Everyone has their own sense of self-worth, but external factors don’t contribute to it. Many people base their self-worth on irrelevant things, but you are valuable just the way you are. Here are 20 things you should never consider when defining your worth.
Material Possessions Mean Nothing To Your Self-Worth
In a culture of consumerism, many people place a lot of value on the things they own. The National Institutes of Health found that self-esteem and material values are often correlated. Remember that your worth is not determined by what you own, and the temporary effects of a new purchase do not last.
Your Physical Appearance Doesn’t Define Your Worth
Your worth is not based on your looks, body shape, or external appearance, but body image is one of the biggest contributing factors to how you feel about your self-worth. Many people feel unworthy if they don’t feel good about their physical appearance, but it’s important to remember that what counts is what’s inside.
Relationship Status Doesn’t Add Value
Whether you’re single, in a relationship, or married does not determine your value as an individual. Many people value relationships too highly, and while they are nice to have, they don’t make you who you are. Assigning your value to your relationship status is a recipe for disaster.
Your Worth Is Not Dependent On Career Success
We often rely on a job title and salary for a sense of self-worth. The higher you climb the career ladder, the more ‘successful’ you may feel. However, success is entirely subjective, and as long as you’re happy with where you’re at, it shouldn’t matter to anyone else.
Social Media Following Doesn’t Add To Your Worth
We are so consumed by social media that a lot of people attribute their self-worth to the number of people who stalk them on Instagram. Psychology Today says that social media feeds the need for external validation. The number of followers or likes you have online doesn’t reflect your true value or worth as a person.
Your Level Of Education Means Nothing
Education and self-esteem are often linked, but your true intelligence and worth are not defined by your academic achievements or level of education. In fact, many of the world’s smartest and most successful entrepreneurs don’t have a qualification to their name. They didn’t let their level of education hold them back.
Mistakes Should Be Left In The Past
Mistakes are a necessary part of being human, but once the lesson has been learned, the mistake should be left in the past. Too many people cling to things they’ve done wrong and use it to justify their self-worth. Your worth is not diminished by past mistakes or failures.
Others Approval Shouldn’t Affect Your Worth
Today more than ever, we are constantly looking for external validation. Psych Central says that seeking validation for your self-esteem is a trap. Your value does not depend on the approval or validation of others; you are worthy regardless of their opinions.
Comparing yourself to others can know your self-worth
Comparison is the thief of joy, and your worth is not determined by how you measure up to others. It is so easy to compare yourself to others, especially thanks to social media. However, you need to remember that what other people show is just a highlight reel, so don’t let it knock your confidence.
The Size Of Your Home Is Really Not Important
To keep up with the Joneses, we constantly want a bigger and better house. However, the size of your home adds nothing to your happiness or self-worth. In fact, it can actually be to your detriment if it causes you to stress and worry about finances and upkeep.
Your Car Is The Least Important Thing Above You
A surprising number of people hang their value on the car they drive. While we all like a nice car, the only thing that is truly important is its reliability. Your car adds nothing to your worth, and no one will respect you more for having a fancier car.
Physical Abilities Don’t Make You A Lesser Person
Whether you have disabilities, limitations, or challenges does not diminish your worth as a person. Physical abilities are one of the biggest reasons why people feel low self-worth but there is so much more about you than what you can physically achieve.
Age Is Often A Factor in How We Feel
Age affects self-worth across all age groups. Younger people feel worthless due to lack of life experience and peers looking down on them, while older people feel like their age means they are no longer relevant. You are valuable at every stage of life; age is just a number.
Social Status Is Not A Determining Factor
Social status is a difficult one to tackle as people of different social statuses find it difficult to relate, and it can make you feel insecure. Your worth is not determined by your social status, popularity, or social standing. The hierarchy of society should never influence your worth.
Cultural Or Ethnic Backgrounds Are A Big Part Of Who You Are You, But Not Your Worth
Your cultural heritage or ethnic background has a huge impact on the person you are. Yet, one thing it doesn’t make a difference to is your worth. It is easy to define ourselves based on our ethnicity or background, but we are a lot more complex than that.
Your Worth Is Not Based On Your Sexual Orientation Or Gender Identity
Who you love and who you identify as is not a basis for your worth. Especially in the early days of exploring sexuality or gender identity, it can be hard not to let this new self-discovery impact your self-worth. It’s important to remember that you are so much more than either of those factors.
It’s Hard To Not Let Parental Status Impact Your Worth
Whether you are a parent or not does not define your worth as a person. However, feelings of worth are impacted at both ends of the parental spectrum. Many parents feel like they lose themselves, which depletes their self-worth, while those who struggle to conceive also allow it to negatively affect their worth.
Approval From Authority Figures Isn’t Important
According to YouGov Today, half of all Americans consider themselves people-pleasers. Authority figures such as parents, teachers, or employers are people we often seek approval from, but receiving validation from them doesn’t define our self-worth. It is nice to be recognized, but the only approval that matters is our own.
Societal Expectations Can Dampen Our Worth
Society’s standards or expectations have a habit of making us feel like we’re failing at life. When our life path doesn’t align with the way society expects it to pan out, we can feel like we’re not worthy. The only thing truly important to our worth is staying in our own lane and following our unique path.
Traumatic Experiences Have A Way Of Affecting Worth
Your worth is not diminished by experiences of trauma or hardship; it’s unconditional. Trauma really impacts who we are and how we grow, but don’t let it affect your worth or your opinion of yourself. You are always deserving of love and compassion; don’t let external factors influence that.
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