Self-esteem and self-worth are some ingredients needed for internal growth. In today’s world, these are two similar but different characteristics that many of us are lacking. Social media, social norms, and backward thinking have really brought people down more and more. Why are they so important? But first, let’s define them so we are all on the same page.
self-esteem: confidence and satisfaction in oneself.
(source Google)
self-worth: a sense of one’s own value as a human being.
(source Google)
In my opinion, these are two out of many characteristics we need to have a healthier life. I have chosen these two to speak of first because they are very important to me. Personally, I believe these two should be at the forefront for everyone who is interested in their own personal growth and development.
Where did our self-esteem go?
We truly need to develop a good view of ourselves. To develop self-esteem we have to first learn to love who we are. We are all different in many ways and that’s ok, that’s what makes us amazing. Discover your goodness. Imperfections and lack of confidence are some of the reasons that we may be down on ourselves. Take notes as to why you believe you may have poor self-esteem so you can begin to build it up.
What is your self-image? Please try to stop comparing yourself to others. I know that this is very difficult, we all struggle with it, but if you don’t work on it you will always feel unhappy with yourself.
“People’s outsides can’t be compared to our “insides”
-Dr. Susan Biali Haas
We also need to try to overcome our views of others on social media. Understand that social media portrays the highlight reels. In most cases that’s not how people live. The clothes, the makeup, the hair, the cars, the destinations. Everyone has their own share of insecurities so please don’t feel like you are alone.
To help build up our self-esteem we should figure out what we are good at and try to develop it from there. What do you enjoy doing in your life? What types of things can you change about yourself? You may not even need to change anything about yourself besides developing a healthy view of yourself. The more you work on your craft the better your confidence will rise. Then you can start feeling better about yourself. Try it!
Do not give up on yourself. You can reach emotional success!
How much do you value yourself?
Moving on to self-worth. The only way you will ever know what your worth is is when you have cultivated a healthy view of yourself. Your self-esteem must be alive and well. Do you know your value? If not we need to get you to go back to the very beginning.
Having self-worth is very important because if you don’t have it people may prey on you and exploit your weaknesses. This could very well be extremely dangerous. You could potentially travel down a dark road that you may not recognize until it’s too late (hypothetically and in reality). You could start developing dependency issues that could cripple you. I don’t mean to be so dramatic here, but it is very important for me to convey that you need to recognize your immediate world. It should be very important for you!
Depression is on the rise, self-harm is on the rise, and mental illness is at an all-time high. Self-esteem and self-worth are key players in this. Please, please, please seek help from qualified professionals to help you get through potentially dark times and things that you aren’t at the moment able to do on your own. Good friends, confidants, healthy family members, and/or those around you who care about you would be good to keep close.
Don’t be mistaken, having all these people around you is great when you need them but it is mission critical that you understand that it is you that needs to put in the work to get you through the door. The door to better self-esteem and better self-worth. Learn to appreciate and love yourself. If you don’t, how will you even know how to love another?
Conclusion
Self-esteem starts with creating confidence and being satisfied with yourself. Self-worth then can begin with you understanding your value. Chin up and start the work. It will be worth it I promise. And yes, it will be difficult if you have never had either.
