Self-worth: the sense of one's own value or worth as a person; self-esteem; self-respect. Everyone looks in the mirror everyday. What do you see when you see yourself?
Recognizing your self-worth is a huge step in your growing process. When you realize how much you are worth and what you deserve, you do not settle for anything less. I fully believe that if you understand your self-worth, then naturally you are happier.
Do you know that feeling where you just feel low, pushed down, stepped on, and maybe even just worthless sometimes? If you have, and I am sure most people have, then just know that it is normal and part of life. That being said, having these negative feelings definitely do not make anything in life easier. In the midst of hard times, you have to remember who you are and all of the things you love about life as well as about yourself. When you value yourself, you are recognizing your self-worth.
Self-worth is something that is not promoted by
society. Especially in a teenage girl’s mindset, if she does not look like a
supermodel or that gorgeous actress on television, then she does not believe
that she is beautiful. When you look at yourself in the mirror, the first thing
you do is critique yourself. You can find the worst things about yourself just
by looking into a mirror and immediately get discouraged. These things are not
what you are meant to be seeing. Instead of critiquing yourself on the outside,
look deeper. Look at who you are as a soul rather than as a human. You will
find that you are valuable no matter how you look on the outside.
There is a quote by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, a
French aristocrat and poet, which I love. He says, “I have no right, by
anything I do or say, to demean a human being in his own eyes. What matters is
not what I think of him; it is what he thinks of himself.” He really hit the
nail on the head with this statement. What makes us as humans think that we
have the right to demean somebody else? We do not have that right in any way. I
am not saying that I am perfect, because I am not. I have hurt people by my
words and actions that I am not proud of. However, as humans, we cannot think
that we are better than anyone else no matter who they are. When you realize
that you are valuable and that you are loved, you also have to realize that
everyone else is too. Everybody has their own struggles that they have to work
on and overcome. When you understand your own self-worth, use that happiness to
bring others up and help them find their self-worth also.
Recognizing your own self-worth is such a huge
part of your life. When you realize just how much you are worth, then you will
not settle for anything less than you deserve. At times, everyone will struggle
and fall back. What do you do after that? You pick yourself up and keep going
forward because you know that you are capable of working through any situation
that comes your way. A motivational speaker by the name Emory Austin once said,
“Some days there won’t be a song in your heart. Sing anyway.” I find this quote
so beautiful and something to always keep in mind. If you have been knocked
down by a trial in life and you still “sing” anyway, then you know in your
heart that you deserve the best and you deserve to be happy. Understanding this
is a part of recognizing your self-worth. Remembering this will make you grow.
Knowing that you are valuable is a hard concept to grasp when you are feeling down, even if you are the most confident person in the world. When you are struggling with remembering your self-worth and acknowledging it, make a list. Maybe it is a list about things you like about yourself, things that make you happy, your skills, goals you have accomplished, etc. When you make a list about these things, you will learn more about yourself. Hopefully you will recognize and always remember that you are valuable, loved, and wonderfully made.
