published an article entitled “The Trouble with Self-Esteem,” in which he mischaracterizes and then attacks my theory of self-esteem. To anyone familiar with the writings of Dr. Albert Ellis, the...
To begin with a definition: Self-esteem is the disposition to experience oneself as being competent to cope with the basic challenges of life and of being worthy of happiness. It is confidence in the efficacy of our mind, in our ability to think. By extension, it is...
WHAT IS SELF-ESTEEM? Of all the judgments we pass in life, none is more important than the judgment we pass on ourselves. That judgment impacts every moment and every aspect of our existence. Our self-evaluation is the basic context in which we act and react, choose...
DOES SELF-ESTEEM MEAN FEELING GOOD ABOUT YOURSELF? Self-esteem is an experience. It is a particular way of experiencing the self. It is a good deal more than a mere feeling. It involves emotional, evaluative, and cognitive components. It also entails certain action...
Originally published in Bottom Line Personal 6/30/91. Reprinted by permission. HEALTHY SELF-ESTEEM I As the world becomes more complex, competitive, challenging, self-esteem is more important than ever. The shift from a manufacturing-based society to one based on...
This article is adapted from “The Art of Living Consciously” (Simon & Schuster, 1997). A DEFINITION Four decades ago, when I began lecturing on self-esteem, the challenge was to persuade people that the subject was worthy of study. Almost no one was talking or...