Strengthen your sense of selfworth from "summary" of Resilient by Rick Hanson, PhD,Forrest Hanson
To feel good about yourself is a deep and natural longing. It’s a core aspect of resilience. When you know that you’re a good person, that you’re worthy of love, respect, and care, you’re more likely to navigate the ups and downs of life with dignity and grace. Without this sense of self-worth, you’re more vulnerable to being hurt by others, to feeling inadequate, to giving up when the going gets tough.
Fortunately, you have the power to cultivate a strong sense of self-worth. It’s an inner resource that can help you weather the storms of life. Each time you take a step to strengthen your self-worth, you’re reinforcing your own foundation, making it more solid, more durable. This foundation enables you to stand tall in the face of challenges, to stay steady when things go wrong, to bounce back when you fall.
But building self-worth is not about puffing yourself up with false pride or arrogance. It’s not about putting others down to feel better about yourself. True self-worth is a quiet knowing, a deep sense of inner value that comes from living in alignment with your values, from treating yourself and others with kindness and respect, from acknowledging your own strengths and limitations without judgment.
To strengthen your sense of self-worth, start by recognizing your own inherent worth as a human being. You are unique, you are precious, you are irreplaceable. No one else can be you, with your particular blend of talents, quirks, and experiences. Embrace your own worthiness, not because of what you do or what you achieve, but simply because you exist.
Next, practice self-compassion. Treat yourself with the same kindness and understanding that you would offer to a good friend. When you make mistakes, when you fall short of your own expectations, when you’re feeling low, be gentle with yourself. Remind yourself that you’re only human, that imperfection is part of the human condition. Offer yourself the same compassion that you would offer to someone you care about.
Finally, celebrate your own strengths and accomplishments. Take time to acknowledge your own achievements, big and small. Notice when you’ve done something well, when you’ve made a positive difference in your own life or in the lives of others. Celebrate your own progress, your own growth, your own resilience. By recognizing your own strengths and successes, you’re reinforcing your sense of self-worth, reminding yourself that you are
