Are you happy with yourself? (Self-Esteem) and let's talk about your mental strength!

How are you? There are days when we feel very happy and proud of ourselves. And there are other days when we feel a little low, like we don't value ourselves. Today we are going to talk about something that is very important to all of us. That is, having a good feeling about ourselves, or as we say in English , ``Self-Esteem'' . It is like a little light inside your heart. When that light is well lit, the whole world looks beautiful.

What exactly is this self-esteem?

Now you may be wondering if `(Self-Esteem)` means arrogance, thinking oneself superior to others, or boasting about one's own things. No, not at all! It is not like that, is it? `(Self-Esteem)` is a silent, but very powerful force within your mind. It is like the roots of a tree; even though they are not visible from the outside, they are the roots that hold the tree firmly in place.

Simply put, ``Self-Esteem`` means:

• You like yourself.
• Seeing your good qualities and abilities.
• You naturally feel proud of yourself and the things you can do.
• You are truly happy with who you are.
• You believe in yourself. The feeling of "I can do this."
• You know that you are a valuable part of this society, this world, that you have a right to be here.

Imagine, when you get a good score on an exam you studied hard for, when your parents or school teacher say, "Son/Daughter, I'm so proud of you," when you play and laugh with your friends, and when you feel that they have included you in their games and stories, you feel incredibly happy, right? At that moment, your `(Self-Esteem)` and your confidence in yourself become very strong.

But then, life doesn't always go the same way. There will be days when things don't go the way you think. Maybe you have a little disagreement with a friend, or you don't do as well as you thought you would on an exam. That's when this inner strength, this ``Self-Esteem'', helps you, and keeps you from falling.

What does it mean to have low self-esteem? What happens if you have low self-esteem?

Sometimes when children, like you, don't feel so good about themselves, we say they have low self-esteem or lack confidence in themselves. Here are some things that can happen:

• They often think that they are inferior to others and not as talented. Thoughts like, "Oh, how much better they are than me!" come to mind.
• They don't see their own good qualities and talents. It's like looking at themselves in a mirror and not seeing the good things.
• Instead of thinking "I can do this," I often think "I can't do this," "This won't work."
• They are afraid to try new things because they lack confidence in themselves, and they are hesitant about everything. They think, "What if I fail?"
• Even if something small fails, they quickly give up. They think, "I'm not good at this" and give up trying.
• If others treat them badly, even if they say something small, they feel very sad and depressed, thinking it's their fault.

But this is something you need to remember. ``Self-Esteem`` and self-confidence are not things that are built overnight. It takes some time. But these are strengths that every child can do, and they definitely need to have. Every child can do it. Because every child has a lot of good qualities inside them. Every child belongs in this world. Every child is talented, worthy of love, someone who is liked by others, someone who can give new ideas. Every child deserves kindness, fairness, and respect.

So how do we increase this (Self-Esteem)? Let's see?

This is like planting a tree in a garden. You need to water it, fertilize it, and let it get sunlight. Only then will the tree grow, bloom, and bear fruit. Your ``Self-Esteem'' is the same. There are people who can help you grow it, and there are things you can do yourself.

Help from parents and teachers

Your parents and teachers at school help you learn new things and try new things. Just think about the day you first learned to ride a bike, or the day you learned to read a new word. They praise you when you try, when you do your best, when you do something on your own, and say, "Well done, son/daughter, you're so smart!", don't they? This makes you feel good about your abilities, like, "I can do things too, right?"

Support from friends

Your friends are also very important. When they include you in their games, conversations, and activities, and treat you with respect, kindness, and fairness, you feel that you are not alone, that everyone accepts you, and that you are an important member of this group. This feeling is a great source of `(Self-Esteem)`.

Things you can do for yourself

Now let's see what you can do yourself. These are very simple, but very effective things.

• Make a list of things you can do:

Take a small piece of paper and try to write down everything you can do.

