"One of the most common ways people unconsciously destroy their confidence is by letting others dictate their lives," she says. "It's nearly impossible to build real confidence if you let others make decisions for you."

What destroys your self-esteem?

"Nothing ruins self-esteem like surrounding yourself with people who abuse or neglect you," says Karen R. ... "Maybe they put you down, act as if you have no needs, or they talk all about themselves and ask nothing about your life." Whatever the case may be, their not-so-great behavior can and will affect your self-esteem.

Can you lose self-esteem?

Low levels of self-esteem can be linked to social anxiety, lack of confidence, and depression. The healthiest type of self-esteem is moderate self-esteem that is based more on valuing one's inherent worth as a person and less about comparing oneself to others.