Self-realization is the quickest route to true self-esteem

So much energy (on social media particularly) goes into boosting self-esteem. But where did we get the idea that we have to constantly go around telling ourselves we’re beautiful and we’re worth it?

Our sense of self and self-worth should be the most natural thing to us. The self is consciousness, it’s living energy — if we don’t have a natural appreciation for the value or worth of our conscious existence and the fact of being alive, that’s a pretty major existential problem that isn’t going to get fixed by some affirming memes, a couple hit songs and some changes to advertising policies.

Rather than trying to constantly rebuild our self-esteem, we should be asking where the assault on our natural sense of self and self-worth is coming from in the first place.

Culprit #1: The materialistic society we’re immersed in has no consensus about what the self is. How can we value something we don’t understand or aren’t sure exists?

To the extent that we’re taught anything about who we are, we’re taught that we are the body — a product of chemical interactions — and so naturally our worth is tied to our body — our appearance, our job title, and the things we accumulate to keep our body comfortable and show it off.

So we put a whole lot of energy into making our body more beautiful according to societies standards, or convincing society to accept and embrace whatever type of body we happen to be wearing.

This is a train wreck situation.

The self is not the body. The self is a spark of living, conscious energy which animates the body. A healthy culture would remind us of this reality on a regular basis:

“Bummed about how you or others judge the general configuration of your mind and body? Good news! You’re a spark of conscious, living energy only temporarily inhabiting this particularly shaped body. You are eternally magnificent and worthy of love.”

We don’t need to chase self-esteem. Self-esteem is a natural product of self-realization: appreciating and experiencing the nature of the self.

Drop a comments if this rings true for you and tell me when was the last time you reminded yourself about who you are?