• Can you draw? Sing? Dance? Play cricket, throw hoops, run and jump? Can you play a musical instrument (like the flute or keyboard)?
• Can you ride a bike, swim, run fast, throw a ball well, solve a puzzle, or tell a story that will make your friends laugh?
• Are you a good reader? Are you good at math? Are you interested in science, history, or the environment?
• Don't forget the little things, okay?Can you make your bed, get dressed, and get ready on your own? Can you start your homework before anyone asks you to, can you brush your teeth? Can you help with household chores by setting the dishes on the table, helping with the preparation of meals, cleaning up after meals, feeding your pet (dog, cat), and taking it for a walk?

After you make this list, look at it and see how many things you can do. Allow yourself to be happy and proud of them. Try to do some of the things on this list regularly. Every time you do it, you will feel better about yourself. And you will become better at those things. When you feel like you can do them, your confidence and ``Self-Esteem'' will automatically increase.

• Make a list of your good qualities:

Your strengths are not just the things you can do. They also include the good qualities in your character. Think about how you treat others.

• Do you try to be kind , fair , and honest ?
• Are you friendly ? Are you someone who helps others? Are you someone who makes others happy by cracking jokes ?
• Are you a good listener ? (Do you listen when a friend is sad?) Do you love animals?
• Are you a very energetic and active person? Or are you a very calm and relaxed person?
• Are you creative (thinking and creating new things), brave (facing challenges without fear), or good at sports?

Try to show off one of your good qualities every day. See how the good qualities you display make a difference to those around you. Also, see how much better you feel when you use your good qualities.

• Turn "I can't" into "I can!":

When things seem difficult at first, not only children, but even we adults sometimes think, "Um, I'm not good at this," "I can't do this," "This is too hard for me." At that moment, get rid of that little "I can't" thought in your mind, and instead think:

• "I'll try."
• "I can handle this, I'll give it a try."
• "I'm doing my best."
• "I'm asking for help from someone who knows how to do this." (There's no shame in asking for help, right?!)

When you think confidently like this, you feel good about yourself. And you're more likely to try new things. Expect good things. Tell yourself, "I think I can do this." Then practice, study, or prepare accordingly. You'll be amazed (and proud) at what you can do!

• Try your best:

You can feel good about yourself when you try something. You don't have to be the first at everything. You don't have to win every time. Imagine, you are drawing a picture. Even if it is not the most beautiful picture in the world, if you drew it with passion, with your best effort, you can be happy about it. When you give your best effort to something, your `(Self-Esteem)` automatically grows.

• Spend time with those you love:

Do things you enjoy with your mom, dad, family (siblings, brothers, sisters, brothers), and your best friends. Play together, chat, watch a movie, go on a short trip. This will make you feel like you are part of this community, not alone. Think about the times when others accepted you, included you in their group, and loved you. See how you felt about yourself at that time. Don't forget to see the good things in others.

• Do good things for others (be kind):

Help your parents. Help prepare meals, clean the house, tidy your room, feed your pet, be kind to your siblings, play with them. Listen when a friend comes to tell you something. Share something you have (a pencil, some food). Help your neighbor carry a load. Help the teacher put away the books, help erase the board. Make someone laugh. Join a child who is alone in class in a game, or talk to them about playing.

• Think back to something good you did:

Think about something good you did yesterday or this morning. Maybe you helped your mom, or gave a pencil to a friend. How do you feel when you think about it? Look, when you do good things, you feel good about yourself. You see that what you do is important, that it has great meaning. Let those beautiful strengths, those good qualities, shine brightly inside you!

The most important message to take home

So, my friend, `(Self-Esteem)` is like the best, strongest friend you have in your heart. When that friend is strong, you get incredible strength to face anything and overcome any challenge.

You are a valuable person. Never forget this. Recognize your abilities, your good qualities. Don't be afraid to try new things. You may fall, but get back up. Falling is also part of learning. Always treat yourself with love and kindness. You can do it! You are stronger than you think!

` Self-esteem, self-confidence, mental well-being, positive thinking, children's mental development, being happy