Review: Basic, helpful information that anyone can use
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 11 22, 2012
First of all, I'd like to say that this book is short.  It is not an in depth look at why you might have self esteem issues, nor is it intended to be a cure all for every single person's problems.  But, what `Self Esteem: Improve and Be the Best You Can Be' does is provide really useful, straightforward information in a way that is easy to use, without dwelling on what may be causing your low self esteem.Most people understand why they have poor self esteem, but they can't seem to find a way to move forward.  This is because a lack of self esteem can make you seriously depressed, and initiates a vicious cycle of `I don't like myself, I never will, why even try to change, because no one else will like me either'.  This is a very common and very devastating cycle that is so hard to break!  Still, it doesn't actually take a lot to improve on low self esteem, just the right advice given in the right way.Williams provides good tips for anyone suffering from low self esteem.  They are easy to follow and may seem simplistic, but sometimes it is the simplest things that we take for granted that are actually affecting our moods and feelings about ourselves.  This has been proven by psychologists and scientists, but often seems to be overlooked in other books that try to encourage an improvement in self esteem.The book also addresses some ways that low self esteem can affect you that you may not be aware of, such as holding you back professionally and even personally in your relationships.  The old adage `you have to like yourself before others will like you' is definitely true, and this book aims for helping you improve your relationship with YOU.It is not a book that spends a lot of time going into detail about what causes self esteem issues, but rather jumps straight in and gives you the much needed pep talk to get yourself in the right frame of mind for success.  It offers friendly advice without coming across as condescending, which is important if you already feel bad about yourself.  The author has a style of writing that is direct and to the point, while still feeling conversational.Of course, if you are seriously depressed, this book probably won't be the answer to your problems.  You will likely need to speak to your doctor to see if a more serious treatment is needed, and I recommend that you don't wait to do this!  But, if you have noticed that you are just generally hard on yourself, or if you have a history of self esteem issues, this book could definitely help.