Therapy
If you criticize yourself for everything, find it hard to say no and feel you are always falling short with others, what you call “just being this way” has a name and can be worked on.
Self-esteem is the baseline appraisal we hold of ourselves: how much we believe we deserve good things and are capable and lovable. When it is weakened, it is not a matter of “loving yourself a little more” — there is a harsh inner gaze, often installed years ago, that shapes whole life decisions.
It shows up as constant self-criticism, difficulty setting limits or saying no, a need for outside approval, comparing yourself to others all the time, postponing goals for fear of not measuring up, or staying in relationships or jobs that do you no good “in case you can’t find something better”.
We work on the origin of that critical gaze —often inherited from early relationships— and on the current inner dialogue, with cognitive techniques to question deeply held beliefs and gradual self-assertion exercises in everyday life.
