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"Part of me suspects that I'm a loser, and the other part of me thinks I'm God Almighty."        John Lennon

9 Steps to Unshakeable Confidence - By Dr. Jill Ammon-Wexler
Confidence is built through life experience, and especially the feedback you receive as a youngster about your experiences. ... It's true that some people are naturally extroverted -- naturally bold and outgoing. Others seem to be more naturally introverted, and tend to be more caution in life. But the fact is -- extroverts are not always self-confident, and introverts do not necessarily lack confidence. Both extroverts and introverts can have unwavering certainty about their own abilities -- the most basic sign of confidence.

10 Steps to Overcome the Impostor Syndrome - by Dr. Valerie Young
1. Break the silence. Shame keeps a lot of people from “fessing up” about their fraudulent feelings. Knowing there’s a name for these feelings and that you are not alone can be tremendously freeing. 2. Separate feelings from fact. There are times you’ll feel stupid. It happens to everyone from time to time. Realize that just because you may feel stupid, doesn’t mean you are.  etc

10 Tools for Dealing with Criticism and Rejection - by Linda Dessau
Ouch! Whether it's feedback we've asked for, an unsolicited remark called out from the audience or a simple "no" result of an audition or submission process, criticism and rejection are a huge part of our lives as creative artists.

Acquiring Your Self-image - by Dr Jill Ammon-Wexler
If I asked you to describe yourself, what self-image would you paint? Another way to put it is this: Who do you believe you are? While almost everyone agrees that it's important to have a good self-image, very few people seem to know how to acquire one -- or even how they got the self-image they now have.

Addiction to Fame and Celebrity by Sam Vaknin, PhD
Being famous encompasses a few important functions: it endows the narcissist with power, provides him with a constant Source of Narcissistic Supply (admiration, adoration, approval, awe) and fulfils important Ego functions.

Addiction to Self-Judgment – By Margaret Paul, Ph.D.
Just as a child does far better in school with encouragement than with criticism, so do we as adults. Criticism tends to scare and immobilize us. Instead of motivating us, it often creates so much anxiety that we get frozen and become unable to take appropriate action for ourselves.

Art and power - by Robert Genn
Many artists have told me art gives them a purchase on the  universe and their reason for being. Like me, in childhood they  often found themselves unable to compete in more socially  acceptable ways. Art gave them a place to be.

Being A Role Model by Douglas Eby
Role models can be examples of how to discover and realize your own unique talents, and inspiration to do more, to be more authentic. A number of prominent actors and other people admired as role models have commented about being responded to that way, and about their own choices.

Being Creative and Self-critical - by Douglas Eby
Healthy criticism can help refine our talents and creative projects in the pursuit of excellence. But when it is based on a excessive perfectionism or an unrealistic self concept, criticism can be destructive and self-limiting, eroding our creative assurance and vitality.

Break Through Self-Doubt and Fear - by Simma Liebermann
Self-doubt and fear interfere with our ability to achieve or set goals... try new things like going back to school, entering new relationships or learning new skills. When we let self-doubt and fear rule our lives, we miss opportunities.

Building Self-esteem: A Self-Help Guide - By SAMHSA [the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services]
This booklet will give you ideas on things you can do to feel better about yourself–to raise your self-esteem. The ideas have come from people like yourself, people who realize they have low self-esteem and are working to improve it.

Championing Oneself - by Dorothy M. Neddermeyer, PhD
The concept of championing oneself is foreign to one’s view of oneself within the world. Somehow it has become shameful to publicly believe in oneself. The prohibition of self championing was established long ago and it is insidiously self-defeating. It is simply ubiquitous and has infiltrated the corporate marketplace, professional sports, interpersonal relationships, and everything else you can name. A person doesn't necessarily need competition-level talent to earn the right to believe in oneself and champion oneself. Championing oneself is as important as good nutrition, exercise and a spiritual connection.

Cognitive Accommodations to Childhood Sexual Abuse by Douglas Eby
There can be a value to highly emotive experiences in childhood, ones which press toward clarification of values and self-concept, but sexual abuse is precipitous and overwhelming. ... There may be experiences of depression' eating disorders; low self-esteem... dissociative strategies...

Cosmetic Brain Surgery -  By Barbara Bernath
Break free of the old ‘objectified’ concept you have of yourself and start embracing your new identity as an awe-inspiring event. How? By getting more creative. By letting go of old ideas and notions and opening up to newness. This means looking inside and out with new eyes, listening with new ears, feeling with new fingertips; it means being curious and spontaneous and stepping outside of your norm.

