How you view and handle yourself in daily life is heavily influenced by your sense of self-worth and value. Learn to use them both so that your words and deeds reflect how much you value yourself.
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What Is Self Worth?
The idea of self-worth is essentially the conviction that you are a decent person who merits respect. If you value yourself, you naturally believe that you are respectful, kind, and compassionate and that you deserve the same in return.
Aligning with our own self-worth enables us to take more doable actions that enhance and cultivate that worth. Self-worth is how to achieve this.
To Value Oneself, What Does That Mean?
Self-worth and self-value are two ideas that are frequently used interchangeably. Self-worth is defined as “the sense of one’s own value or worth as a person”. Self-value extends beyond believing that you are deserving or significant. As Stonsy (2014) states, “self-value is more behavioral than emotional, more about how you act toward what you value, including yourself, than how you feel about yourself compared to others”.
Knowing that you are intrinsically valuable and being willing to devote time and effort to caring for and supporting yourself are both signs of having self-value. It is not selfish to value yourself by prioritizing your needs and wants; rather, it is a crucial step to boosting your self-confidence and enhancing significant relationships in your life. It’s crucial to have high self-esteem because it affects how you view and handle yourself every day.
How Do They Differ?
We are fundamentally motivated by our sense of worth. It’s how we begin to live our lives, fulfill our purposes, and grow in our human worth. The decisions we make, the relationships we nurture, and the life paths we decide to take can all be attributed in large part to a strong sense of self-worth.
Being self-aware does not imply that you are undervaluing other people. Since you extend your self-nurture and self-care to the relationships and communities in your life, having a strong sense of self-value implies that you value others as well.
On the other hand, low self-esteem can result in aggressive self-criticism and a demeaning view of oneself.
The behavior that maintains our alignment with our self-worth is self-value. Self-value can also be seen as a component of self-worth, which is a more general term. Actionable ways to value ourselves are shown, many of which are highlighted below. When we develop a sense of self-worth, we extend that energy outward toward our communities and the people who live in them as well as toward our own well-being.
How To Value Yourself
1. Acknowledge The Inner Critic
Everyone has a strong inner voice that isn’t always kind. When we have ideas or projects in mind, it interjects, and it frequently dissuades us from taking a risk or having confidence in ourselves. The inner critic can seriously damage our self-esteem if it isn’t reined in.
Our sense of worth cannot develop in this environment. Acknowledging this critic is a good first step in the often lifelong struggle to overcome it. So many people spend their entire lives listening to this voice on autopilot without ever realizing what a dictator it has turned out to be. You can learn to reclaim your power and value when you can stop and recognize that it is in charge.
2. Set Boundaries
Boundaries you set for yourself and your sense of worth go hand in hand. You can choose how you want to be treated by others by establishing personal boundaries for yourself. You can safeguard yourself against being exploited or mistreated with their aid. That you respect yourself and demand the same respect from others is demonstrated by having a strong sense of self-worth and solid boundaries.
Setting boundaries can occasionally feel awkward because we fear that doing so will make us seem cruel or self-centered.). Though it can frequently result in a pattern of neglecting yourself in order to please others or tolerating disrespectful or harmful behavior, failing to set clear and respectful boundaries in your life is a disservice to yourself.
The more you are able to set boundaries in your life, the more people will treat you with the respect and kindness that you deserve. On the other hand, people who are unable to respect your boundaries might not help you build the healthy relationships that you need and want in your life.
3. Practice Affirmations In The Mirror
Positive words are like tiny miracles waiting to sprout because they have a powerful amount of power! Speaking affirmations aloud while practicing in front of the mirror is even more effective because the eyes are the mirror to that soul.
We can send that energy deep into our own psyche when we can catch our own gaze and fill our space with encouraging words. Affirmations may be something like, “I am loved and loving” or “I accept who I am right now.”
4. Give Attention To Your Dreams
Giving attention to your dreams is a never-ending cycle of self-worth and self-worth, whether you’d like to write them out in your journal or create a vision board. Your deepest aspirations and wishes are expressed in your dreams.
You are spiritually and emotionally satisfied when you shine a light on them because you are doing so for your soul and heart. Additionally, you’re educating and empowering yourself to think that you are deserving of your goals.
