Mental Health Moment 2/1/2025
Loving Yourself is a Radical Act
February is Boost Self Esteem Month. Self-esteem can best be described as, “…an individual’s subjective evaluation of their worth.” The challenge comes with the word, “…subjective…” It is virtually impossible to look at one’s self without carrying the weight of society’s expectations and values. I often have clients who report not just low self-esteem, but actually hating themselves. This is heartbreaking to me because so much self-hate is learned influence of a capitalist society that financially benefits from it.
Loving yourself (or at least liking yourself) pokes a sharp stick into the industries that thrive off of our unhappiness. Loving yourself can also be a beautiful act of healing from painful pasts. Boosting your self-esteem through self-love is not always easy but the benefits far outweigh any drawbacks. Having a positive self-esteem can strengthen your decision making skills, your sense of identity, and your competence and willingness to try new things.
So, in February, the month where it is all about love, I hope you take some time to focus on yourself and all of the wonderful aspects that you contain. The world is better with you in it because you are wonderful.
