Quotes about Self-esteem

Often our self-esteem is tied to our work. In our culture, men and women often define themselves by the jobs they hold . . . But a person's job tells you nothing about a person's character or value.

Knowing you're worthless doesn't give you value any more than knowing you are a captive sets you free.

Real freedom is freedom from the opinions of others. Above all, freedom from your opinions about yourself.

Every time you reject yourself, you idealize others.

For a very long time I considered low self-esteem to be some kind of virtue. But now I realize that the real sin is to deny God's first love for me, to ignore my original goodness. Because without claiming that first love and that original goodness for myself, I lose touch with my true self and embark on the destructive search among the wrong people and in the wrong places for what can only be found in the house of my Father.

The most insignificant people are the most apt to sneer at others. They are safe from reprisals. And have no hope of rising in their own self esteem but by lowering their neighbors.

Jesus did not die to increase our self-esteem. Rather, Jesus died to bring glory to the Father by redeeming people from the curse of sin.

The massive interest in self-esteem and self-worth exists because it is trying to help us with a real problem. The problem is that we really are not okay. There is no reason why we should feel great about ourselves. We truly are deficient. The meager props of the self-esteem teaching will eventually collapse as people realize that their problem is much deeper. The problem is, in part, our nakedness before God.

When you are in the grips of low self-esteem, it's painful, and it certainly doesn't feel like pride. But I believe that this is the dark, quieter side of pride — thwarted pride.

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.

Timidity and shyness are fears of this sort. Unimportant, perhaps, but they are crippling to self-confidence and to achievement.

No one can make you feel inferior without your permission