Beyond the Self
Chapter 6 focuses on self-esteem and its connections to something larger than the self. The first part summarizes new research on self-esteem and relationships, an area not often found in other books. Particular attention is given to the ways in which authentic self-esteem helps foster healthy relationships and how low or defensive self-esteem may hurt them. This material helps readers understand how the self-protective function of self-esteem can harm relationships and how its self-expansion or enhancement function may help them reach new or deeper levels. The last section focuses on self-esteem in a larger context but one that still involves being connected to others. This work is based on findings from the psychology of religion but does so without being preachy, denominational, or dogmatic as spirituality is used as a generic term to which anyone can relate.