{"id":1459,"date":"2009-01-16T06:30:00","date_gmt":"2009-01-16T06:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/beyondblue\/2009\/01\/fridays-question-why-a-selfest.html"},"modified":"2009-01-16T06:30:00","modified_gmt":"2009-01-16T06:30:00","slug":"fridays-question-why-a-selfest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/beyondblue\/2009\/01\/fridays-question-why-a-selfest.html","title":{"rendered":"Friday’s Question: Why a Self-Esteem File?"},"content":{"rendered":"

On Fridays I will address a question related to depression and find the answer from an expert. If you have a question you want answered, please ask it on the combox of this post, and I’ll try my best to do some research and feature it in an upcoming Friday post.<\/em><\/p>\n

On the combox of my post, “Video: My Self-Esteem File,”<\/a> Beyond Blue<\/a> reader Cathy Vern wrote this:<\/p>\n

How have you applied all this self-esteem to enrich your life? Have you accomplished things you couldn’t even think of accomplishing before?<\/strong> I would like more on how this made you better, or how your life proceeded to bring you things you felt that you couldn’t do before.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I have been thinking about those questions the last month because I was somewhat forced to create a second self-esteem file three weeks ago. A former high school teacher, one who helped me get sober when I was a senior, learned about my writing, and what I’ve been up to lately, and he nominated me as a candidate for my high school hall of fame. <\/p>\n

That was the easy part. <\/p>\n

The hard part was begging friends, family members, and former professors to compose a brief letter of recommendation. Confession: even though I am the queen of the “self-esteem file” project, I have never felt comfortable soliciting a warm fuzzy. Only when my therapist assigned me that task three years ago–when I was suicidal-did I request such letters.<\/p>\n

The result, once again–like three years ago–astounded me. I forgot how much power those letters, those sentiments have in boosting your self-confidence, your self-acceptance, and your self-esteem.<\/p>\n

Among my jewels, were these statements:<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n