5. Let Go Of Comparison
As distinct as a snowflake, you. There is no one else like you in the world. We all know that “comparison is the thief of joy.” It’s simple to feel behind or lacking in some way when we contrast ourselves with others. That is simply untrue.
In terms of your life’s timeline, you are exactly where you should be. Have faith that everyone follows their path in God’s perfect timing. Instead of concentrating on what others have over you, concentrate on your own individual journey and feel eager for the opportunities that lie ahead.
6. Find Ways To Serve Others
When we come into the practice of selfless service (or seva, in Sanskirt [4]), we simultaneously feed our own self-worth and value. Volunteering is a good thing, but helping others also means giving something of ourselves that is special and all our own.
Your community benefits when you share your unique contribution to the world, whether it be a skill you have to offer or simply your time.
7. Accept Yourself As You Are
Reliving the past is useless because it has already happened. It serves no purpose to speculate on the future because it has not yet materialized. Your acceptance of who you are at this moment is your greatest gift to yourself.
When you manifest as authentically as you can, the world is more whole. It gives other people the courage to do the same. As your life progresses, you will undoubtedly change and develop, but how can you currently present yourself as who you are?
8. Seek Therapy
Considering therapy as a way to improve your sense of worth can be very beneficial. According to studies, therapy is an effective way to address low self-worth, self-esteem, and self-value. For instance, a case study looking at the effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) for a person with low self-esteem, depression, and anxiety revealed that after completing a course of therapy, they no longer met the diagnostic criteria for any mental health disorder and showed clinically significant improvement in their symptoms.
Insight from a therapist can help you comprehend the underlying causes of any problems you might be having, such as issues with self-worth and self-worth. A therapist can provide fresh insight, help you learn how to challenge negative self-talk, address past trauma that might be a cause of low self-worth, and create healthy coping mechanisms.
9. When In Doubt, Remember Your Perseverance
Life has a funny way of throwing curveballs. The idea that you’re not good enough or have failed in some way can seriously undermine your sense of worth. Consider your ultimate objective or dream whenever this occurs. Keep in mind that persistence is the never-ending fuel you can use to keep achieving more.
10. Be Grateful For Effort
To show up in life is not always simple. We don’t always pause to consider how much effort we expend on a daily basis. Being appreciative of everything you accomplish is one way to value yourself more.
Even though it’s simple to criticize yourself and wish you’d performed better, you’re always doing your best. Keep doing that and acknowledge even small victories. Your entire being will be ten times grateful to you.
11. Forgive Yourself Often
When things don’t go as you had hoped, learn to forgive. When someone wrongs you, try to forgive them. Grudges are like self-inflicted burdens that you intentionally put on yourself, whether they come from other people or yourself.
Why Does Valuing Oneself Matter So Much?
A key component of living a life where you feel good about yourself without assistance from anyone else or an outside source is believing in your value. You can understand and believe you are deserving of love, affection, and good things in life if you value yourself first. When you hold these beliefs, it is simpler to enjoy external validation and recognition when it occurs.
No amount of love, acclaim, or approval from outside sources can make up for a lack of self-worth. In contrast, undervaluing yourself will make you feel as though you are not worthy of such praise. Additionally, it may cause you to speak negatively to yourself more frequently and to have more problems with self-esteem and body image.
According to a University of Michigan study, college students who base their sense of worth on factors outside of themselves, such as their appearance, other people’s opinions of them, and academic stress, experience higher levels of stress, anger, academic difficulties, relationship problems, and drug and alcohol use, as well as eating disorder symptoms. They also report higher levels of stress and anger.
The same study also discovered that students who derived their sense of worth from internal qualities like virtue or adherence to moral principles performed better academically and were less likely to abuse drugs or alcohol or develop eating disorders.
According to a different study, people who have high self-esteem experience less emotional distress when receiving unfavorable feedback from others. The study unequivocally shows how crucial it is to develop a strong sense of internal self-value rather than pinning your worth and value on other people or things.
Conclusion
One of the best things you can do for yourself is to have a strong sense of your own worth. There are constructive steps you can take to increase your sense of self-value, even though it can occasionally be challenging. You can take steps toward a positive change by putting some of the ideas from this article into practice, and you can also acknowledge that you deserve to be treated with respect, loved, happy, and successful.