Is Self-Esteem at an All Time Low?
When I was a kid and teen, I was bullied mercilessly. My face was poked, my eyelashes cut and all sorts of names were etched on my wooden desk. I was teased and called names, and at 16, I couldn't wait to leave school and never see those horrid kids again. It is not just kids behaving badly adults are responsible too. Journalists, beauty marketers and fashion houses crush young girls every day with their perfect beauty icons, skinny models, cosmetically enhanced superstars and digitally enhanced photo shoots. The recent one of Beyonce shrunk to a size 6 version of herself as a case in point. Only Dove has stood apart with their campaign for real inner-beauty. But they are lone voices. It is about time we put a stop to all of this. I am not sure how, but I know that teens need our help. We all need to reach out in whatever way we can. My contribution is personal experience.
It's time for schools to build confidence as well as brains, for parents to talk about these issues instead of worrying over the symptoms, whether it is alcohol, anorexia or drug addiction. For us writers and artists to use our skills to connect with children. This is a crisis of self-esteem -- of a basic human value -- and we cannot ignore it any longer.
There’s a revolution going on. “It’s a revolution within”, so says author Gloria Steinem. In fact, that is the title of her bestseller, Revolution From Within: A Search for Self-Esteem. In her preface she writes “The more I talked to men as well as women, the more it seemed that inner feelings of incompleteness, emptiness, self-doubt and self-hatred were the same, no matter who experienced them, and even if they were expressed in culturally opposite ways.
The most basic need all of us have is to have a sense of personal worth. This sense of personal worth has two elements: security and significance. Security means being loved and accepted just for who I am, regardless of what I do. This is what Gloria Steinem calls “core” self-esteem, and psychologists refer to as “global” self-esteem, being loved and accepted.
Self-esteem means you really like yourself, both inside and out. It refers both to how you look and what you believe in. This is also called "positive" or "high" self-esteem. Sometimes it's easy to like who you are. You feel great when you pass a test, score a winning touchdown or tell a funny joke that everyone laughs at. But how do you feel about yourself when you just said something stupid or fumbled the football? You sometimes feel dumb or left out of the action. You start wishing you were someone else or that you could change how you look. You think you aren't good in school, on the team or part of the cool crowd. This is "negative" or "low self-esteem.
Why is self-esteem important?
As a teen, you now have more responsibility to choose between right and wrong. Your parents are no longer constantly by your side. Positive self-esteem gives you the courage to be your own person, believe in your own values and make a the right decision when the pressure is on.Your friends can put a lot of pressure on you. You want to be part of a crowd. The crowd may be the "cool" crowd, the "jock" crowd, the "computer" crowd or the "brainy" crowd. Belonging to a crowd is a part of growing up; it helps you learn to be a friend and learn about the world around you. It's okay to want to be liked by others -- but not when it means giving in to pressure. Your friends are now making many of their own decisions. And their decisions may or may not be good for you. It's never worth doing things that could hurt you or someone else. For instance, drinking alcohol or using other drugs, having sex before you are ready, joining a gang or quitting school can all lead to trouble.
A WORLD WIDE LIVE EVENT TO ELEVATE THE SUBJECT OF SAVING OUR CHILDREN TO THE TOP OF THE OBAMA AGENDA
(National Day of Service)
Saturday, August 10th will be-- Two Hundred-One days after the Inauguration of President Barack Obama, Beauty Within Teen Esteem will host a FREE --and-- for All Ages, World Wide event entitled, "i am Esteem" Day and will feature world-class musicians, artists, performers and speakers, spreading the word with us via online social networks. "i am Esteem" Day, is sending a message straight to the Obama administration highlighting the severity and reality of saving our children."Sing the World You Want" and "Be the World You Want"
The focus during the day will be 100 local artists painting on 100 canvases their vision of a, saving our children term. 100 local/international performing artist will share their music vision on saving our young people. Paintings and music tracks will be available for purchase in an upcoming gallery showing and all proceeds will benefit environmental groups and Hurricane Sandy relief.
BWTE is seeking socially conscious individuals to devote their time to becoming a Board Member for our organization. If you are someone who wants to get in on the ground floor of developing a quickly growing nonprofit, then this is the position for you! Members of Beauty Within Teen Esteem’s Foundation, Board of Directors serve two consecutive three-year terms. The Board is the agency’s governing body, caring for the fiduciary aspects of the organization, and ensuring the fulfillment of the mission to transform the lives of disadvantaged children.
Board Members are expected to attend 4 meetings per year. Additionally, Board Members will make a significant financial contribution (according to their means). All are encouraged to apply, although special consideration will be given to candidates who have previous Board of Directors experience, corporate experience (such as higher management/corporate governance), nonprofit management experience, event management experience, and other senior positions.
Use your knowledge and expertise to benefit a great cause and a wonderful, growing nonprofit. If this position is not your forte, please pass this information along to someone you think might be interested. Please note this is a volunteer position. Contact Robin bwte@att.net for more information (applicants should submit a resume, cover letter, curriculum vitae, portfolio, or any other pertinent information which describes your body of work).