Self Esteem

I attended a really great seminar a few weeks ago and I wanted to share some of my notes. We discussed Real Self Esteem verses False Self Esteem. We started off by looking at two display trays. One tray had garden potatoes and the other tray had Pringles. We were asked to look at each tray and make observations...

Potatoes: They were dirty. It would take some work to prepare them to be eaten, i.e. wash, peal, chop, cook. Each potato had a funny/unique shape. They were solid/firm.  They were a bit plain/boring. In their current state they could be prepared/used many different ways.

Pringles: They had attractive/glamorous packaging that said things like "great new look" and "made from real potatoes." Each Pringle was formed/shaped exactly the same and fit nicely in the tube. They had a lot of visible seasoning. They were ready to be eaten. They were fragile.

Then of course we compared ourselves to the displays. Which one would we rather be and why? God made us potatoes. Unique, simple, and full of potential. The world around us can pressure us to become Pringles; sliced and diced until there is nearly nothing left of our original form, conformed to an ideal shape and comparable to hundreds of other Pringles. We are also pressured to look glamorous and be desirable.

Both the potatoes and the Pringles are proud to be what they are. They both have self esteem. The problem is, one of them has REAL self esteem while the other is built up with FALSE self esteem.

Real self esteem comes when...

• The value of self is fixed and constant
• We celebrate our uniqueness
• Our focus is on others -Our Productivity
• It is based on our inherent potential
• It is realized by inner development

Real Self Esteem Results in Joy

False self esteem comes when...

• The value of self changes
• We rely on comparisons
• Our focus is on ourselves -Concerned with our marketability
• It is based on accomplishment
• It is measured by external yardstick

False Self Esteem Results in Vanity

I feel like it is easy to get wrapped up in false self esteem. We usually feel good in the moment but we will always be left wanting. Real self esteem on the other hand, may be harder to recognize or accept but it has lasting effects.