Self-Esteem Worksheets

Self-esteem is how positively you see your own qualities [1]. These self-esteem worksheets for adults ask you to collect evidence: for 7 days, write what happened, what you did and what it says about you [2], then answer your harshest thought the way you would answer a friend [3]. Fill them in here, or print them.

Self-esteem worksheet

How to use it: once a day, write one thing that happened, what you did, and what that says about you. Fill in the friend question on a day your inner critic is loud. Then print it or save a PDF. Entries stay only in this browser on this device, and nothing is sent.

Evidence log, 7 days

  1. Day 1

  2. Day 2

  3. Day 3

  4. Day 4

  5. Day 5

  6. Day 6

  7. Day 7

Stuck on the third box? Try: reliable, kind, brave, careful, honest, funny, hard-working, a good friend, someone who keeps trying.

My 5 facts

As you fill in "What it says about me", your first five answers appear here. Reread them on a bad day.

    The friend question

    Entries stay in this browser only. On a shared computer, press "Clear everything" when you finish. If the harsh thoughts turn to hurting yourself, skip this and use the crisis numbers below.

    Quietarium editorial team Updated Sources: 13

    How to fill in the evidence log

    One line a day is enough. Here is a filled-in day:

    What happenedWhat I didWhat it says about me
    My coworker was out, and a customer called with a billing messStayed calm, found the error and called the customer back before 5I am patient under pressure and I follow through
    • Write what you did, not how it turned out. If the customer stayed angry, you still stayed calm.
    • Small counts. Low self-esteem tends to skip over everyday positives and file them as "small" or "nothing special." The workbook this log is based on asks you to watch for exactly that [2].
    • Name a quality in the third box. "Good day" is a mood. "Patient" or "reliable" is something you can find again tomorrow.
    • Reread the log. The same workbook asks you to go back over what you wrote so the entries add up and sink in [2].

    The Centre for Clinical Interventions in Western Australia uses a version of this in its free self-esteem workbook: each day, record three examples, what you did and what positive quality it shows [2]. Ours asks for one a day, so it takes a couple of minutes.

    The friend question

    The NHS suggests it in one line: "Think what you'd say to a friend in a similar situation. We often give far better advice to others than we do to ourselves" [3]. On the worksheet:

    1. Write the harsh thought in your own words and rate how much you believe it, 0 to 10.
    2. Picture a friend saying it about themselves. Write what you would tell them.
    3. Add one entry from your log that the harsh thought leaves out. Then rate it again.

    "I always mess things up" becomes "You fixed that billing mess on your own. One bad week isn't 'always.'" Writing down evidence that goes against a negative belief is also the NHS's main self-help step [3].

    If the number doesn't move, that is common on the first try. Add another day of evidence and come back to it.

    The rest of this page explains why the worksheet is built this way. To skip ahead: three more exercises · FAQ · when to see a professional.

    Why evidence, not affirmations

    In experiments by Wood and colleagues, people with low self-esteem who repeated "I'm a lovable person" felt worse than those who didn't repeat it. People with high self-esteem felt a bit better [4]. A line you don't believe can remind you of everything that seems to prove it wrong. A real Tuesday, written down, is harder to argue with.

    What is self-worth?

    Self-worth is how you evaluate yourself as a valuable, capable person who deserves respect and consideration [5]. The terms overlap. The APA defines each one separately:

    TermAPA Dictionary of Psychology
    Self-esteemHow positive the qualities in your self-concept seem to you [1]
    Self-worthEvaluating yourself as valuable, capable and deserving of respect [5]
    Self-respectA feeling of self-worth, especially a proper regard for your values, character and dignity [6]

    Psychologists Jennifer Crocker and Connie Wolfe describe self-worth as often staked on particular areas. Self-esteem then rises and falls around its usual level with successes and failures in those areas [7]. If yours is staked on work, a bad review can feel like a verdict on you as a person. The evidence log can draw on any part of your life, not only the one that is going badly.

    How to build self-esteem: what research found

    Do worksheets work on their own? There is no trial of a single sheet. Programs for low self-esteem, several built on the same CBT ideas, do help on average:

    StudyWhat was testedWhat it found
    Niveau and colleagues, 2021 [8]119 studies of interventions for adultsA small to moderate rise in self-esteem on average (d = 0.38). CBT was among the approaches that worked. Group and face-to-face formats did better than individual and online ones.
    Kolubinski and colleagues, 2018 [9]8 studies of CBT based on Fennell's model of low self-esteemLarger gains with weekly sessions than with one-day workshops. It was unclear how different these programs are from therapy for depression.
    Waite and colleagues, 2012 [10]22 adults in primary care: 10 sessions of CBT with workbooks, or a waitlistBetter self-esteem, functioning and mood than the waitlist. The authors note the sample was small, mostly women, and followed for a short time.

    So treat a worksheet as a start. If you want to improve your self-image beyond what a worksheet does, the strongest results came from structured programs, often in a group or with a therapist [8].

    Three more self-esteem exercises for adults

    • A strengths list with proof. Write five qualities you have, then one real example under each. The CCI workbook pairs every quality with a specific memory, so the list is not "meaningless words on a page" [2].
    • Catch the critic's exact words. For a few days, write down the harshest sentence in your head word for word, with where you were. You may start to see a pattern, such as the same place or the same person.
    • One kind act toward yourself. Low self-esteem often comes with skipping things you enjoy because you feel you don't deserve them. The CCI workbook asks people to plan pleasant and satisfying activities on purpose [2]. Put one small one on tomorrow's list.

