TL;DR
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Bolde published a list of nine subtle habits it says may be associated with low self-esteem, including reflexive apologies, rejecting compliments and difficulty saying no. The report presents these behaviors as possible patterns, not a diagnosis; it does not establish that any single habit indicates low self-esteem.
Bolde has published a report describing nine everyday habits that it says may be associated with low self-esteem, from apologizing unnecessarily to repeatedly revisiting small mistakes. The article cautions that none of these behaviors alone proves low self-esteem, and frames them as patterns worth examining when several appear together.
The behaviors listed include apologizing before anyone has expressed a concern, brushing off compliments, and tying self-worth closely to recent performance—patterns also discussed in habits tied to seeking approval. The report also describes offering unsolicited explanations for ordinary choices, saying yes despite not wanting to, and keeping personal achievements to oneself.
Its remaining examples are replaying mistakes for an extended period and, as the supplied source text cuts off during the list, an additional ninth habit that is not available in the material provided. The article links these behaviors to concerns about approval, judgment or taking up space, but those explanations are the report’s interpretation rather than evidence that a particular person has low self-esteem.
Bolde cites psychologists Jennifer Crocker, Erika Martinez and Allison Kelly in discussing contingent self-esteem, people-pleasing and self-criticism. The supplied material includes short quotations attributed to Crocker and Kelly, and a paraphrase of Martinez’s comments. It does not provide study titles, dates or links to the underlying research, limiting independent checks of those specific claims.
How Everyday Patterns Can Affect Well-Being
The report may help readers notice habits that can affect work, relationships and personal boundaries. Regularly dismissing praise or agreeing to unwanted commitments can make it harder to communicate needs and recognize accomplishments. The article’s examples describe how such behaviors may accumulate, rather than suggesting that any one interaction reveals someone’s inner state.
That distinction matters because common behaviors have many possible explanations. Apologizing can be a social habit; declining praise can reflect modesty or discomfort; revisiting an error can follow from stress or the stakes of a task. Treating a list as a diagnostic test could lead readers to label themselves or others without enough information. The report offers prompts for reflection, not a clinical assessment.
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The Behaviors in Bolde’s List
Bolde’s examples focus on ways people respond to evaluation and other people’s expectations. The report says a person may apologize pre-emptively to avoid disapproval, or reject a compliment because it conflicts with a negative view of themselves. It also describes self-worth that rises and falls with recent achievements, leaving past successes unable to reassure the person for long.
Other examples concern choices and boundaries: defending routine decisions without being asked, taking on work or plans to avoid disappointing others, and not sharing good news for fear of unwanted scrutiny. The final example in the supplied text describes replaying small errors and turning a mistake into a judgment about one’s character. The source excerpt ends partway through that section, so the complete list and its ninth item cannot be verified from the material provided.
““When people want to boost self-esteem or avoid a drop, they may do things that undermine them as a whole.””
— Jennifer Crocker, University of Michigan psychologist, as quoted by Bolde
Limits of the Available Evidence
The supplied report does not establish a diagnostic link between each habit and low self-esteem, nor does it provide evidence that the behaviors reliably identify it. The article itself says the patterns do not always point to low self-esteem and suggests looking at several together. That is a caution, not a validated screening method.
The source excerpt also stops mid-sentence in the section about replaying mistakes. As a result, the ninth habit is missing from the material available for this article. The publication date and the original research or interview sources behind the named psychologists’ statements are also not supplied, so those details remain unverified here.
What Readers Can Take From the List
Bolde’s report does not announce a study, clinical guideline or formal assessment; it is an advice-style article. Readers can treat its examples as possible prompts for reflection, rather than proof about themselves or someone else. The source material provides no follow-up research, expert response or next publication date.
If a pattern is causing distress or interfering with daily life, a conversation with a qualified mental health professional can help put it in context. The behaviors in this list can have different causes, and an individual assessment is better suited to exploring those than a checklist.
Key Questions
What habits does the report associate with low self-esteem?
It describes unnecessary apologies, rejecting compliments, self-worth tied to recent results, defending choices without being asked, difficulty saying no, keeping good news private and repeatedly replaying mistakes. The supplied excerpt does not show the complete ninth item.
Does one of these habits mean someone has low self-esteem?
No. Bolde says the behaviors do not always indicate low self-esteem and frames several appearing together as a reason to look more closely. The article is not a diagnostic tool.
Which psychologists does the article cite?
Bolde refers to Jennifer Crocker of the University of Michigan, clinical psychologist Erika Martinez and Allison Kelly of the University of Waterloo. The supplied material does not include full citations for the original sources behind their comments.
Is the full list of nine habits available in the source material?
No. The supplied text cuts off during the section on replaying mistakes, before the ninth habit is identified. The complete list cannot be confirmed from the excerpt provided.
Source: bolde.com
