It’s a sad reality that many of us feel that we aren’t good enough. And what makes it worse is that low self-worth can shape our lives. It can affect our present actions and decisions, and it may eventually keep us from living our lives to the fullest. It can mean missed opportunities and can also impact our relationships with others.
Low self-esteem can keep you from pursuing your goals and can make you settle for someone who doesn’t value you. This is why it’s very important to address the problem before it takes over your life. The first step is to identify the root cause.
Here are common reasons why people feel unworthy:
Having Negligent Parents or Guardians.
When you are young, how you see yourself or what you feel about yourself is mostly influenced by how others treat you, especially your parents or guardians. All of us deserve to be nurtured by a loving family. Unfortunately, not every youth gets enough love and support at home. It could be that their parents have mental issues or substance abuse issues or any other situations where the child is unable to receive proper care, guidance and attention. This can lead to self-esteem issues not only during youth but also when they grow up. As author Dorothy Briggs put it, “Self-esteem is the mainspring that slates every child for success or failure as a human being.”
Even if the parents aren’t negligent, they can still cause self-esteem issues. For instance, those who grew up in strict households (or generally in Asian cultural upbringing) where parents didn’t allow their kids to express themselves may feel that what they think or feel isn’t valuable enough.
Past Mistakes Leading to Negative Thought Patterns.
Sometimes the problem lies in your tendency to constantly think and say negative things about yourself. You get so used to telling yourself you are no good that it becomes a habit. You probably have failed in the past and made some stupid mistakes but remember your mistakes and weaknesses don’t define you. Cut yourself some slack. You may not be perfect, but you are always good enough.
Having Experienced Trauma.
Any form of abuse, whether physical, sexual, emotional or a mix of these, usually causes feelings of shame and sometimes even guilt. A person may feel unworthy of respect due to those painful memories. Sometimes a victim of abuse may even feel that they are partly to blame that the abuse happened. Aside from feeling unworthy, they can also suffer from anxiety and depression.
Having a Poor Body Image.
From the day we’re born, we’re bombarded with unrealistic images of how one should look like or what the ideal body type is. It’s not just the media, even people are judgmental of a person’s size. It’s not surprising body image plays a huge factor in most young people’s self-esteem. Those who are struggling with body image issues feel unattractive and inadequate.
Comparing Self to Others.
This is probably the most common reason most people feel low self-worth.. One of the not-so-good qualities of being human is to constantly look at the lives of others. The reality is there will always be someone who has more or does better, and if you keep comparing yourself to others, you will end up feeling inadequate, if not miserable. This is especially true in this age of social media where it’s so easy to create false realities and unrealistic expectations in people’s feeds.
Your worth as a person and your happiness is not gauged by what you have or what you lack in life. You can be genuinely happy by focusing on the good things you already have.
You Are More Than Enough: Ways to Feel Better About Yourself
Whatever the cause of your self-esteem issues is, the important thing you should know is that you are more than enough. If you feel unworthy, know that you are not alone and there are many ways you can do to feel better. Here are some helpful tips to boost your self-worth:
Surround yourself with people who make you feel good about yourself.
There are people whose company can be toxic. Avoid people who bring you down and inflict emotional pain whenever you can. Life is too short to put up with people who make you feel less than you are. It’s better to have fewer people who genuinely want the best for you than having so many people who are not really supportive.
Be mindful of your thoughts.
Your thoughts can be your number 1 enemy. Train yourself to dismiss negative thoughts early on so you can navigate to a more positive direction. It also helps to identify what triggers your negative thoughts in the first place. There might be wounds or issues that need to be healed.
Recognize that everyone has their own struggles.
Failures, rejections, and disappointments are part of life. Even the most successful people failed a number of times before making it. It’s all about learning how to turn these experiences into valuable lessons and keep going. Allow yourself to process your feelings, then move forward.
Ask family members and close friends what they like about you.
More often than not, others see more of our strengths than we do ourselves. By asking people what they appreciate about you, you’ll discover qualities about you that you fail to notice. Put their words into writing and read them whenever you feel down.
Make a list of what you’re grateful for.
Sometimes we only need to be reminded of what we have in life to know how well we are doing after all. It helps to keep a journal where you jot down the things you feel grateful for. You may also want to spend a few minutes of your time to write a morning gratitude list.
Feel better about yourself through Intuitive Energy Healing.
In cases of trauma and parent neglect, it may require healing of old wounds to learn to fully love yourself again or to feel worthy enough to be loved. This is where Intuitive Energy Healing, a more advanced form of safe, channelled energy healing with a specific focus on emotional energy release comes in (as opposed to Reiki). It’s common for survivors of trauma and parent neglect to have negative emotions trapped inside their bodies which can be the reason they continue to feel unworthy. Through Intuitive Energy Healing, old negative feelings tied to low self-worth are removed to allow positive energy to come in so that part of your body can naturally start creating positive emotions on its own.
Moreover, emotional energy release helps with altering negative subconscious mind patterns. Ultimately, Intuitive Energy Healing can help you improve your well-being as a whole and make you feel better about yourself. As emotional wounds are healed, the past will no longer burden you, you’ll be able to attract more positivity in life. You’ll find it easier to love yourself, believe in yourself, and know your real worth.