    In a meta-analysis of 27 trials, self-compassion training reduced self-criticism and depression, with moderate effects [11]. Our self-compassion meditation has a short guided break.

    Low self-esteem and low mood

    The APA notes that low self-esteem and feelings of worthlessness are common symptoms of depression [1]. Across 77 long-term studies, low self-esteem predicted later depression somewhat more strongly than depression predicted later low self-esteem; both effects were small [12]. These studies do not show that one causes the other in you.

    If you feel worthless most days, have lost interest in things and sleep badly for 2 weeks or more, the log may not be the right first step. The PHQ-9 questionnaire takes a few minutes and gives you a number to bring to a doctor. It is not a diagnosis.

    Frequently asked questions

    Are these worksheets free to print?

    Yes. Use "Print or save as PDF" on the worksheet: it prints only the log and the friend question, with what you typed. You can also print it blank and fill it in by hand.

    How long until I notice a difference?

    We can't promise a timeline. In one small trial, people had 10 therapy sessions with workbooks [10]. Give the log at least the full 7 days before you judge it.

    Can I use this alongside therapy?

    Yes, and you can bring it to a session. The trial in primary care used workbooks alongside therapy sessions [10], and a filled-in week gives you and your therapist something concrete to look at.

    What if I can't think of anything good I did?

    Make the day smaller. Getting to work on a bad morning, answering a hard email or making dinner while tired all count. The workbook suggests starting with fewer examples if three a day feels like too many [2].

    When to see a professional

    Talk to your primary care doctor or a therapist if any of these fit. They are our rough guide, not cutoffs from a study:

    • the harsh voice is there most days and has been for months;
    • it keeps you from work, friends or things you used to enjoy;
    • it comes with low mood, losing interest or trouble sleeping most days.

    Therapy built for low self-esteem exists, and the primary care trial above used it [10]. If your thoughts turn to hurting yourself, call or text 988, free and confidential, any time [13]. In immediate danger, call 911.

    If filling in the log makes you feel worse, stop for the day. Put it away and do something ordinary. It may be easier to fill in with a friend or a therapist next to you.

    If you feel very bad right now

    Emergency, US and Canada 911

    If you are thinking about suicide or are afraid you might hurt yourself, call or text now. You do not have to wait until it gets worse.

    • Emergency, US and Canada 911
    • Crisis line, US and Canada (free, 24/7) 988, call or text

    All countries and lines

    Author
    Quietarium editorial team
    Updated

    This page does not replace advice from a doctor. Medical disclaimer · Editorial policy

    Sources: 13
    1. American Psychological Association. APA Dictionary of Psychology: self-esteem. Dictionary entry. dictionary.apa.org (accessed October 23, 2026).
    2. Lim L, Saulsman L, Nathan P. Improving Self-Esteem, Module 6: Accepting Yourself. Centre for Clinical Interventions, Government of Western Australia; 2005. Clinical self-help workbook based on Fennell's model. cci.health.wa.gov.au (accessed October 23, 2026).
    3. NHS. Raising low self-esteem. Patient information page. nhs.uk (accessed October 23, 2026).
    4. Wood JV, Perunovic WQ, Lee JW. Positive self-statements: power for some, peril for others. Psychol Sci. 2009;20(7):860-866. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9280.2009.02370.x. Survey and two experiments. PubMed 19493324.
    5. American Psychological Association. APA Dictionary of Psychology: self-worth. Dictionary entry. dictionary.apa.org (accessed October 23, 2026).
    6. American Psychological Association. APA Dictionary of Psychology: self-respect. Dictionary entry. dictionary.apa.org (accessed October 23, 2026).
    7. Crocker J, Wolfe CT. Contingencies of self-worth. Psychol Rev. 2001;108(3):593-623. doi:10.1037/0033-295x.108.3.593. Theoretical review. PubMed 11488379.
    8. Niveau N, New B, Beaudoin M. Self-esteem interventions in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Res Pers. 2021;94:104131. doi:10.1016/j.jrp.2021.104131. Meta-analysis, 119 studies. author manuscript (accessed October 23, 2026).
    9. Kolubinski DC, Frings D, Nikčević AV, Lawrence JA, Spada MM. A systematic review and meta-analysis of CBT interventions based on the Fennell model of low self-esteem. Psychiatry Res. 2018;267:296-305. doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2018.06.025. Meta-analysis, 8 studies. PubMed 30201116.
    10. Waite P, McManus F, Shafran R. Cognitive behaviour therapy for low self-esteem: a preliminary randomized controlled trial in a primary care setting. J Behav Ther Exp Psychiatry. 2012;43(4):1049-1057. doi:10.1016/j.jbtep.2012.04.006. Randomized trial, 22 adults. PubMed 22683442.
    11. Ferrari M, Hunt C, Harrysunker A, Abbott MJ, Beath AP, et al. Self-compassion interventions and psychosocial outcomes: a meta-analysis of RCTs. Mindfulness. 2019;10:1455-1473. doi:10.1007/s12671-019-01134-6. Meta-analysis, 27 randomized trials. link.springer.com (accessed October 23, 2026).
    12. Sowislo JF, Orth U. Does low self-esteem predict depression and anxiety? A meta-analysis of longitudinal studies. Psychol Bull. 2013;139(1):213-240. doi:10.1037/a0028931. Meta-analysis of longitudinal studies: 77 on depression, 18 on anxiety. PubMed 22730921.
    13. 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Get Help. 988lifeline.org (accessed October 23, 2026).