Watch TV, open the newspaper, listen to the radio, or visit news sites on the Internet and you’ll immediately notice that the amount of human failure and disaster one is exposed to is disheartening. If you are like me, you may find yourself avoiding these sources of news and “entertainment” because you can’t stand the amount of negativity that infiltrates your mind and harmfully impacts your energy-state! Not surprisingly, much of the negativity in the world is sourced from people having an unhealthy, low level of self-esteem. Shocking, extensive research shows that over 85% of the world’s population has some type of deficiency in their level of self-esteem.

Low self-esteem causes feelings of discomfort, unhappiness, anger, fear, procrastination, frustration, shyness and incapability. This array of negative thought processes and sensations causes people to look for artificial ways to cover up their lack of confidence by taking on forced or unnatural behaviors. Three of the most common ways of covering up a negative self-image, diminished self-esteem and low confidence levels are:

1) Forced and unhealthy communication Forced acts of communication are ways we relate with each other in an unnatural and destructive way. Examples of unproductive communication could be uncontrolled anger, screaming or abusive language, or making unfair or unproductive remarks. All too often, when we feel uncomfortable in social situations or fear being controlled by another, we try to gain the upper hand by dominating the other person in some manner. For example, your spouse might make a remark that you allow to cause you to feel poorly about yourself or attacked in some way. (The words of another can never negatively impact our self-esteem unless we allow them to do so.) Most of the time, we react to what someone says when they bring up something we can not be with about how we see ourselves. This reactive feeling is all too often a sign of a diminished self-esteem. As a result of feeing threatened, you might counter with an aggressive or hostile remark of your own. Before long, you have unintentionally begun a downward spiral in communication that will surely erode your relationship over time.

Lacking self-esteem likewise impacts all other areas of life. Additional examples include fear of public speaking, ineffective professional communication, pursuing a carrier that is not in alignment with one’s passions and life-purpose, dating or even marrying people that do not match up well with our most important values because we fear we may not attract our ideal partner, and bringing up children to be fear-based, reactive, or unhealthy in their perceptions of the world and in their relationships with others.

2) Sleeping Excessively in order to Escape from Reality Do you know anyone who “sleeps their time away?” For countless people, sleeping is a way to escape their painful feelings of incapability, fear, discomfort, unworthiness, and weakness. These feelings stem from the interpretation that one is somehow unlovable or not good enough and are ultimately the result of low self-esteem levels. They drain our energy and cause internal friction that makes us tired. They also result in having us want to escape those situations instead of coping with them in an appropriate and effective manner. For many people sleeping is the easiest escape rather than learning to face life’s challenges. Sleeping is a means of recuperation so upon awakening, all challenges can be coped with more easily with fresh energy. However many people don’t use sleep for the purpose of regenerating energy. They numb their pain with ‘chronic sleeping’ as an escape from reality. As an escape strategy, problems remain unaddressed and unsolved and so tend to become worse with the passing of time.

3) Use of Alcohol, Drugs, and Cigarettes As an active observer of people’s coping strategies, notice how often so many look for ways to numb the pain rather than address the source of their challenges. Many find comfort in cigarettes as a stress reliever. The underlying source of mental stress and bodily tension is often diminished self-esteem. So often, people condition themselves to turn to alcohol or drugs after experiencing a stressful event. Rather than deal with the causes of life’s disappointments, relationship challenges, or ineffective communication, it’s often easier to look for ways to forget about the problems by turning to alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs. Of course, these destructive forms of escaping the uncomfortable feelings that are caused by low confidence, a bad self-image and poor self-esteem often result in compounded health and social challenges of their own. In addition to their harmful physical effects, drugs and alcohol amplify negative feelings and thus result in further destructive behavior. In this way, they compound the already present challenges and result in a worsening, vicious cycle of greater proportions.

Low self-esteem is most often the cause of these destructive and escape-seeking behaviors. Rather than detach from or attempt to escape the challenges brought on by a poor self-image and low self-confidence, there is a more effective way to live a more powerful, happier and more abundant life simply by elevating one’s level of self-esteem. After working personally with thousands of coaching clients in the past 15 years, I have uncovered an effective yet simple and easy-to-implement formula for improving one’s self-esteem. The entire process of healing one’s painful past, accurately assessing one’s current situation, and proactively designing the future in choice can be found in the step-by-step self-study program entitled, “The Self-Esteem Book: The Ultimate Guide to Boost the Most Underrated Ingredient for Success and Happiness in Life.” For more information on restoring your self-esteem and reclaiming your magnificence, visit TheSelfEsteemBook.com website.