Creativity and Confidence: How To Supercharge Your Self-Confidence Using Your Natural Creativity - By Dan Goodwin
Having an indestructible sense of self-confidence and faith in our own abilities makes achieving the things we want in our life, and overcoming the obstacles that appear before us, become so much easier and less intimidating. So how can YOU use your inner creativity to improve your own confidence?

The Dark Side of Beauty - By Douglas Eby
A number of women have said that it can be a liability, and a new Psychology Today article says that ”very attractive kids may grow up to be insecure adults, especially if they were praised solely for their appearance.” ... Actor Evangeline Lilly [of “Lost”] admits, “I spent many nights crying myself to sleep wishing I was ugly because of the way men leered and disrespected me, because they assumed things about my mental capacity or my physical willingness based on the way I look." Cybill Shepherd has said of her appearance that it is “a kind of mask that I sit behind and watch people react to. Beauty opens or closes doors.."

Do You Have Self Doubt? - By Graham Harris
Do you doubt yourself and your abilities? What is it that you feel you cannot accomplish? What is it that you want to achieve but feel you can’t? Whatever it is, as we enter 2006, now is the time to do it. Now, in 2006, is the time to overcome that which is stopping you from progressing and move forward.

Ego and Creativity by Douglas Eby

Getting to the Promise of Affirmation - by Laurence Ackerman
What you seek in separation is independence -- the ability to think and act on your own and in your own best interests, despite what others may expect of you. Defining yourself as separate from others is about finding your own integrity as an individual.... Your task is to clear the path so that the contours of your identity can become visible to your eye, unencumbered by the burden of others' expectations.
  from book: The Identity Code : The 8 Essential Questions for Finding Your Purpose and Place in the World

Gifted Women: Identity and Expression - by Douglas Eby

Have You Ever Wondered If You Were Sexually Abused? - By Dorothy M. Neddermeyer, PhD
Children or adults who have been sexually abused, do not ‘get over’ the devastation as they would with the measles or a virus. Without sexual abuse recovery, millions of adult sexual abuse/incest survivors continue to bear the emotional scars. Challenges may include (among many others) Little or no memory of childhood - age 3 to 12; Anxiety or Panic Attacks; Alcohol or drug abuse; Phobias; Depression; Low self-esteem...

Healthy Self-Esteem - by Nathaniel Branden
As the world becomes more complex, competitive, challenging, self-esteem is more important than ever... Self-esteem has two essential components: Self-efficacy: Confidence in the ability to cope with life's challenges. Self-efficacy leads to a sense of control over one's life. Self-respect: Experience oneself as deserving of happiness, achievement and love.

How to Build Your Self-Confidence and Live a Better Life! – By Bob Griswold & Jeff Griswold
It’s no secret that self-confidence is very important to achieving success in any area of life. The thing about self-confidence is that it’s very sensitive to our personal experience and is inherently unstable... Employ whatever resources you need to commit to improving your self-confidence. It is too important to allow it to wither away.

Hypnosis Technique Proven to Boost Confidence - by BetterLivingWithHypnosis.com
Believing in one’s own abilities is at the root of confidence. It is not a matter of willingness or capability, but a surety that you can do anything and make significant changes in your life. Hypnosis works to increase confidence by relaxing the mind and helping the individual recognized their worth and ability.

Improving Your Self Esteem - by Michele Carelse
Many people who consult me have problems with self-esteem and low self-esteem often underlies problems in other areas such as business, relationships, and general achievement. While low self-esteem may involve many issues which require professional help (and I will discuss these too), I have tried to keep many of my suggestions as practical as possible so that they are easily achievable.

The Inner Critic - by Sharon Good
One of the greatest deterrents to creativity is the inner voice that constantly whispers in our ear that we're not good enough, that nobody will approve of what we're doing, and that they don't really like us anyway. This "inner critic" becomes our constant companion, not only in our work, but in everything we do. ... Talk to your inner critics. Find out what they have to say about you. In most cases, when you hear how extreme and absurd their criticisms are, it will be easier to dismiss them.

Letter from Laurie -- For many, many years I was very religious.. my physical being (sexuality included) was WAYYYY under wraps. I thought humility was closest to God. As a girl in my twenties, people commented on my beautiful long hair: what did I do? I cut it all off, so as not to attract "that" kind of attention. I wore clothes that hid my body.. I let myself go "for God's sake", gained 35 lbs, stayed overweight and repressed sexually for many years... I had a major awakening in my late thirties.. to the incredible love (for myself and all life) that Christ WAS...

