What is Low Self Esteem?
This is when you lack confidence and feel bad about yourself and you worth.Self-esteem encompasses beliefs about oneself as well as emotional states, such as triumph, despair, pride, and shame.
You would wonder Why this topic is relevant to your financial independence journey.This topic is important for our mission of financial independence at the YBI(young Black and Independent) because people suffering from low self esteem find it hard to go out their comfort zones, build a valuable human network, to takes risks, apply for promotions, take charge of their lives, to recognise their abilities and to meet their full potential.

1. Embarrassed about your physical appearance
A common human weakness is, feeling bad about one or two physical attributes that one has. You probably find it hard accepting your height, skin colour, hair type, breast size, and other body parts. For short, condemning parts of your physical body and wishing you look different or like someone else, is definitely a sign that you are suffering from self esteem issues. Statistics from the WHO revealed than 75% of black women in Africa apply bleaching cream on their skin, despite the health hazards of such actions. Read more on No Woman Is Ugly.
2. Always seeking approval from other people.
I have been a victim of relying on external validation and seeking other people's approval for everything and anything I did. When one is not confident enough that the decision they've taken or are about to take is the right one, there's an issue of self confidence. Perhaps you feel depressed about fewer men being attracted to you, or that you aren't getting enough likes and heart emojis on social media as expected. When you simply need your friends to validate or approve of your feelings, your outfit choices, the men you date, the jobs you pickup etc. There's a self esteem issue going on!
3. Shy and Withdrawn
Often times, people who prefer to maintain shadow appearance are dealing with self esteem issues. I bet you know at least one student from your school or class who never wanted to raise their hand to answer questions. They probably were terrified of saying the wrong thing and being laughed at. Some people are purely anti-social and would rather stay on their own for fear of not fitting in, not being cool enough or just not being worthy to be counted amongst. These are all signs of low self worth
4. Avoiding eye contact.
Ever heard of the handshake that establishes a connection? this is when you shake a person's hand and look them straight in the eye. This communication style sends signals to the other person, that you are tough, you are strong, you are polite, you are respectful and above all confident. Avoiding eye contact during communication are tell-tale signs of weakness, nervousness, fear and low self esteem.
5. Hesitant in Words or Action
People who struggle to articulate their thoughts often have a confidence problem. Perhaps you are worried about saying the incorrect thing or being critiqued. Being reluctant in action is a sign that one is unsure of what to do, when to act, how to act and where to act. This is usually as a result of little or no confidence in one's ability to say and do the right thing. Ever been in a situation where a friend, co-worker or employer was going against your principles and values? Yet you just couldn't bring yourself to stop them, to draw the line or to put them in their rightful place? That's a low self esteem red flag right there!

6 Not Being Opinioted.
Individuals, who agree to what everyone else's school of thoughts, without giving their own view, are suffering from low self esteem. Trusting what others think, more than you trust your own knowledge and capabilities isn't always good. It is not about disregarding other people's opinions. It simply is being able to say why you are in disagreement with their opinion. I remember someone telling me it was impossible to earn 10As for my MBA program for reasons known to them. Instead of saying "well, perhaps you are right", I looked at them straight in the eye and said "nothing is impossible when you want it strong enough". An then provided them reasons for my conviction.
7. Panicking or fearful when things are different.
If you regularly cry a river, throw tantrums, go into hiding, or become pessimistic? These are signs of low self esteem. People who have self confidence face adversity heads on and courageously. They don't run away from a fight, only to fight another day. Facing difficulties can be challenging, which is why people who don't feel smart, strong, worthy enough to handle a bad situation resolve to a panic attack.