For as long as I can remember, I’ve wrestled with self-esteem. My mom and stepdad always uplifted me, speaking life into me, but for some reason, I internalized the voices of others instead. Their criticisms, their opinions, their words…those were the ones that echoed the loudest. Over time, I let them shape the way I thought about myself. The result? A cycle of self-doubt and negative self-talk that felt impossible to break.