Health Viewpoints
Many of us have experienced a loss of self-confidence, feelings of doubt about our values, or even a state of low self-esteem. While there are often complex reasons behind these feelings, following a few simple methods can help to alleviate them.
Recognize Your Unique Value
Everyone comes into this world as a unique individual. Your appearance, gender, age, wealth, or even knowledge can’t fully determine your true value. Each of us exists with a special meaning and purpose, which we need to discover and understand for ourselves.
For example, you can ask yourself: “What are my strengths? What unique value can I bring to this world?” It’s best to avoid comparing your shortcomings with the strengths of others. Instead, spend more time improving yourself and finding your unique shining spot.
Overcome Negative Influences From Your Childhood
Some people lack self-esteem because they grew up in an environment where they were criticized constantly. Excessive criticism leaves long-lasting emotional and physical traumas, making us overly sensitive to criticism as adults and making it difficult to develop a true sense of self-esteem for ourselves.
We can improve this situation through psychological therapies, such as cognitive behavioral therapy. Such therapies can help us revisit past experiences more positively. We can review their effects on our thinking and behavior, and make conscientious changes.
In addition, clinically we may use neuro-emotional therapy, acupuncture, or respiratory therapy. All these techniques can help ease our reactions to past traumatic encounters, especially our emotional and physical reactions, which often occur subconsciously.
Biochemical Factors Affecting Self-Esteem
Some experience low self-esteem due to a biochemical imbalance, such as hypomethylation. Methylation is a biochemical process associated with a variety of neurological diseases. For example, problems with methylation can lead to low levels of serotonin and dopamine in the brain. With hypomethylation, no level of achievement makes you experience the satisfaction and joy of success. Instead, you continually feel that you have not done well enough and are afraid of failure.
Problems such as these may be improved through nutritional therapy, such as supplementing specific nutrients and adjusting the biochemical balance in the body, thereby helping our brains to function better and bringing us back to a healthier mental state.
Some patients with hypomethylation also suffer from a lack of vitamins C and B6, and pyroluria, which can cause symptoms of irritability, severe anxiety, and significant changes in mood. They are sometimes unable to withstand the pressure that comes during their endeavors, often resulting in failure and further loss of confidence. Some studies have found that low folate levels are associated with reduced overall methylation levels, and that supplementing folate can regulate methylation and offset methylation abnormalities caused by toxic substances or malnutrition.
Both hypomethylation and pyroluria can be diagnosed through blood and urine tests and can be treated with specific nutrients.
The Value of Our Soul
Our true essence is, in fact, the soul. Therefore, apart from physical, psychological, and biochemical factors, understanding our soul is the core of building self-esteem.
The value of our soul does not depend on appearance, wealth, or achievements, but rather on our ability to live out universal truths such as love, tolerance, compassion, and kindness. When a person embodies these qualities through actions, emotions, and thoughts, that person’s soul radiates a unique brilliance, fostering a deep sense of confidence and fulfillment from within.
No matter what the external conditions are, as long as you can commit to self-cultivation, spiritual practice, and a duty to help others, you will be able to discover your own unique value.
5 Ways to Improve Self-Esteem
Affirm Yourself Every Day. Write down three things that make you feel proud every day, or smile in the mirror and say to yourself, “You are awesome.”
Mindfulness Meditation and Breathing. Spend 10 to 15 minutes every day focusing on your breathing and feeling inner peace, in order to reduce negative emotions. A 2023 meta-analysis found that practicing deep breathing has the effect of reducing stress and relieving anxiety. Deep breathing is safe, simple, and can be done anytime, anywhere.
Exercise Regularly. Regular exercise strengthens your body and makes you feel in control of your life.
Stop Comparing. By all means, stop making meaningless comparisons. Don’t compare, don’t compete, don’t complain. In this way, you will learn to focus on discovering yourself rather than chasing what others have.
Accept Imperfection. Embrace your so-called imperfections. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses, and they all stem from the same foundation. It’s impossible to be perfect in every situation. Therefore, accept your imperfections and focus on maximizing your strengths.
There are many reasons for low self-esteem, but we can gradually improve ourselves through cognitive adjustments, psychological and physical treatment, and work on the level of the soul. Most importantly, you must believe that everyone has a unique value, and that you do as well.
Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Epoch Health welcomes professional discussion and friendly debate. To submit an opinion piece, please follow these guidelines and submit through our form here.