The road to a healthy self
You've probably heard of the many "self-" words out there. From self-esteem to self-compassion, self-acceptance, self-respect, self-confidence, self-love and self-care. It's natural to feel that these words all blur together, but I believe they are distinct concepts with meanings, insights, and goals. Ultimately, the goal is for them to blend together into one healthy self or what I like to call it: giving yourself a gift that keeps on giving.
The most effective methods to reach this end goal is to cultivate a positive relationship with yourself. Here are some of my best tips to get started:
Do things you enjoy and are good at: By getting proficient in something and enjoying it, you can gain a sense of accomplishment and capability. This can boost your confidence and have a positive impact on other areas of your life as well.
Exercise and challenge yourself: Research has shown that physical activity is linked to a greater sense of self-worth. By setting progressively advanced goals and pushing yourself to achieve them, you can prove to yourself that you're capable of more than you initially thought. If you didn’t know it already, exercise also has both physical and mental benefits!
Challenge negative thoughts: Keep in mind that thoughts are not facts and are often influenced by internalised critics, stress, and situational demands. If you have a negative self-thought, try replacing it with a more realistic one.
Build self-worth in your children: Low self-worth can often be traced back to childhood experiences, even if they were well-intentioned. If, like me, you have kids, focus on praising and rewarding internal factors such as effort and determination rather than external factors like appearance or winning. By doing so, you can help your child develop a healthy sense of self-worth that's not solely dependent on their accomplishments.
Confidence acts like a turbocharger, giving you that extra push to tackle whatever comes your way, and is a direct result of learning to know yourself. The more you know yourself, the more confident you will become. By believing in yourself, you'll be more likely to take on challenges with enthusiasm and determination. Believe me when I say that nurturing a positive relationship with yourself can really transform your energy levels.
If you need a bit of extra help on the road to a healthy self, you can always adopt the use of crystals in your daily life too. Crystals possess a unique ability to work in harmony with our energy, acting as a supportive guide in the background.
For example, Citrine is often connected to personal power and self-assurance, while amethyst is known for its calming influence. By being calm and centred, we become more confident in our abilities. Additionally, clear quartz amplifies the energy of other crystals, resulting in an extra boost of confidence when combined with other stones.
While they don't have supernatural powers, they can certainly assist us in accessing our inner power and self-assurance. It's not just about the crystal itself, but the intention behind it, and having these crystals around can serve as a gentle reminder of our potential.
So be patient, keep at it, and watch as your self-worth and energy levels soar. You've got this!