Self Worth - 5 Laws to Live By

The suffering of feelings of low self worth is needless. So many people struggle with low self-esteem. They walk around living as if they do not belong on the planet. The idea of "being sorry for being alive" is their mode of operation. They often feel inadequate or not good enough.
If you struggle with feelings of low self worth, congratulate yourself for searching for some answers. Your suffering does not have to last forever.
According to Claudia A. Howard (1992) there are five basic laws of human worth.
1. All have infinite, internal, eternal, and unconditional worth as persons. Your worth is not something that will end. It lives inside of you as the "core self." You as a core self or spiritual self will go on forever. Your worth as a human being does not change based on any conditions inside or outside of you.

2. All have equal worth as people. Worth is not comparative or competitive. You are not worth more or less than another person, regardless of skills or abilities. Comparisons cannot take place between two people who have the same worth. Because all humans have the same worth, there can be no competition, and therefore, no winners or losers.

3. Externals neither add to nor diminish worth. Externals are the things outside of our core self. These include possessions, performance, circumstances, events, behavior, or looks. Of course we might wish to work on and improve these things, but only to increase our "market" or "social" worth.

This distinction between your human worth and the externals is sometimes difficult to grasp, but crucial to your own sense of self worth. When you are born, you have within all of the attributes necessary for life. Some of these are developed, and some are not. Your externals such as how much money you have, your status among others, the kind of work you do, can either hide or display your core self. For example, making a mistake might make it difficult for you to experience yourself as a worthy and whole person.

4. Worth is stable and never in jeopardy (even if someone rejects you.) Your worth as a human being does not change, ever. Even if every person on this planet said that you were worthless, it cannot be true.

5. Worth doesn't have to be earned or proved. It already exists within you. It is not something to be bought or gained. You cannot have too much of it. Other people do not have to see it in order for you to have it or believe in it.

The most important thing you can do to boost your self worth is to learn how to separate your core self worth from the externals in your life. Begin to recognize the times when you compare yourself to others. Remind yourself at that time that you are not worth more or less than they are. Welcome the circumstances in your life as opportunities to value yourself and esteem yourself as a worthy person, regardless of your externals.
As an example, there was a young man named Mark working at an insurance company. He prided himself on the hard work that he did for the company. A new position had opened up and he gladly interviewed, knowing in his heart that he was the best man for the job. A few days later, Mark received notice that another employee was selected to take this position. Mark went home dejected that day. He thought to himself how worthless he was. Luckily, his best friend noticed the shift in mood. He reminded Mark that he just needed to work on his skills and that he was still a wonderful worthy human being.
You can be in any kind of circumstance, have many skills or very few, be "good looking" or "frumpy", rich or poor. Your best friend could have just rejected you. The good news is that you will always be worth something, no matter what.