The Self-Esteem Workbook
Language: English
Pages: 240
ISBN: 1626255938
Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub
People of all ages, backgrounds, and circumstances struggle with low self-esteem. This long-awaited, fully revised second edition of the best-selling The Self-Esteem Workbook includes up-to-date information on brain plasticity, and new chapters on forgiveness, mindfulness, and cultivating lovingkindness and compassion.
If your self-esteem is based solely on performance—if you view yourself as someone who’s worthy only when you’re performing well or acknowledged as doing a good job—the way you feel about yourself will always depend on external factors. Your self-esteem affects everything you do, so if you feel unworthy or your confidence is shaped by others, it can be a huge problem.
With this second edition of The Self-Esteem Workbook, you’ll learn to see yourself through loving eyes by realizing that you are inherently worthy, and that comparison-based self-criticism is not a true measure of your value. In addition to new chapters on cultivating compassion, forgiveness, and unconditional love for yourself and others—all of which improve self-esteem—you’ll find cutting-edge information on brain plasticity and how sleep, exercise, and nutrition affect your self-esteem.
Developing and maintaining healthy self-esteem is key for living a happy life, and with the new research and exercises you’ll find in this updated best-selling workbook, you’ll be ready to start feeling good about yourself and finally be the best that you can be.
Getting to the Bottom of Things. Recognize and Replace Self-Defeating Thoughts 45 Daily Thought Record The Facts Event (Describe the event that “made you” feel bad/unpleasant) Impact of Event (Describe the emotions you felt) Intensity (Rate the intensity of these emotions from 1–10) Analysis of Your Thoughts Initial Responses (Describe the Automatic Thoughts or Self-Talk. Then rate how believable each is from 1–10) Thought Fallacies (Find and label the distortions) Reasonable Resonses
ACTIVE SIDE OF LOVE: GROWING Chapter 21 The Basics of Growing 121 Chapter 22 Accept That You Aren’t Perfect 129 Chapter 23 Just for the Fun of It (Contemplating Possibilities) 133 Chapter 24 Take Stock of Your Character 137 Chapter 25 Experience Pleasure 143 Chapter 26 Prepare for Setbacks 151 Chapter 27 An Overview of Growing 161 Epilogue Summing Up 165 Contents ix APPENDICES Appendix I Model for Helping the Person in Distress 169 Appendix II Forgiving the Self
contempt or ridicule.” This atmosphere of respect, paradoxically, allows people to change and grow, if they choose to. Similarly, an attitude of kindness toward oneself also encourages and sustains growth. We have seen how a negative internal dialogue can sabotage growth and life enjoyment. The skills to follow reinforce the decision to think of ourselves realistically and kindly. 84 The Self-Esteem Workbook THE FAR SIDE ©1984 FARWORKS, INC. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Kind
3. Growing is an outgrowth of Unconditional Worth and Unconditional Love, not a condition for these. Love provides the soil for growth. In the absence of a sense of Unconditional Worth and Love, success/performance/producing rarely lead to self-esteem. Therefore, the decision to develop is best preceded by Factors I and II. 4. Growing does not mean a high degree of competence, since: ! The research indicates that competence does not predict global self-esteem. ! Competence, as it is usually used,
refers to attaining something we want for happiness, comfort, or growth. Because humans are always in the process of becoming, a goal is placed somewhat to the left of perfection. You might argue that you could set a goal to save 5 percent of your income and meet that goal perfectly. But aside from simply quantifiable endeavors, goals are generally imperfectly met. That is, improvements could ideally be made no matter how well one performs. Perfecting means making more nearly perfect. This can