Pathwalking 126
There are many people who suffer from self esteem issues.
It is surprising just how many people have poor self esteem. It is often masked in one of a myriad of ways, and so well hidden as to be unrecognizable. But a lack of self esteem can be soul crushing, and can easily derail you from any path you might choose.
Before you can do anything for anyone, yourself included, you have to have self-respect. This is an aspect of self esteem, without which you will find effort to do anything at all to be difficult at best.
So what is the importance of esteem, anyhow? Dictionary.com defines it thus:
verb (used with object)
1. to regard highly or favorably; regard with respect or admiration: I esteem him for his honesty.
2. to consider as of a certain value or of a certain type; regard: I esteem it worthless.
3. Obsolete. to set a value on; appraise.
noun
4. favorable opinion or judgment; respect or regard: to hold a person in esteem.
5. Archaic. opinion or judgment; estimation; valuation.
This makes SELF esteem about regarding yourself favorably, respectfully, knowing you are valuable. To hold a positive opinion of yourself, to see yourself as worthwhile. It is unbelievably important that you have good self esteem.
Why does my self esteem matter? Because if you do not know your own value as a person, if you do not think well of yourself, if you do not respect yourself, you will be unable to travel any path at all. How can you make a knowledgeable choice when you lack the necessary knowledge of the self to have good self esteem?
For many this is one of the hardest concepts to accept. A lot of people have low self esteem, or serious lack in self esteem. They believe in the lie that they are not worthy, are undeserving, do not have equal value to their peers.
I have spent a great deal of my life with low self esteem. I could not believe that I had the same worth as my friends, I did not believe that I deserved the happiness and the success I wanted. I could not believe that I deserved all the love and joy I desired.
I still struggle with this. There are good days and bad days. There are still times I sink low, I allow myself to be the butt of the joke, I make that humorous quip to divert attention away from the sense that I haven’t the right to want what I want for myself. I wonder if I am lacking in sanity for this whole concept, that Pathwalking is a lie I have told myself, and that I should just accept my place as a cog in the great machine of the Universe.
This is not the truth. Period. The truth is that I AM worthy, I DO deserve to gain the favor of the Universe, I AM a good and deserving person. I have every right to believe what I believe, and to choose my own path. I have value in this world in multiple ways.
I am not alone. You also deserve to have good self esteem. I can tell you I believe that you are a good and worthy and deserving person until I am blue in the face. However, until you accept and KNOW that that is true, and you hold yourself in the highest esteem, it does not matter. I cannot make you esteem yourself, that falls to you and you alone.
I can hold up the mirror, I can show you what I see – but I cannot make you look. I cannot know that you will see yourself as I see you. Yet because I have good self esteem, because of how I value myself and hold myself in good regard, it will help brighten the reflection, and provide you with more illumination.
There are those who prey upon the weak. They seek out the people with low self esteem, no sense of self, and they feed. They play on their fears, they dangle their hopes like a cat toy on a stick, within your claws but beyond your grasp. They like that you do not hold yourself in high regard, and they use that to disempower you.
If you know your worth, believe in your value and that you are deserving of respect, you will find that it is easier to see paths, and ultimately to choose them. What’s more, when you esteem yourself, you will find it far easier to see and show the same in those around you. Self esteem is a positive force, and the more positive forces we put out there, the more paths we open for everyone.
No one but you can know the state of your self esteem. But what I can tell you is that you ARE worthy, you deserve to gain the favor of the Universe, and you ARE a good and deserving person. I hope that if I can see it, so can you.
Do you hold your self in high esteem?
This is the one-hundred twenty sixth entry in my series. These weekly posts are specifically about walking along the path of life, and my desire to make a difference in this world along the way. Feel free to re-blog. Thank you for joining me.
The first year of Pathwalking is available in print and for your Kindle.
Follow me here!
