The Everything Self-Esteem Book

What Is Self-Esteem Anyway? -- Finding Your True Self -- Formal Definitions of Self-Esteem -- Self-Esteem Takes a Bad Rap! -- Feeling Good versus Feeling Right -- Recognizing What's Right -- When Self-Esteem Is Unhealthy -- Recognizing Unhealthy Self-Esteem -- What Self-Esteem Isn't -- Characteristics of Unhealthy Self-Esteem -- Looking for Love in the Wrong Faces -- The Effects of Unhealthy Self-Esteem -- Influences on Self-Esteem -- The Past Matters -- Your Family -- Your Friends -- Your Teachers -- Television, Movies, and Music -- Letting Go of Old Ways -- Deja View: Seeing Yourself Through Clear Glasses -- The Pitfalls of Comparisons -- Self-Worth -- Your Uniqueness -- Believing What Others Say -- Handling Criticism and Praise -- It's Who You Are -- How You Behave -- Finding Happiness -- Forging Relationships -- Your Values and Spirituality -- Achieving Your Aspirations -- It's Not Just a Job -- Change and Growth -- Problem-Solving Skills -- Critical and Creative Thinking Skills -- Your Personal Economy -- Dealing with Mistakes -- Getting Ready for the Journey -- Developing a Positive Mindset -- Setting Goals That Work -- Making Personal Commitments -- Developing a Plan of Action -- Getting the Job Done -- Sample Goal-Planning Worksheet -- Work -- A Job versus a Career -- More Than the Money -- Working for Others -- Givin' It All You've Got -- Activity: Stretching the Limits -- Happiness and Laughter -- Defining Your Personal Happiness -- The Habits of Happiness -- Finding Happiness -- Sharing Happiness with Others -- Turning Away Misery -- Activity: Daily Happiness -- Spirituality -- What Does It All Mean? -- Why Spirituality Matters -- The Power of Beliefs -- The Role of Spirituality in Character -- The Role of Spirituality in Ethics -- Activity: If It Is to Be, It Is Up to Me! -- Wellness -- Wellness in the Body -- Eating Right, Feeling Right -- Caffeine, Nicotine, Alcohol, and Drugs -- Sex-Esteem -- Wellness and Your Thoughts -- Stress Reduction -- Wellness as a Way of Life -- Activity: Bury the Victim -- Expanding Your Comfort Zone -- Getting Out, Getting On -- Taking Positive Risks -- Holding Back the Fears -- Dreaming Big -- Motivation to Move On -- Activity: Your Legacy -- Looking Back -- Cleaning Up the Past -- The Danger of Living in the Past -- Running from the Past -- Learning from Mistakes -- Embracing the Lessons -- Activity: Digging Up Bones -- Developing a Philosophy of Life -- What Is Your Purpose? -- Knowing What You Need -- Pursuing What You Want -- Why Are You Here? -- Where Are You Going? -- Getting There -- Activity: What Is Different? -- Dealing with Contaminated People -- identifying Contaminated People in Your Life -- Types of Contaminants (A Baker's Dozen) -- Confronting Contaminated People -- Giving Them a Second Chance -- Eliminating Contaminated People -- Activity: The Stupidest Person I Know -- Visualization and Positive Thinking -- The Power of Optimism -- Getting the Optimism Fever -- Conquering Pessimism -- Visualizing Your Success -- Putting Visualization into Action -- Activity: Twenty-Four Hours -- Integrity -- A Personal Definition of Integrity -- Moral Bankruptcy -- Developing a Personal Integrity Plan -- Fitting Integrity into Your Life -- When Your Integrity Is Threatened -- Activity: What If? -- Personal Responsibility -- Owning Your Actions -- Failure to Accept Responsibility -- Handling Blame -- Personal Criticism -- Letting Go of Perfection -- Activity: Past Responsibility -- Forgiveness and Reconciliation -- Making Peace with the Past -- What Is Forgiveness? -- Forgiving by Communicating -- Forgiving by Resolving Conflict -- Learning to Trust Again -- Understanding Differences -- Take Action Now -- Activity: Finding Goodness -- Self-Promotion -- It's Healthy to Self-Promote -- Discovering You -- Renewing Your Relationship with Yourself -- Mementos of the Heart -- Letters to Myself -- Thoughts of Worth -- Activity: Self-Advertisement -- Unconventional and Creative Thinking -- What Is Unconventional and Creative Thinking? -- Characteristics of Creative Thinkers -- The Fear of What Others Think -- Doing What Others Dare Not Do -- Trying Different, New, and Scary Things -- Activity: Being Unconventional -- Active Listening -- Listening versus Hearing -- The Importance of Listening -- The Chinese Verb "to Listen" -- Learning to Become an Active Listener -- Overcoming the Obstacles to Listening -- Activity: Listening with Questions -- Subtraction -- Admitting Your Weaknesses -- Overcoming Weakness -- Putting It into Perspective -- Learning from Others' Comments -- Activity: I Am Certain -- Giving -- Service to Others -- Volunteering -- Finding Gifts in Everyday Life -- Giving to Yourself -- Activity: What Can I Do Today? -- Self-Esteem for Life -- More Work Ahead -- Make Wellness a Priority -- Practice Integrity in Every Action -- Forgive Your Past -- Live in Your Spiritual Nature -- Practice Optimism -- Set Goals for Your Personal Success -- Bringing It Home.