Women and Self Esteem

Up until the age of twenty-five I was searching for happiness on the outside. I had a bad case of what I call the "when I haves." For example, "When I have that next boyfriend then I'll be happy."

Anger and physical aggression in girls and women is typically deemed inappropriate. We are taught to deny, suppress and hide these feelings, but that's not necessarily the healthiest response.

There is a fine line between moments when we say "yes" to open up to new life possibilities, and, when we say "no" to honor ourselves and maintain a healthy boundary.

Given the story of Eve, it's no wonder that women have an underlying sense of blame, shame and in many cases, a fear of questioning male authority.

What leads me to seek social approval before making a decision? Could it be a personality trait? Could it be a lack of self-esteem? Or is biology a factor?