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Low self-esteem & constant need to be wanted…help!

Home→Forums→Tough Times→Low self-esteem & constant need to be wanted…help!

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  • May 9, 2013 at 8:47 pm #35327
    Stephanie Brooks
    Participant

    I am 20 years old and a junior in college. I have had 2 serious, long-tern relationships in the past but I have been single for about a year now. There is something in my heart or mind that is telling me that I need a boyfriend in my life in order to be happy. I know that this is not true, however I do have a history of anxiety/depression and I think this is allowing me to think this way. Most of the time I feel as if I need to be longed for or loved/wanted in order to have any substance to my life. I have a great family, many loving and close friends, and I have been provided with many wonderful opportunities in my life; sadly, I do not really think about these things because I am always on the hunt for my soul mate.My self-esteem is shot and my anxiety is through the roof at some points even though I have this amazing life on paper. I am constantly analyzing my self and my life as if it is the only thing I can think about at any moment. I don’t really care to look fashionable but I want to wear things that look flattering on me or else I will be horribly self conscious the entire day and the bad thoughts will tell me that all available men will think I’m ugly. I know I am a beautiful girl because my friends, family, and the number of guys that have been interested in me in the past year have told me so, but my mind will not let me believe it for the most part. I try every minute of my life to soak in the beauty of the day and to appreciate everything, but this negative energy inside is bursting the balloon every time I am somewhat content with my life. The same energy tells me that I need a guy in my life in order to fix all of this, but I honestly have no idea what to think at this point because I have done so much of it.

    May 10, 2013 at 7:40 am #35352
    Beth Venus
    Participant

    I can completely relate to how you’ve been feeling, because the feeling that I need a relationship has directed many decisions and a lot of my energy over the past year, and it’s only with the help of tinybuddha that I’ve started to realise that feelings of lack and loneliness are coming from inside and need to be addressed there before a beautiful and loving relationship can be found. Maybe the first place to start is with loving yourself?

    You could start with accepting that you’re allowed to feel beautiful. Perhaps if you let yourself feel beautiful and believe yourself to be beautiful, it will add to feelings of contentment that you sometimes have. Being your own friend means looking in the mirror and saying ‘hey, you look pretty today, and it’s going to be a lovely day’. If you cultivate that kind of practice of self-love, it will help your self-esteem grow, gently bit by bit. And it’ll also make you more receptive to relationships that help cultivate love, both self-love and other-love, in a mutual way.

    Another thing is that, it’s ok to think about love and finding a soulmate or boyfriend a lot. It’d probably help not to beat yourself up about that, because it’s a preoccupation almost everybody experiences quite a lot of the time! 🙂

    Being happy with yourself and being keen to love yourself is probably one of the best gifts you can give to yourself and to a future partner, because it would help them to love you well too. So maybe just try reframing what you’re feeling this way? 🙂

    These are tiny buddha posts you might already have read but that seem helpful to this:

    http://tinybuddha.com/blog/the-secret-to-high-self-esteem/

    http://tinybuddha.com/blog/how-to-love-your-authentic-self/

    http://tinybuddha.com/blog/amp-up-your-self-love-7-tools-to-feel-great-about-you/

    Good luck and much love

    May 11, 2013 at 9:48 am #35421
    Anne
    Participant

    Hi Stephanie… I am new to this forum and yours was the first post I read… and I could have written it word for word myself… and I am 46!! It (the constant need/want for a partner/boyfriend in my life)… I then read Beth Venus’ reply and found her advice so reassuring especially when she said that it is in fact OK to think about love and finding a soulmate… you know the only one thing worse than the wanting is the beating myself up about wanting!! And I think this is the best advice I have ever read on the subject!! So I for one will start with that one… I think it is a very important step in self compassion and nurturing self esteem! So even though I don’t have any advice for you Stephanie, I would first like to thank you for posting this as it really helped to know I am not going mad and that I am not alone… and neither are you! So I wish you the best on your quest and feel very confident that you will succeed! 🙂
    Anne

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