Spiritually and somewhat physically.
Today, while shopping at Whole Foods, I had a deep conversation about self-worth with a stranger.
I think almost everyone struggles with self-worth, love, and feeling loved. I know that I do.
It’s an all too common theme for many of us, especially those who have been in abusive situations, whether it was a relative or a spouse, a parent or teacher. And these influences are ingrained into our own personal mentalities.
So how does one solve this problem?
You’re going to have to face yourself.
Looking into the mirror and speaking love into that soul is one of the hardest things to do if you have low self-esteem. It feels like you’re lying to yourself, and you feel awkward and fake.
That said, this isn’t what I mean by facing yourself. You have to go deeper. Unplug, detach, and go within. Start with meditation or prayer. Ask yourself why you feel the way you do.
Keep asking why? And write down those answers. Other questions to ask are:
- Where do these thoughts come from?
- Who told me this?
- Why do I believe this to be true?
Keep repeating those questions until you get to the root answer. And understand this isn’t a problem that can be solved with one simple solution. Instead, look at it as if it’s a daily exercise you need to do to strengthen your mind.
Your brain is a computer…
And your belief systems are programs that are constantly being run on that computer. And just like with your personal laptop or mobile devices, you can clear out the cache, uninstall programs, and install ones that empower that device.
It’s a little bit more complicated with ourselves and our own brains, but this is why I journal daily. I write affirmations and listen to music by uplifting artists. One such song is I Am Gold by Alex Boyé.
I Am Gold…
This song is powerful because it uses the statement, “I Am,” followed by something of value, “gold.” In his song, Alex also says, “I am made of gold,” meaning that he is made of something precious and valuable. Here’s what Alex says about why he specifically chose the title of his song:
“‘I AM’…Two of the most powerful words. For what you put after them shapes your reality. I was told, “If you want to know what your life will be like in 5 years time, just listen to what you are saying about yourself today.”
“I believe we become what we think about most of the time. I developed this thing with myself called bronze silver, and I am gold conversation Athletes seem to know this. Those who think like a gold medalists are most likely to get the gold. I believe that is the same with life.”
“Do we speak with each other and ourselves in bronze, silver, or Gold conversation? What comes out of your mouth will determine your future. BE GOLD! It is my hope that this song will inspire you to higher and healthy and positive thinking in day-to-day life. Why? Because we were all born to be GOLD.”
Fun fact, the average human body has around 0.2 milligrams of gold.
Self-worth is something many of us struggle with daily…
I struggle with it pretty often. You rarely see the struggle because I hide it very well. Some days are harder than others, but I find that by taking the time to meditate and redirect my focus on my goals and accomplishments rather than my fears and past embarrassments, the moments pass. And doing those above steps with asking why is really empowering.
One thing I want you to take away from this is that words have power. Whether spoken or written, they shape our perceptions of realities, and our own bodies even listen to them. Think about it for a moment: the human body consists of trillions of cells that operate autonomously. And these cells can hear our words.
So to recap, there is no easy way to reprogram yourself and be done with it. It’s not like a software update, although it would be easier if it were. Instead, it’s a daily exercise like brushing your teeth or taking a shower.
You just have to make a daily commitment to remember that you are made of gold—you are valuable and are a treasure. Even if you don’t feel like this is true at this moment.
Featured Photo by Kent Pilcher on Unsplash