Self Esteem Issues

I had serious self esteem issues in the past.  I struggled with low self esteem for many years.  I moved from Ohio to California when I was 12 years old, and I knew very few people in San Diego.  I started reading self improvement books, because I had a hard time making friends.  I am hard of hearing, and I was often the only hard-of-hearing person in the schools when I was growing up.  I tried to socialize with hearing people, and the students often did not want to repeat what they said when I told them I didn’t understand what they were talking about.  After I graduated high school, I got married to a deaf man.  I thought maybe I could fit in with the deaf community.  That was also difficult for me, because I did not have very good social skills.

When I was studying for my bachelor’s degree in Psychology, I went through a divorce.  I felt like a failure and asked myself why I could not stay married to a deaf man.  I struggled with my identity.  I did not know whether I belonged with deaf people or hearing people.

After I finished my bachelor’s degree, I was tired of going to school and working so much of the time.  I wanted a social life.  I started drinking heavily and taking drugs.  I became addicted to drugs so I went through treatment.  I started going to 12-Step programs to learn how to have a balance between going to school, working, and socializing.  I also learned many other people struggled with their own self esteem.

Improving Self Esteem and Major Changes

I met a Christian man after recovering from an abusive relationship.  He introduced me to a woman who showed me how to follow God’s plan for my life.  My life was a mess, and I knew I could not handle my life anymore.  I decided to dedicate my life to Jesus.

I started blogging in my previous website, www.havehighselfesteem.com in December 2011.  I was writing about many ways self esteem affects our lives.  Now, I have decided to focus on something else with this website.  I am writing about increasing self esteem and achieving goals.

I was afraid to work with people in the past.  As a result of blogging and interacting with people, I decided pursue a master’s degree in social work.  I plan to use my degree to help deaf and hard of hearing people in southern California in medical or mental health settings, so they can learn to advocate for themselves and learn about resources.

I set up some new resolutions in January 2013.  I am sharing my experiences as I work toward my goals, and I am learning from motivational quotes.  I am a strong believer in positive thinking.  I am providing tools for you to improve your self esteem.  I will also show you how you can achieve your goals.