Building High & Healthy Self-Esteem

[Erin Rapacki]

I read this in a WEST (Women Entrepreneurs in Science and Technology) newsletter and I thought I'd share. These techniques have helped me clear my vision for success.

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There are three kinds of people, "Those who make things happen, those who watch things happen and those who wondered, 'What happened?!'" This article is for those ready to make things happen! To you as scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs and other professional women, Bonus from Jonas says, "Your future is so bright that YOU are going to need to wear sunglasses!"

This article is about how to build high and healthy self-esteem! And when we talk about self-esteem, we are not talking about being selfish, self-centered, or egotistical. What we are talking about is self-esteem, which is essential to helping you better your best. Did you know that 2 out of 3 people have low self-esteem? That self-esteem is one of the most important ingredients in achieving personal and professional greatness? With healthy self-esteem you can move your life from success to significance. Bonus from Jonas, "In order to See you must Be! Whatever You SEE is What You will BE! If you want to SEE MORE, you must first BE MORE!"

My definition of self-esteem is how you see, feel and think about yourself. I am sharing with you the 3 Vs of building high and healthy self-esteem. It is how you see yourself, your Vision. How you feel about yourself, your Value, and how you think about yourself, your Voice! It is not about focusing on the external - it focuses on the internal - what defines YOU!


Vision:

First, I want to encourage you to get a larger vision of yourself! Where are you now? Where are you going? How are you planning on getting there? "With no vision, the dream will perish. With a positive vision and action, your dreams will flourish!" You cannot rise higher than your vision for yourself. In order to achieve your vision it is critical that you invest in a competent coach who challenges you in a positive way to bring your dreams into reality. Bonus from Jonas "One is too small of a number to achieve Greatness - Even the Lone Ranger had Tonto!"

Feelings contribute to your self-esteem just as logic and facts do. However, most people with low self-esteem seek to drive their vehicles in life, using feelings only! Feelings are important and need to be in the vehicle, but Bonus from Jonas, "Feelings make a wonderful passenger, but a lousy driver. Feelings are a reckless driver, seeking diligently a place to have an accident!"

"Grandma Moses," the American folk artist, was over 75 years old when her vision came to fruition. And she used what she had in her hands. It was a paintbrush -It doesn't matter what is in your hands, but what does matter is what you are going to do with it! Are you as scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs and other professional women using all that is available to you to make your dreams come true?


Value:

Bonus from Jonas: "When your value is clear, your decision is easy!"

When you value yourself, you are building high and healthy self-esteem - You are building what is important to you. What you value defines YOU! Your value is your anchor, your foundational block - It is your guiding light, your compass. It is what helps you to navigate through the storms of life. You will not get lost if you have identified your true value. I challenge you to define your value, because if you don't, you are doomed to follow someone else's.

You are special and unique. You owe it to yourself and to the world to honor your values and demonstrate your uniqueness. When you identify and honor your worth to yourself, it is easy to identify and articulate your worth to the world!


Voice:

Give yourself permission to succeed! Say YES to your success! Sometimes we look for approval outside of ourselves only. Or we look for someone else to give us permission to succeed. But we refuse to give ourselves our own voice of approval. Your subconscious mind believes your voice quicker than it believes someone else's. Your own voice has a greater impact on you than anyone else's voice! If it is a positive message, then the results are positive, and if it's a negative message, the results are negative. What is it that you are saying to yourself? What you say to yourself determines your results. What I have discovered is that, if we are not careful, we talk ourselves out of our dreams. So don't tell yourself what you can't do but tell yourself what you can do, with the proper knowledge and skills and then, DO IT! And since you talk to yourself every day anyway, check what it is that you are saying to yourself. Give yourself your own voice of approval! Believe in yourself with confidence! Bonus from Jonas "Move from 'I Can't Do' Avenue to 'I Can Do' Boulevard!"

I am confident that if you apply the principle of the 3 Vs, it will boost your personal and professional lives to higher and healthier heights!


Jonas Gadson, DTM, known as "Mr. Enthusiastic" is President & CEO of Jonas Gadson Unlimited, founded in Rochester, NY. He is a nationally known motivational speaker, certified trainer, and consultant. Mr. Gadson is partner with Ms. Sidrah Jackson in Gadson-Jackson Productions, www.jonasbonus.com, which specializes in delivering corporate training in motivation, self-esteem, leadership, how to give a powerful presentation, teambuilding, sales, coaching and diversity. He can be reached at (843) 838-3853 or (585) 703-9547, or via email at jg@jonasbonus.com.

This article is an excerpt from Mr. Gadson's new book, How To Fly Like An Eagle with Wings Like A Wimp! Which will be available by the end of 2005. It is copyrighted and cannot be duplicated without written consent from the author. Get more motivation from Mr. Jonas Gadson in his brand new book - Join me because "I am On My Way to The Top and Cannot be Stopped!" Together we can fly high in 2005! My motto is "Since Greatness Is Possible, Excellence Is Not Enough! Go For Greatness!"