Defining My own Self-worth

by Samuel Thadeus Short
(San Francisco, CA, USA)

I have found that my sense of self has been uplifted by my meditation sessions, and by practicing self-improvement, However, before I had a low sense of myself and although it took many years, I eventually worked through some of the doubts about myself.

I used to determine how I felt about myself based on whether or not I got confirmation of my value from others. In talking with people, I noticed that some people insisted on devaluating what I said. For example no matter what I said, they would immediately counter it with the opposite of what I was trying to convey, telling me why my statement wasn't important.

Therefore I finally figured out that the problem was not the others, but in me. I was allowing them to authenticate my worth in a way. So I decided to not allow other people to devaluate me in anyway” to determine my own value. And to do that I needed to lift my sense of self from within me.

I started building my self-worth realizing that how I feel affects the things I do, and started entering situations thinking positive thoughts about myself, many times using verbal affirmations which eventually developed a affirmative self-identity.

I discovered that healthy self-esteem does not mean seeing myself as the greatest person in the world nor is it the same as being conceited. That it is compatible with humility which is not the same as self-effacement. Wholesome self-worth means liking yourself for the most part as you are. It does not imply over-confidence” it is being confident without being overbearing.

I discovered that with a healthy sense of self I was living my life with a greater sense of enjoyment and fulfillment.

Samuel Thadeus. Short
Coordinator
Antesian Prayer Team
Antesian Prayer Team. Org