In psychology, self esteem or self worth includes a person’s subjective appraisal of himself or herself as intrinsically positive or negative to some degree. Self-esteem involves both self -relevant beliefs (e.g., ” I am competent/incompetent”) and associated self-relevant emotions (e.g., triumph/despair, pride/shame).It also finds expression in behavior (e.g., assertiveness/timorousness, confidence/caution).
People with poor self-esteem often rely on how they are doing in the present to determine how they feel about themselves. They need positive external experiences to counteract the negative feelings and thoughts that constantly plague them. Even then, the good feeling can be temporary.