The issue of self esteem continues to be a hot topic these days and many so-called solutions have been proposed to address it. The fact that it continues to percolate however suggests that somewhere along the line we are missing something fundamental. I would like to suggest that it has to do with two simple yet elusive factors. These are: 1) An awareness of the source of our core ethical human values and, 2) The ability to align ourselves with them. In a recent article entitled "The Source of All Ethical Values" I discuss the fact that we as human beings are essentially hardwired for what is ethical and what is not at the level of emotions. In other words, in spite of everything we have been taught about ethics, at the end of the day when something untoward happens we have an automatic feeling about it that tells us whether that was or was not a desirable event. Basically this is what I call making an "ethical judgment". What this implies is that deep within each of us there is an inner intelligence that is emotionally based, that is monitoring our thoughts, our decisions, our behavior and our environment at every moment. What's more this deep emotional intelligence is actually the experience that I call the Self, or your Self. So what has been said is that your Self is constantly present and attempting to guide you in your life. Perhaps that may sound strange to you as you likely think that "you" are already in charge of your life, correct? Well if you look at where it is you turn to for advice within yourself when you are faced with making a decision about something I think you will likely see that you refer to what is stored in your mind. In other words the Self, as I have depicted it is probably not even consulted. Not only that it's as if an imposter has replaced it and it has been forgotten yet waiting in the wings to be remembered. So how does it feel to be forgotten by someone? Doesn't it make you feel diminished, unimportant, and useless? Now what if that someone was you? In other words "you" are forgetting your "Self". What have you just done? Well you have just ceased to exist in a manner of speaking have you not? What do you feel that does to your self esteem? Well it only serves to extinguish it! No wonder you have been struggling with this self esteem issue. You see to have self esteem literally means to "remember" who and where you are and to "listen" to your Self always. Another way of saying that is that it means following your own internal ethical values. This is what I refer to above as coming into alignment with your Self. In order to do this it becomes necessary to reassess what you consider those all important beliefs that you have become so married to through all those years of education. If this is something you wish to do for yourself then kindly visit the web link below where I have a special audio message waiting for you. |
