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Her Story: Dealing With Low Self-Esteem

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Hofstra chapter.

It’s not easy, but I have to live with it.

I’ve been dealing with it for…maybe about six years now, and some days I think that it’s going to get better, and other days I hit rock bottom and I feel like I’m never going to get out of this misery within myself.

I believe society has shaped this low self-esteem. Who needs to be thin, why that one zit will ruin your reputation, why being short is something to make fun of. Everything I see on myself, I point it out and make this big deal about it, when meanwhile, the people who were teasing me don’t actually care.  

But not everyone believes what you do. I look at myself and am unwilling to accept positive feedback on myself, but people do give positive comments. Although I am grateful, I am too unfortunate to disagree with them, and I deny their compliments.

I am also at fault for the hypocritical movement of calling everyone “beautiful” and “special” when I can’t even see that in myself. I believe no one should feel hated, or ugly, or fate, or anything they shouldn’t have to believe in order to fit into society’s perfect image.

But this isn’t a cry for attention. I’m actually afraid of getting attention, but I want to be brave and do something that I truly believe will help others. I’m here to finally say something; to tell anyone facing the same troubles I am that one day, I hope you see that you should love yourself, just like I hope one day I notice that about myself.

This rollercoaster is a vicious cycle I have been living with, and I want that to change. Maybe one day, I’ll be able to love myself so that one day, I will accept the love of others, and that someone else will realize the same thing I realize about myself. One day, I hope for a better day. 

Hi everyone! I'm 21 years old, studying Journalism with minors in Creative Writing and Marketing. Her Campus has given me place to write what I want, and I' so glad to share these articles with you!
Coming from a small town in Connecticut, Hailey is a recent graduate of Hofstra University. She spent her time in school working as the Campus Correspondent for the Hofstra chapter of Her Campus where she led the chapter to a pink level status every semester she oversaw the chapter. She also served as the Personnel Director for Marconi Award Winning station WRHU-FM. While holding multiple positions at Hofstra, she was a communications intern at Brooklyn Sports and Entertainment, the company that oversees Barclays Center and Nassau Veteran's Memorial Coliseum.