I believe that poor self-esteem is at the root of most emotional problems common today. It is the catalyst. It is the common ingredient in so many miserable lives. It is the doorway through which a world of neurosis enters.

Almost every single desperate emotional human circumstance can be directly traced back to someone's lack of adequate self-esteem, and this tragedy is made worse by its curability. Healthy self-esteem is within everyone's reach. It just requires guidance and a commitment to change.

Here are some suggestions that you can begin to practice this very minute.

1.  Make Good Friends

One of the most important things you can do to improve your self-esteem is to surround yourself with people who will literally immerse you in the positive dynamic of your worth and your value-who want you to have a good life-and who want you to enjoy yourself. This is particularly important if at the same time you are choosing and deciding the person you will be.

What I always say to people is if you don't have three to five good friends of the same sex and one or two good friends of the opposite sex, you don't have enough friends. You need to be surrounded by individuals who give you positive messages about your worth and your value and who tend to see the good things about you. These friends hold you accountable to high standards but always indicate to you that your worth is never at stake in their eyes.

2. Take Good Physical Care

I also suggest that, in order to raise your self esteem, you take very good care of yourself physically. You are aware that there are many people who are overweight. When you're overweight, as I have been at times in my own life, you don't feel nearly as good about yourself. When you know that you're not eating right, or you're eating too much, or you're eating the wrong kinds of foods, you tend to feel that you just don't count as much with yourself.