BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — The path to feeling good about yourself is not in pursuing self-esteem, Dr. Lora Park told us on Wake Up Thursday morning.
“In order to improve our self-esteem, ironically, the answer is to not pursue self-esteem,” Dr. Park, an associate professor of psychology at UB, says. “Research actually shows that the more you try to boost your self-esteem, it can have counterproductive effects.”
Instead, Dr. Park said people should focus on three key ideas:
- Competence – What are you doing daily that makes you feel competent?
- Autonomy – Doing things you choose to do
- Quality time with close relationships
When it comes to kids, they need to hear praise from their parents regarding their effort and hard work, Dr. Park said. Providing messages that suggest you love them no matter what will build resilience in a child.
Latest Posts
- From gates to green flag: A complete breakdown of Sunday’s Indianapolis 500 schedule
- Inflatable bars, piles of beer cans and the unsung hero of the Coke Lot
- Indy 500 flagman living his dream, inspiring others along the way
- Buffalo State University’s Class of 2020 walks the stage
- Fredonia’s flag football team missed prom, invited to Grand Island’s
Evan Anstey is an Associated Press Award, JANY Award and Emmy-nominated digital producer who has been part of the News 4 team since 2015. See more of his work here and follow him on Twitter.