ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Healthy narcissism

Healthy narcissism means having a positive self-image and feeling confident about ourselves without hurting other people's feelings. It is like having a little balloon of self-love inside us that makes us feel good about who we are.

Let's pretend that we went on a big hike, and we reached the top of the mountain. When we look at the view, we might feel proud of ourselves for what we accomplished. That's healthy narcissism. It makes us feel good about ourselves, and it's alright as long as we don't think we're better than everyone else who attempted the hike.

Healthy narcissism is when we believe in ourselves and our abilities. We can think to ourselves, "I can do this; I am smart, kind and loving". It is good because it helps us have a positive attitude towards ourselves, and it shows in how we act towards others.

When we have healthy narcissism, we don't brag, put others down, or make them feel bad. Instead, we encourage people to feel good about themselves too. We know that everyone is special in their own way, and we can be proud of ourselves without making others feel bad in the process.