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Conference quark::human_relations-v1

Title:What's all this fuss about 'sax and violins'?
Notice:Archived V1 - Current conference is QUARK::HUMAN_RELATIONS
Moderator:ELESYS::JASNIEWSKI
Created:Fri May 09 1986
Last Modified:Wed Jun 26 1996
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1327
Total number of notes:28298

238.0. "Self Esteem Straw Poll" by RANCHO::HOLT (setenv TWILIGHT_ZONE 1) Fri Mar 06 1987 14:53

    How many of you consider yourselves 'really happy'?
    How many of you truly 'like yourselves'?
    Have any of you ever felt totally worthless? If so,
       how long did the feeling last, and how did you
       resolve it? 
    What proportion of self worth do you derive from friends
    loved ones, etc., work, and 'inner sources' (may or may not
       include religion)?
T.RTitleUserPersonal
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238.4weekends are made for traveling!SKYLIT::SAWYERis any one really liberal?Fri Mar 06 1987 18:3646
    
    I'm sorta/kinda happy with my job because I felp people who
    really appreciate my help!	i like that!
    
    I'm very happy with my S.O. cuz I love her and she loves me
    and we LOVE TO DO ALMOST EVERYTHING together....
    	Every saturday we do something and go womewhere!
    
    	p-town
    	newport
    	portland
    	rockport
    	kennebunkport
    	all of boston
    	we like the same kinds of shops/shopping and eating establish-
    ments.
    	movies...we analyze and critisize..
    	thoughts on life/living/social/political/religious....
    	we have so much in common it's almost......psychic!
    
    	i'm mostly happy with my kids cuz i love them and they love
    me and we TALK about things and I know them better than my parents
    ever knew me....of course...there are times when.......they upset
    me....
    
    	and I'm a very fine musician/composer!
    	I write/record/play 2-3 days a week...the times that i'm not
    with my kids or my s.o.....
    	and being able to play/write/record in a manner that OTHERS
    find pleasing is rewarding in itself!
    
    	and I write non-musical things....that i may try to sell someday
    but for now i'm just happy accumulating these things....
    	maybe, someday, a book!
    
    	self esteem?
    	self worth?
    	
    	and i grow....and learn...and change and develop...
    	i gather information and add it to my data base and i ask
    questions and i GROW....!
    	couple this with the stagnation of most of the rest of the
    planet and it equals LARGE SELF ESTEEM.....which some
    people call....vanity?  conceit?
    
    	
238.5Success formula ?HARRY::RILEYSat Mar 07 1987 01:1163
re: .3 Can you translate that into 'real' American  (english) ? :^)
    
    Now, and '.. away we go ..' (with the topic)
    
    >    How many of you consider yourselves 'really happy'?
	Really happy ? On the average, happy enough to drive my enemies
    berserk, please my friends, and encourage those who are less so of
    either.    
    
    
>    How many of you truly 'like yourselves'?
    
    Theeres a 'Biblical' phrase that goes like this (more/less):
    "Love thy neighbor as thyself". Sort of implies to love ourselves
    first, and perhaps more. If we love ourselves, then surely we must
    like ourselves, hey ? Since I've been more than happy to love  a
    neighbor or two, I guess I like myself pretty well !

    >    Have any of you ever felt totally worthless? 
    
    "Totally" ? By what standards ? DOes 'totally' imply 'wishful
    suicidal'? Worthless ? To ourselves, or to some one who dumped us?
    
    


    >    What proportion of self worth do you derive from friends loved
    ones, etc., work, and 'inner sources' (may or may not include
    religion)?
    
    My feeling is that the person is self-actualized, confident, capable,
    independent generates their 'own' self worth. "Knowing yourself"
    is part of it; being able to "get in touch" with your own inner
    core (by whatever methodology - be it meditation, yoga, prayer_beads,
    religion, psychological analysis, or simply intuition) - doesn't
    "have to" rely on anmother person - but may enjoy the "light of
    esteem" from colleagues; the "laud and honor" from friends, and
     the "love" from another person (art all levels).

    >	If so,how long did the feeling last, and how did you resolve it? 
    
    When I consider the difference in my parents, I consider one of
    the GREATEST things I learned from my mother is: "To change". To
    change from "What I was to what I am", and from "what I am to what
    I might become".  
    
    Over time, and with the help of friends and associates I learned
    to "learn"; to consider of all the potential possibilities available
    - there is yet ONE more not yet considered. That if we can envision
    a thing to be true, it is possiblke it might become true; if we
    can admit to the possibility of change; all is not yet lost. And
    if we are to try in such  a manner that it seems we cannot fail;
    we will at least learn <something>; for failure is not the inability
    to reach our goal; it is the stopping before we get there.
    
    Well, your question 'triggered' my 'success' formula. I hope there
    is something in there you can use; or at least to 'illuminate' part
    of your path.
    
    Bob
    
    
    
238.6WHY::ADEYMon Mar 09 1987 13:5010
    I've recently discovered for myself that what motivates me is the
    need for approval from others, and that approval is what gives me
    what little self-esteem I may have. Growing up with an alcoholic
    father, I never received any signs of 'approval' or encouragement
    from my parents. 
    
    I quess *my* question is, is this the right way to derive self-esteem?
    
    Ken....
    
238.8Watch out..HENRY8::BULLOCKJane, no heavy breathers, pleaseWed Mar 11 1987 17:4416
    Re .6, PLEASE be careful!  Others' approval means a lot to me, too,
    but as Bob says, if they're not around or whatever, your "approval
    source" goes with them.  It's obviously much better to be able to
    make your own approval;  harder to do, however.
    
    Your growing-up experience and mine are not the same; but similar
    enough so that I understand how that happens.  I'm still fighting
    my way out of it!  I wish there was a simple answer to this, but
    there isn't.  Try, as many of us are trying, to look at yourself as the
    unique and special person that you are;  in learning to appreciate
    yourself, others will, too.  That way you end up with your own "power
    source";  self-generating, sort of.
    
    Good luck,
    
    Jane
238.9ARMORY::CHARBONNDThu Jun 04 1987 12:0811
    There was a time when pot ruled my life, to the extent that
    I "just couldn't stop". It took away my sense of being in 
    control of my life, of having free will, responsibility etc.
    One night I found myself feeling guilty to a suicidal extent.
    That night I made up my mind to quit. I don't look back now.
    It cost me a lot of friends, people in some places shun me
    (think I'm a narc) but having a clear head is worth it. My
    self esteem comes from knowing I can beat the worst problem
    I ever faced. I highly recommend "The Psychology of Self-
    Esteem" by Nathaniel Branden for anyone wishing to explore
    the question further.