Self-Worth and Self-Care. Is it Selfish?

Self-Worth. Self-Care. Do these words make you cringe?

We all have the innate desire to help others. So, why should we focus on self-love and self-care?

Here’s what Sarah Rudell Beach writes about self-worth and self-esteem at Left Brain Buddha:

“Self-esteem is not selfish. What is the opposite of having high self-esteem? It’s feeling you are not good enough. Flawed. Unworthy of love, respect and belonging. It is shame. Brene Brown, in Daring Greatly, writes that shame “is highly correlated with addiction, violence, aggression, depression, eating disorders, and bullying.” Problems we know afflict too many children and teens each year.” Read more of her article here.

The point is, teaching self-worth and self-esteem in schools is very important!

When I was growing up, I spent countless hours worrying about my appearance, whether I was smart enough, etc. This worrying took up way too much time and felt like a burden for decades. I used to cringe at the words “self-care” because I was certain that this was selfish, and in my child mind, selfish equaled bad.

The truth is, have you ever thought that if we care for ourselves first, we are in a much better position to give to others? Self-care, therefore, is one of the least selfish things you can do.

As an example, we can’t inspire others when we are depressed, can’t heal others when we are not physically fit to be there for them, and can’t be present and compassionate if our minds are stuck in worry and self-criticism.

Also, if you begin saying “thanks” to yourself, you might find yourself saying thanks to everyone around you, everyone that came before you, and everyone who helped you become who you are.

If a child can’t look in the mirror and feel confident, that’s a problem.

Thank You, Me was created to help teachers and caregivers start a conversation with children about self-worth. It is a very simple book, but it can spark some deeper conversations.

It was written for my inner child, for your inner child, and for the next generation of children growing up with conscious awareness and acceptance of themselves.