Healthy Self Esteem
Tuesday, 21st August 2012
“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” ~Eleanor Roosevelt
The National Association for Self-Esteem defines self-esteem as “the experience of being capable of meeting life’s challenges and being worthy of happiness.” This points to the strong sense of competence, self-worth, and the relationship between the two as you live your life.
Let’s look at these two key players. Competence is having conviction in our abilities. If we say we’ll do something, we know we can do it.
Self-worth isn’t just about feeling good. The notion of worth is tied to whether or not a person feels they live up to certain fundamental human values. Can one find meaning to foster growth? This leads to a sense of integrity and satisfaction.
People with a healthy sense of self-esteem exhibit the following seven common traits:
Confidence – You don’t need to get a second opinion on everything. Decide for yourself. Learn from what happens. This is the key to building confidence.
Responsibility – Do you live up to your word? When something you do goes awry, do you step up and let it be known? How do you live a responsible life? Are you holding yourself accountable?
Acceptance – If you’re still holding a grudge from the way you were raised, or what happened way back when, you’re holding back from experiencing real joyful mojo. Love heals all wounds.
Flexibility – Can you go with the flow? Let it be. See it come. Watch it go. Those who are willing to let things change are more able to experience a lightness of being.
Vision – Do you know where you’re headed or what you want right now? Those with a healthy sense of self can maintain the big picture while still working on day-to-day details.
Relationships – Where are your people? Do you find community at the gym? On the bus? At a friend’s BBQ? A person with a healthy sense of self knows the value of relating to others in order to grow. You are not alone. Your relationships point to something deeper. We’re always surrounded by our brothers and sisters.
Clear Communication – Good speech is a result of good listening, so practice silence. Study others. Hear the song of the world one person at a time. Then open your mouth to see what tune comes to you.
A good self-esteem is vital to living a balanced life. It’s important to acknowledge our achievements and witness our own growth, and even celebrate these parts of our awakening.
Inner strength is based on our ability to appreciate our own being. With real self-esteem, we honor who we are. We treat ourselves with respect. And we don’t need to be filled by others. Instead, we give love versus asking for it. We are abundant, whole creations.
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