Satsang: Building Self Worth

Building Self Worth: by Janice Whitley

Why You Need To Value Yourself Why You Must Know Your Self-Worth Overcoming Fears and Habitual Emotions for a Positive Outlook Pay Attention to How You Measure Your Value

Effective Prayer Focus As I focus within to access my High Self, I choose to merge with Spirit. In concert with the Divine, I create Love and Light in the weather patterns. The wind is filled with Love and Light. The rain is filled with Love and Light. The sea is filled with Love and Light. The land is filled with Love and Light. The Weather gently changes negativity to Love and Light. Thank you, for making it so.

Here are Five ways to Nourish your Self-Esteem

- Use positive affirmations correctly.

- Identify your competencies and develop them.

- Learn to accept compliments.

- Eliminate self-criticism and introduce self-compassion.

- Affirm your real worth.

Any discussion about how to build our self-worth must start with a definition of self-esteem. The two are, of course, related. Your self-esteem is undoubtedly influenced by your self-worth. However, they are not the same. is primarily built upon sources outside of yourself that you don’t actually control. Self-esteem encapsulates the thoughts and feelings you experience at each moment. These thoughts and feelings have a direct impact on your results, behavior, and performance. Self-esteem is primarily built upon the value derived from doing the things that get you your desired outcomes. But it’s more than just about “doing” something.

Self-esteem is instead a direct outcropping of how you feel about yourself at any given moment. This is based purely on your actions.

How you feel about yourself is heavily influenced by how you think you’re fairing compared to others. In other words, your self-esteem is derived from what you think others “think” of you based on your results and actions. Given all this, it’s quite clear that self-esteem is not something that comes from within ourselves, but rather something that comes from outside of ourselves and subsequently influences how we feel at any given moment.

Self-worth and self-value are two related terms that are often used interchangeably. Having a sense of self-worth means that you value yourself, and having a sense of self-value means that you are worthy. The differences between the two are minimal enough that both terms can be used to describe the same general concept. “Self-esteem is what we think and feel and believe about ourselves. Self-worth is recognizing ‘I am greater than all of those things.’ It is a deep knowing that I am of value, that I am lovable, necessary to this life, and of incomprehensible worth.” The self-worth theory posits that an individual’s main priority in life is to find self-acceptance and that self-acceptance is often found through achievement (Covington & Beery, 1976). In turn, achievement is often found through competition with others.

Thus, the logical conclusion is that competing with others can help us feel like we have impressive achievements under our belt, which then makes us feel proud of ourselves and enhances our acceptance of ourselves.

The theory holds that there are four main elements of the self-worth model:

1. Ability

2. Effort

3. Performance

4. Self-worth

The first three interact with each other to determine one’s level of self-worth. One’s ability and effort predictably have a big impact on performance, and all three contribute to one’s feeling of worth and value.

While this theory represents a good understanding of self-worth as we tend to experience it, it is unfortunate that we place so much emphasis on our achievements. Aside from competing and “winning” against others, there are many factors that can contribute to our sense of self-worth.

As with most lifelong traits, it’s best to start early. If you know any adolescents, be sure to encourage them to understand and accept their own self-worth. Reinforce their value as a being rather than a “doing,” as some say—in other words, make sure they know that they are valuable for who they are, not what they do. So know that you are worthy, always, never doubt that fact.