Self Esteem Worksheets

Help your clients recognize all the good they have to offer the world with our Self-Esteem Worksheet, designed to help them identify and affirm their positive traits and build up a positive view of themselves.

By Ashleigh Knowles on Aug 2, 2025.

Fact Checked by RJ Gumban.

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What is a Self-Esteem Worksheet?

A Self-Esteem Worksheet is a tool for your clients to practice recognizing and affirming the positive things about themselves. Like many things, building up self-esteem takes time and practice, and this worksheet is designed to help your clients gain self-compassion and a positive outlook on themselves rather than being overcome with negative beliefs and negative thoughts. This worksheet helps ensure that they are keeping up that practice and working towards a more positive view of themselves.

This worksheet is an interactive resource designed for your clients to take home and complete independently over several days. Its goal is to help them begin to notice the positive things about themselves, moving away from negative automatic thoughts. It draws from psychological theories such as self-affirmation, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and positive psychology. Studies have shown that structured self-affirmation exercises, like those found in self-esteem workbooks and worksheets, increase participants' self-esteem, positive perception of self-worth (Goyer et al., 2017), and empowerment (Bartlett et al., 2019).

Self Esteem Worksheets Template

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How to use this Self-Esteem Worksheet template

Using this Self-Esteem Worksheet template can help professionals provide clear guidance to their clients. Follow these steps to ensure effective use:

Step 1: Access this template

Download and print the worksheet template from the provided link. Ensure you have multiple copies available for your clients.

Step 2: Explain the template

Sit down with your client and explain the purpose of the worksheet. Emphasize how it can help them recognize and appreciate their positive traits.

Step 3: Fill out the worksheet

Guide your client through filling out the worksheet. Encourage them to take their time and reflect on each prompt, helping them if they struggle to identify positive traits.

Step 4: Discuss your client's responses

Review the completed worksheet with your client. Discuss their responses, highlighting the positive traits and any patterns you observe. This discussion can reinforce their positive self-esteem and allow for deeper reflection.

Who can use these printable Self-Esteem Worksheets PDF?

Any health practitioners who work with clients who may be struggling with negative self-evaluations can benefit from using this CBT for self-esteem PDF template in their practice. Whether you work in the healthcare or mental health space, if your client has low self-esteem or a negative view of themselves, this worksheet can help them build up their ability to recognize the good in themselves.

Why is the Self-Esteem Worksheet useful for therapists?

Therapists can use the Self-Esteem Worksheet to provide structured support for clients who want to move away from negative core beliefs and develop high self-esteem.

Monitor your client's progress over time

By having your client complete this worksheet both at the beginning of their treatment with you and again once their self-esteem has improved, you'll be able to demonstrate how much easier they find it to identify the positive things they have to offer. This can be a powerful exercise to illustrate their progress and also to celebrate how far they have come.

Build up evidence of your client's positive traits

Many of your clients will have an “I'll believe it when I see it” approach to the positive things about themselves, and we've got you covered there. This Self-Esteem Worksheet helps your clients see the positive traits they have in action by recalling specific incidences of when they demonstrated a positive trait or strength. By the time they've finished the positivity journal, they will have indisputable evidence as to the existence of positive traits within themselves.

Help your client form positive habits

The positivity journal section of this Self-Esteem Worksheet also includes a column to highlight one thing your client was grateful for that day. Along with reflecting on one thing they did well that day, this activity helps to get your clients into the habit of self-reflection and positive affirmation.

Self-Esteem Workbooks and other alternatives

When looking to expand on self-esteem exercises, consider these additional resources:

Self-Esteem Workbook

The Self-Esteem Workbook template is essentially a longer version with more prompts and fleshed-out questions to help improve self-esteem. It provides more comprehensive exercises and reflections, offering deeper insights and sustained practice for building self-esteem. Self-Esteem Workbooks can be used independently or as a supplement to therapy, offering a valuable tool for self-improvement and personal growth.

Self-Esteem Worksheet for Teens

With questions that teens could easily answer, the Self-Esteem Worksheet for Teens focuses on positive qualities, making it a great help with overcoming low self-esteem. It addresses common self-esteem issues teens face and helps them recognize their strengths.

Gratitude Journal Template

In our Gratitude Journal Template, clients can list things they are thankful for to help them remember that there are many good things in life. This practice encourages daily reflections on gratitude, fostering a positive mindset and improving overall self-esteem.

References

Bartlett, M. Y., Valdesolo, P., & Arpin, S. N. (2019). The paradox of power: The relationship between self-esteem and gratitude. The Journal of Social Psychology, 160(1), 27–38. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224545.2019.1601609

Goyer, J. P., Garcia, J., Purdie-Vaughns, V., Binning, K. R., Cook, J. E., Reeves, S. L., Apfel, N., Taborsky-Barba, S., Sherman, D. K., & Cohen, G. L. (2017). Self-affirmation facilitates minority middle schoolers’ progress along college trajectories. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 114(29), 7594–7599. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1617923114

Commonly asked questions

The 3 C's of self-esteem are confidence, competence, and connection. Confidence involves believing in oneself, competence refers to having the skills and abilities to achieve goals, and connection highlights the importance of relationships and social interactions.

The 5 areas of self-esteem are self-knowledge, self-love, self-confidence, self-respect, and self-acceptance. Each area contributes to a person's overall sense of worth and well-being, encompassing understanding oneself, appreciating personal value, believing in one's abilities, respecting oneself, and accepting one's true nature.

To improve self-esteem and self-worth, practice positive self-affirmations, set and achieve small goals, seek supportive relationships, focus on personal strengths, and engage in activities that foster a sense of accomplishment and joy. Regularly reflecting on achievements and maintaining a gratitude journal can also enhance self-perception.