Copyright 2006 Dr Joe Rubino

Dr. Joe Rubino is an internationally acclaimed life and success coach and the author of 11 best-selling books and audio programs available worldwide in 19 languages. He is the author of the best selling, “The Self-Esteem Book: The Ultimate Guide to Boost the Most Underrated Ingredient for Success and Happiness in Life” which has been called “the most transformational self-help tool available to support people to restore their self-esteem.” To learn more about this life-changing book, to learn more about Dr. Joe Rubino and to sign up for Dr. Joe’s Ezine, visit http://www.theselfesteembook.com

Tags: confidence, low self esteem, personal development, self esteem, self image, self worthconfidence, low self esteem, personal development, self esteem, self image, self worth

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If you’ve been promoting your business on the internet you’ve probably heard how important it is to have a list. And that it’s also important to publish an ezine.

So are you publishing and ezine? If not, why? Is it because you are too nervous or lack confidence?

I can understand how you feel. I’ve been there, even though I’m a journalist and published my own niche, non-profit newsletter for a year.

But when I started a home business and realized I needed to write about internet marketing - a subject I was still unfamiliar with - I froze up.

I simply could not think of anything to write about. I felt like I just did not have the experience and the knowledge I needed, because I was still learning.

I started my ezine only when things were really starting to take off and I had learned a good deal of what really worked for me in my business.

In retrospect, I don’t think I’d have done it any differently, but I did learn a few things from my own experience that might make it less painful to start your new ezine.

1. Start With a Script

Writing the first few issues of your ezine is like starting a conversation with a new date.

You’re nervous… you want to make a good impression. Most people will use a few tried and tested formulas to break the ice.

Similarly, when you want to start sending out your ezine, there are a lot of resources out there - tested formulas that experts have used with their own subscribers.

It could be a sales letter, an article, a tip, a template or anything else that you think could get you started with that first issue.

As on a first date, the conversation might be a bit awkward, your sentences may sound stilted. It could be a disaster as far as you’re concerned. So what!

The first few articles I ever wrote make me cringe when I read them today. But I know I needed to write them to start building my own confidence.

Disastrous first dates leave much the same impression on people. But the similarity to dating ends there.

Because in writing an ezine you DO get a second (and third, and fourth…) chance to make an impression.

Your date may never call back, but with your subscribers, you can try again and again till you get it right.

If you do make a mistake (like sending out multiple copies by mistake), admit your mistake and apologize. You’ll find that subscribers, unlike dates, can be quite forgiving.

When new network marketers approach a new prospect, they are always advised to use a script the first few times.

As they gain confidence, the words begin to flow more naturally and they are able to discard the scripts and become better at selling.

It takes time, and more importantly, practice, to get it right. But if you never start, how will you ever find out if you can do it?

2. Write Like You Speak

As you gain confidence in your ability to write and publish an ezine, you’ll begin to get more comfortable with the process of publishing.

Now you might want to start writing your own editorials or tips, to make your ezine more personal and share your expertise in your subject.

To do this, imagine you’re sitting in front of an old friend (or that your subscribers are your friends) and that you’re bringing them up-to-date with what’s been happening in your life.

If you had an experience, good or bad, while promoting your business, that taught you something new, share it with them in the most conversational tone.

Avoid rambling on interminably and leave out boring details that aren’t crucial to what you learnt.

And always go back, read what you’ve written and edit it before you send it out to your list.

3. Keep Learning

There’s no bigger turn off than an editor who knows less than her subscribers. So if you plan to write on a certain topic, make sure you do your homework.

If you’re writing about eBook publishing, subscribe to all the ezines and article lists on that subject and read them to find out what’s happening in that field. Then share the news with your readers.

You could also take some initiative and conduct a survey or two, find out something new about your field and write your own original articles or reports.

4. Speak Your Mind

Once you have established a publishing schedule and have developed a comfortable rapport with your subscribers, don’t be afraid to share your opinion on new developments in your field.

If you have a strong opinion on something, its alright to say so. People feel more comfortable when they know where you’re coming from, even if they don’t always agree.

So what are you waiting for? Send out that first issue and take your business to a whole new level.

Make a date with your list now.

Get more tips, tools and resources on ezine publishing

Copyright © 2003 Priya Shah

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Priya Shah is the editor of the newsletters Be a Whiz at eBiz! and The Glutathione Report. She shows you how to truly build multiple sources of income online with the Brilliant Team Home Business Opportunity
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Tags: confidence, ezine publishing, Priya Shah, publishconfidence, ezine publishing, Priya Shah, publish

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