Improving Self-Worth and Confidence
We all have a deep-rooted desire to feel confident in ourselves and our abilities. Yet, we often succumb to negative self-talk, perceive others to be better than us, or deem ourselves unworthy of love - this is low self-worth. When we allow the limiting beliefs of low self-worth to take over, it clouds our judgment and blocks our intuition. We lose faith in ourselves and our intrinsic ability to find our way. Low or damaged self-worth can cause us to lose trust in ourselves, our instincts, and our ability to properly navigate our path in life.
As human beings, learning to love ourselves is one of the most important journeys we can take. Improving self-worth and confidence requires a deep exploration into our spiritual essence - an effort that entails confronting personal challenges and developing trust in our higher selves. It’s only when we understand our own worthiness and interconnectedness that true healing occurs, allowing us to live with purpose, strength, and joy. In this post, we’ll delve deep into the journey of honing self-worth and confidence worthy of each beautiful individual on this Earth.
What is Self-Worth?
Within each one of us there lies a deep well of worthiness and self-esteem waiting to be remembered. For some, that feeling is close to skin, evident in their joyous moments. These people have a healthy understanding of their own abilities and strengths and do not find value in comparing themselves with others. They recognize their equality, and their ability to uniquely contribute to the world. Yet for many others, the pursuit of self-worth is a challenge that seems forever out of reach. They doubt themselves and their ability to impact their own life and the lives of others in a positive way. They feel undeserving of love and are therefore unable to give love in its full capacity.
Self-worth is the way we perceive ourselves, the value that we place on our own opinion and the understanding of our capabilities. It fills us with a sense of connection and confidence in our part of the larger picture. Self-worth is our internal sense of being ‘good enough’, and the extent to which we feel worthy of love. Self-esteem and confidence both have their roots in self-worth; someone with low self-worth will naturally have difficulty cultivating confidence in themselves and their external abilities. Self-worth shapes the way we interact with the world around us, and with our own experiences.
Low self-worth dims one’s ability to truly understand their strengths and unique value and instead focuses on perceived weaknesses, judging oneself harshly while assuming everyone else is better, more capable, more deserving. This negative view of oneself can significantly impact an individual's mental and emotional wellbeing. It leads to feelings of inadequacy, self-doubt, anxiety, and depression. Healthy self-worth means having a positive and accurate perception of oneself. It allows individuals to set goals, communicate assertively, and maintain healthy interpersonal relationships. Building a healthy self-worth requires self-love, self-care, and self-acceptance.
What Shapes Self-Worth?
I’ve spent a lot of time pondering where self-worth comes from, mostly because mine was (and often still is) so low. I doubted myself in every way and felt overwhelmed and uncomfortable when people would take an unconditional interest in me. I wanted to understand why others around me seemed to possess a level of confidence completely foreign to me; what had happened in my life that caused me to have such a low opinion of myself? Was it because of the way I was parented? Was it because I was bullied in school? Addiction-related trauma? Mental illness? Genetics? There had to be a reason I felt so differently about myself than I perceived others to feel about themselves.
Answering these questions has been helpful in gaining insight into why I might have low self-worth in the first place, but it did not solve the problem. I can learn and accept that I was constantly berated for my opinions, likes/dislikes, and ideas growing up, and the damage it did to the way I felt about myself. I can blame the traumatic situations I put myself in while in active addiction, and the way those experiences further damaged my already shaky sense of self. But these things are all in the past, and are forever unchangeable. What matters is whether I use those experiences as guides to better understand myself, or excuses for staying stuck in self-pity and feeling victimized by life.
Developing and maintaining our self-worth is a lifelong pursuit that can be affected by many things. It’s beneficial to recognize the origin of our own self-worth (or lack thereof), but it is conscious action that improves the way we think about ourselves, and the degree to which we feel worthy of love, happiness, and prosperity. Recognizing ourselves as deserving, equal and valuable members of life is the ultimate goal, and it is our divine responsibility to cultivate a positive self-perception and embrace our full potential. By doing this, we come to realize that we are cherished and irreplaceable members of the universal family.
Why is Self-Worth Important?
