How much is it worth? Deep within an individual's being lies their self-esteem. Self-esteem shapes individuals into who they are, into what they want to become. Self-esteem is at the heart of self-worth. Self-esteem is, Palladino (1994) a mixture of “self-confidence, self-esteem and self-respect. It involves respecting others, [along with] feeling a sense of harmony and peace within oneself” (sect.1p.1). The secret to greater self-esteem is the incentive to take responsibility for one's own views, such as one's aspirations, ethics, abilities, and curiosity, and to understand that these things combined are what make them who they are (Palladino, 1994). However, the pursuit of greater self-esteem will sometimes lead the individual to sacrifice education, relationships, self-regulation, mental and physical health, as well as other concerns (Crocker & Knight, 2005). Palladino, ( 1994) observed that “self-esteem reflects [who each individual is] to everyone with whom [he] comes into contact (sect.1p.1). Self-esteem does not remain the same throughout an individual's life. There are many circumstances that come and go that also cause your self-esteem to change. As Palladino (1994) states, “self-esteem is both conscious and unconscious. It is an ongoing evaluation of who someone is; a belief about what they can and cannot do” (sect.1p. 1). For example, when a person buys a house, self-esteem will be high. If a person loses their home to foreclosure, self-esteem may be low. Carl Rogers, one of the most influential psychologists of the 20th century, said that [self-esteem can be viewed as a top-down indicator. There are times in life when you are able to handle the ba... middle of paper... of life. However, every individual, if they choose to do so, can take control of their own life and can create better alternatives for themselves. References Crocker, Jennifer & Knight, Katherine M. (2005). Contingencies of self-esteem. Current directions in psychological science (Wiley-Blackwell). vol. 14 (issue 4), pages 4, 200-203. McLeod, S. A. (2007). Simply psychology; Charles Rogers. Retrieved April 26, 2012, from http://www.simplypsychology.org/carl-rogers.htmlPalladino, Connie D. (1994). Developing Self-Esteem: A Guide to Positive Success. Menlo Park, California: Crisp Publications.Vohs, Kathleen D (ed.); Finkel, Eli J. (2006). Self and relationships: connecting intrapersonal and interpersonal processes. New York, NY, USA: Guilford Press. Retrieved from: http://site.ebrary.com/lib/apus/Doc?id=10172290&ppg=48