Self-esteem can do wonders for your self-esteem. I know you probably are going to go back and read that first sentence to make sure I worded it properly.

Many feel that a person is born with it, or maybe was popular in grade school and held onto that for the rest of their lives, always succeeding at whatever due to public support. If only that were so, we'd all have an excuse to frown and be depressed most the time.

In many cases the opposite happens. The slim-trim blonde high-school cheerleader who maybe relied totally on looks for self-esteem later marries, has children and stretch marks, not to mention her hair turned gray from dealing with the children and possibly irate husband and she gained a good bit of weight from the extra bon-bons passed around at her literary club.

In other cases, children born into royalty, Hollywood elite families, etc. have much expected out of them from the start. This can erode self-esteem early. I am not saying this happens to all the high and mighty, but it is more commonplace than one might think.

So basically, self-esteem can (and will) do wonders for your self-esteem. That might not make sense if you feel your self-esteem hashas been compromised for a reason outside of your control. You become fearful of life. You become isolated and scared to try new things. It becomes a viscious cycle. But, self-esteem can be learned for the first time, or for the second time in a different way. Adult self-esteem is not the same as a child's and not always gotten in the same fashion.

Maybe you were the football jock who lifted weights regularly and was applauded every time you blocked a tackle. You kept your grades up and you got more positive feedback. This helped your esteem very much. Later in life, you landed a high paying marketing job and you hate it. The pay all goes to an ungrateful wife who spends it on fashions and takes vacations with her girlfriends. Where did your self-esteem go?

We have an obligation to ourselves in adulthood to create our own self-esteem. We rarely get much unconditional love, attention, and acknowledgment of our deeds we did when we were younger (unless we have a dog). It won't be done overnight. But each time we do something positive for ourselves or someone else, it builds. It is a process.

Consider that on your worst day, you commit to go to a soup kitchen and serve food. Maybe a nursing home and visit with the elderly. Tutor a kid with his/her homework. Do something positive to get outside of yourself. You will not get back your self-esteem most likely in one day. But if you find yourself making it a habit of helping others, you will slowly find your self-esteem rising. It is a natural consequence of helping others and getting outside oneself. Perhaps it is true when they say, "God works in mysterious ways." Maybe its the way the universe operates. The fact is, whatever you believe, or don't believe, it truly works.

Iwith depression and low-self-esteem since my teen years (even when I was a popular kid). I always felt alone, even with people. Then I grew up. I became an adult. All of a sudden I was in my late forties. How did it all happen so fast. It was a blur. But now, I'd had a major heart attack and I was keenly aware of my mortality. Heart attack? That was what other people had, not me. I guess everyone thinks that. So I took a week and analyzed my life. I took, (as Richard Dreyfus' book in 'What About Bob?', baby steps. I studied. I researched. I learned. I even went back to college online. Online colleges lured some of them and they continue to study.

It is an interesting experience, to experience higher self-esteem, especially when one never had it. I fall into that category. I take it slow and easy. I enjoy the learning process. It has nothing to do with money or fame. It has to do with knowing me, and, finally, learning to like me, and maybe even love me, so I can love others.

If we've passed the age of forty, we've endured some of life's tough knocks. It has humbled us to a certain degree, hopefully. I just take a little time out of each day and do something to build my self-esteem. I may do a lot of other things incorrectly, but I try to learn to do them right, and still, I take time for myself to do just a little something positive for me or someone, just for the sake of doing it.

I'm a slow learner, but in ten years, I've accomplished a thousand times more than I did in my first forty-three years.

I launched Londons Times Cartoons which makes people laugh. I then opened numerous gift stores like LTSuperstore, RickLondonCollection, Justfunnygreetingcards,Justfunnycoffeemugs, Justfunnyaprons, Mirthgirthbirth, RickLondonwear, Justfunnymousepads, Justfunnyhoodies, etc. People order my cartoon gifts and collectibles from these stores and other people laugh and feel better about themselves as well.

Exposing ourselves to humor helps us be more light-hearted. We learn to "wear the world like a loose-fitting garment". If you do not feel you are a funny person, no problem. Just try to expose yourself to something or someone humorous as often as you can.In time dramatic changes can happen and you will like them. I know that I did and I'm a very slow student. Eventually, even for me, it happened and is happening still.

So, as I said, self-esteem can do wonders for your self-esteem. Build some today. Baby steps.