Self-worth is the foundation of our lives. It is the starting point from which we view ourselves and the world around us. It determines how we interact with others and how we see ourselves in relation to them. It affects every aspect of our lives, from our relationships to our careers. If we have a low opinion of ourselves, we will tend to live our lives in a way that reflects that low opinion and attract things that are of a similar vibrational level. We find ourselves living a mediocre life in comparison to what our life would look like if we believed we were worthy of it.
Our self-worth also determines our happiness. If we have a healthy opinion of ourselves, we are more likely to be happy and fulfilled in life. Low self-worth causes us to feel as though we’re undeserving of happiness, or, at the very least, that it is out of our grasp. As a result, we find ourselves searching for something to fill that void, looking for happiness in all the wrong places. When we value ourselves, we are more in tune with what might make us happy, and more clearly motivated to do the things necessary to manifest it in our lives. Healthy self-worth acknowledges our right to the enjoyment of life, and that true happiness comes from within.
Self-worth affects the degree to which we trust ourselves, a foundational concept for spiritual exploration and growth. Trust can be a difficult thing to grant ourselves—especially when it comes to understanding our own path in this life. We can often feel uncertain and without a clear focus for moving forward. We're left unsure of which path is uniquely ours, and spend most of our time trying to be someone else. It's difficult to anchor down to one job, one relationship, or even one spiritual path. When we live like this, we miss out on the opportunity to fully understand our divine calling and experience the deep satisfaction that comes from embracing our own worth.
How can We Improve Self-Worth?
Define your worth
The first step to improving your self-worth is to define it for yourself. What do you value? What are your individual strengths? What do you feel called to offer the world? When you start identifying what you have to offer, it becomes easier to see your own worth.
Ayahuasca
Ayahuasca has the power to change our perspective without the limiting beliefs instilled on us through reputation, time, and circumstances. It helps us see our interconnectedness with others and nature, which helps us uncover our own inherent worth and embrace our divine identity. The unique journey we each embark on provides us with special gifts, and Ayahuasca can help us see and appreciate them more fully. It can help us connect with ourselves in a powerful and authentic way, reducing the power and control that other people’s opinions, whether real or perceived, have over us. By helping us see and embrace ourselves as unique spiritual beings, we gain strength in our confidence and feel more grounded in our sense of self-worth.
Accept compliments
Compliments are a reflection of someone else's opinion of you. They are not necessarily indicative of your own worth, but they can be a valuable tool in building self-confidence. When someone pays you a compliment, accept it graciously and with thanks.
Meditation
Meditation allows you to connect with your innermost thoughts and feelings, and to access your intuitive wisdom and insight. When you meditate, you will likely find that your self-worth and confidence increase naturally, as you become more in tune with your true nature.
Positive Affirmations
Another way to improve self-worth and confidence is by using positive affirmations. Positive affirmations are statements that you repeat to yourself in order to change your thinking patterns. For example, if you are trying to increase your self-worth, you might say to yourself, “I am worthy of love and respect,” or “I am valuable and deserving.” Repeating positive affirmations on a daily basis can help to shift your thinking from negative to positive, which can lead to improved self-worth and confidence.
Visualization
Visualization is another effective tool for improving self-worth and confidence. When you visualize, you create mental images of what you want to achieve or manifest in your life. If you want to increase your self-confidence, you might visualize yourself speaking confidently in front of a large group of people, or achieving a goal that you have set for yourself.
Self-Care
One of the best ways to improve self-worth and confidence is through self-care. Self-care means taking care of yourself physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. When you take care of yourself, you send the message that you are worth taking care of, which can improve your perception of yourself. Self-care activities can include anything from getting regular exercise and eating healthy foods, to taking time for yourself each day to relax and rejuvenate.
In Conclusion
Let us remind ourselves of our inherent greatness and acknowledge that our abilities are unique and valuable. Do not fall prey to comparisons or self-judgement. Believe in yourself and your potential for greatness. Trust that the universe has a plan for you and your unique purpose is waiting to be discovered. Embrace your divine worth and shine your light onto the world. By taking a step back and quieting our minds, we can tune in to our inner voice and tap into the boundless source of spiritual confidence that lies within us.
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