So many of us were raised thinking that "Pride" was a good thing; we often heard things like "He's a good man, the guys got a lot of pride!" When we are seeking to build our self-esteem on a solid foundation however, we may want to look a little closer at this pride creature.
Perhaps the most easily recognized sign of low self-esteem is pride. Does that shock you? Pride is a feeling that is derived from things outside us. People who constantly profess their pride in college degrees, addresses, careers, etc. are always comparing themselves to others, and looking at the things they have. Interestingly enough, these people usually don't think too highly of themselves.
Frame Risers
"Is it wrong to be proud of myself?" you may ask. Of course not; listen to that question closely though. There is a big difference in being proud of yourself for earning the degree, and having pride in the degree. Simply knowing that you earned the degree and then feeling good about it is sufficient for the healthy process of feeling proud. Pride however, is not satisfied to remain quiet within; pride needs the fuel from others attention to stay alive.
The glue that holds pride together is that of comparison; you must compare yourself to someone you secretly know will not "measure" as high as you in the category being contrasted.
Self-esteem on the other hand is something that comes from within; you feel good about who you are on the inside, and feel good about your situation at any given point in the journey of achievement. The person with pride will feel good about themselves when they have finally earned their Ph.D. (they think), while the person with a strong self-esteem will feel good about themselves every step of the way. While they may look forward to the benefits of one day having their Ph.D., they are just as comfortable with themselves while working on their associates degree, as the will be when they can finally call themselves Dr.
When we begin to observe this difference in pride and self esteem in others, we'll be better equipped to see this same behavior in ourselves. We will know we are operating from a healthy self-esteem when we are thinking from a mindset of abundance, aren't comparing, aim to give others a boost, and are focused on our inner feelings of being proud of ourselves. Saying hateful things to or about others, making comparisons to other people, and looking for our security in our outer word are all signs that we are functioning from the position of pride.
Awareness is the key that will release us from this mentally constructed jail cell of misery. Stay awake, stay the course, and watch your world change.