Self Esteem

Many Americans today degrade the importance of self esteem. For example, my first period math teacher continually ridicules his colleagues for endorsing self confidence among students. He, like many other middle aged men of his time, believes self esteem is overrated. However, as eating disorders, self mutilation and depression have become everyday troubles for many teens, it is evident that self esteem (or lack thereof) can be extremely harmful to the developmental stages in a woman's life.

So what is the key to gaining this essential thing labeled "self esteem"? My advice would be to focus on the wonderful things about you. If you look all the way back into Newton's laws, you will find that everything has an equilibrant. Each person on earth is good at something but has an impediment balancing them out. Why focus on that downfall?
I like to consider myself a relatively confident young woman, not depending on the approval of others to get by, but even I am affected by rude comments or dirty looks from my peers. While society doesn't want you to be that overly confident girl, who is often dubbed cocky, you certainly can't be a conformist or a self loathing woman. So where is the medium, if there even is one?