The Self-Esteem Checklist, and Assess Your Own Level of Self-Esteem tests will help you honestly evaluate yourself.
The Self-Esteem Checklist
Hamacheck (1971, 248-251) developed the following self-esteem checklist. In this test you can broadly evaluate your own self-esteem. Answer the following questions with "Yes", "Usually", "Rarely", "No"
- Do you believe strongly in certain values and principles, so that you are willing to defend them?
- Do you act on your own best judgment, without regretting your actions if others disapprove?
- Do you avoid worrying about what is coming tomorrow or fussing over yesterday's or today's mistakes?
- Do you have confidence in your general ability to deal with problems, even in the face of failure and setbacks?
- Do you feel generally equal - neither inferior nor superior - to others?
- Do you take more or less for granted that other people are interested in you and value you?
- Do you accept praise without pretense or false modesty, and accept compliments without feeling guilty?
- Do you resist the efforts of others to dominate you, especially your peers?
- Do you accept the idea - and admit to others - that you are capable of feeling a wide range of impulses and desires, ranging from anger to love, sadness to happiness, resentment to acceptance? (It does not follow, however, that you will act on these feelings and desires.)
- Do you genuinely enjoy yourself in a wide range of activities, including work, play, creative self-expression, companionship, and just plain loafing?
- Do you sense and consider the needs of others?
If your answers to most of the questions above are "yes" or "usually", you probably have high self-esteem.
Reference
- Hamacheck, D.E. (1971). Encounters with the self. New York: Holt, Reinhart & Winston.
Assess Your Own Self-Esteem
Honestly answer these questions:
| Test #1 | Yes | No |
| Are you easily hurt by criticism? | ||
| Are you either very shy or overly aggressive? | ||
| Do you try to hide your feelings from others? | ||
| Do you fear close relationships? | ||
| Do you try to blame your mistakes on others? | ||
| Do you find excuses for refusing to change? | ||
| Do you avoid new experiences? | ||
| Do you continually wish you could change your physical appearance? | ||
| Are you glad when others fail? | ||
| Are you too modest about personal successes? |
If you answered most of these questions "yes", your self-esteem could probably use improvement.
| Test #2 | Yes | No |
| Do you accept constructive criticism? | ||
| Are you at ease meeting new people? | ||
| Are you honest and open about your feelings? | ||
| Do you value your closest friendships? | ||
| Are you able to laugh (and learn from) your own mistakes? | ||
| Do you notice and accept changes in yourself as they occur? | ||
| Do you look for and tackle new challenges? | ||
| Are you confident about your physical appearance? | ||
| Do you give yourself credit when credit is due? | ||
| Are you happy for others when they succeed? |
If you answered most of these questions "yes", you probably have a healthy opinion of yourself.
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