“Self-esteem is the way you regard yourself as either being worth your mother’s while to care for you, protect you and keep you safe and alive, to be present for you when you need her to meet your needs – or not.”

“We do not know how to make ourselves feel worthwhile on our own, and unless we specifically learn how to value ourselves, we go to our graves depending on others for a sense of self-worth.”

“Self-esteem is the way you regard yourself as either being worth your mother’s while to care for you, protect you and keep you safe and alive, to be present for you when you need her to meet your needs – or not.”

“It is crucial for us to understand the origins of our low self-esteem before we can transcend it.”