What a tough subject! I believe one of the keys to self-esteem is to realize that I have potential value even if I don't feel valuable at the moment. A seed may not be very valuable in its present form, but it certainly has potential. The real turning point in my self-esteem was discovering what I valued (honesty, kindness, tolerance, justice), and then living my life in accordance with those values to the best of my ability. If my behavior matches my values, how could I not value myself? The farther my behavior deviates from my values, the less I will value myself. I told myself for years that I valued good health, but my behavior didn't match that value. When I started TRYING to take better care of myself, my self-esteem increased. Trying is the key. None of us are perfect, but we can try.
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