Living Your Truth - Being Who You Truly Are - By Dorothy M. Neddermeyer, PhD
Unfortunately, as children grow older, adults tend to instruct children to tuck that authenticity away, putting it aside and adapt to what is considered 'normal' in society. Without being who you truly are, you will live life afraid that it might hinder your success. If you are afraid to speak the truth about who you truly are, you will live life without discovering your full potential.

The Myth of Personal Freedom and the Meaning of Identity - by Larry Ackerman
The myth of personal freedom - the idea that you are at liberty to pick whatever path in life you want - is the unspoken agony of the modern person. Although you can't be anything you want to be, you have more potential than you know. Much like our biological, genetic code, our identity code is born into each of us, providing a complete map of how we are designed to function - of how we are supposed to live - when we are living according to who we are. As your identity becomes clear, you will arrive at a place where you are filled with passion, conviction, and serenity - a place you will recognize, finally, as home.

The Personal Confidence Trick - by Alistair Nee
Over time, as you have experienced different emotions and moods, your body has taken on different shapes that you now unconsciously and habitually associate with them.... So to feel confident when you need to but don’t, you simply have to adopt the position you do when you feel naturally confident.

Practical Steps to Enchantment - Improving Your Self Esteem - By Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein
Often in our society, we are bombarded with the lives of celebrities. We can end up feeling that if we are not part of the rich and famous, our lives are insignificant. Our society also sends a message of competition and achievement. ... Each of us needs to develop a sense of self-worth, a capacity for positive self-regard that comes from within. ... We have to learn to pat ourselves on the back. To help you, I suggest a self-pride list.

The Price Isn't Right - by Arianna Huffington
With so much internal and external pressure to be beautiful, it's no wonder women go to such absurd lengths to achieve the goal of perfection. Fear that we will not measure up leads to stifling conformity as we try to squeeze ourselves into the mold. Conformity is not the only cost of our obsession with our bodies, however. There are psychological and financial price tags as well, not to mention the toll on our physical health.

Self Confidence - By Chris Wesley
Self confidence comes when you are comfortable with who you are in the world. You feel worthwhile, with a right to occupy your place in the world. You feel capable, competent, relaxed, happy, energetic and positive.... Why Is Self Confidence Sometimes Low?

Self-Confidence, What Is It And How Do I Get It? – By Alan B. Densky
Having true self-confidence doesn’t mean that individuals will be able to do everything.  People, who have true self-confidence, usually have expectations that are realistic. Even when some of their expectations are not met, they continue to be positive and to accept themselves. Because self-confidence is a trait that is learned and rooted in the unconscious mind, both hypnosis and NLP can be invaluable tools.

Self-Help: Shattering the Myths - by Annie Murphy Paul
"Often, the messages of self-help books tend to be vast oversimplifications... as the following list of popular misconceptions and distortions demonstrates. The antidote -- the "good" kind of self-help, grounded in research -- is also available to those who help themselves."  [from Psychology Today mag.]

Self-Knowledge, Self-Esteem and the Gifted Adult - by Stephanie S. Tolan
Many gifted adults seem to know very little about their minds and how they differ from more "ordinary" minds. The result of this lack of self-knowledge is often low, sometimes cripplingly low self esteem. Most have never been formally identified as gifted, and even those who have may disbelieve the identification or have difficulty incorporating it into their sense of themselves. Though women are particularly hard-pressed in our culture to recognize and fully utilize unusual intelligence, uncertainty about gifts can affect both males and females, especially those who are not recognized as intellectual achievers.

Shame - by Douglas Eby
Shame can affect anyone's self-actualization, but may be especially potent for gifted individuals, who often have high sensitivity and other qualities leading to feelings of being an "outsider."

Success and Self-Esteem - By Carla Valencia
It seems that for most of us the word “success” is only for other people. We usually find ourselves looking outside and thinking: “Wow, if I only had his or her talent”, or “he or she is really lucky...” and so on.  Only when we decide to start look inside ourselves, instead of looking at other people’s life, we will finally find out that we are successful. Success is an internal sense..

What Is Wrong With Feeling Good? - by Elizabeth Mika
As it turns out, plenty. Though you wouldn't know it in the US... But since various election-year analyses focused on the political dimensions of this trend often enough, here we will address some of the individual aspects of the so-called self-esteem problem.

 

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