SELF-CONFIDENCE/self-esteem

The terms self-confidence and self-esteem are often used interchangeably.   They are linked to one another but there are key differences.  The following is an excerpt from an article written by Robert Wilson.

"For a long time I thought that self-confidence and self-esteem were the same thing, but they’re not; they’re radically different.  I think that self-confidence is about how well you can control certain aspects of your life.  Self-esteem is about self-love and how you value yourself.

Confidence comes from the Latin word fidere which means to trust; in other words, self-confidence means we trust our knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Esteem comes from the Latin word aestimare, which means to appraise, value, rate, weigh, or estimate; in other words, self-esteem is how we appraise or value our self-worth.

Increasing your self-confidence is pretty clear-cut, but improving your self-esteem can be quite complicated. If you want to be more self-confident, work on developing an expertise in some area. When you can speak with authority on a subject, or perform a skill with equanimity, self-confidence will follow. 

If you want to increase your self-esteem—and it’s never too late—it will be more challenging, and may require assistance from a mental health professional."