20 Jun Why You Need a Strong Sense of Self and How to Boost It
Happiness is by no means a solo-sport.
Among other things, happiness depends on connection and community.
But happiness can be very fragile if personal identity is not strong; who are you and what do you value.
If that sounds interesting to you then this great article from Psych Central by Christiana Star is well worth reading …
When life is busy or challenging, most people get so caught up in what goes on in their head that they forget all about the rest of their body. But problems and difficulties are best addressed with the whole of you. If you focus on your issues with a strong sense of self — rather than only your mind — your confidence and inner compass have a solid base for operating in the world. This is enhanced by being fully present in the here and now — rather than dwelling on the past or projecting thoughts into the future.
The term “sense of self” relates to the perception you have of yourself, your self-image. You know who you are, and are okay with it. But if your view of yourself is dominated by the inner critic, your sense of self is compromised. Your authenticity, confidence and vitality will suffer.
To develop and strengthen a realistic sense of self, focus on the following qualities:
Find encouragement and support through 1-1 messaging and advice from others dealing with major depressive disorder.
Know Yourself
Realistic self-knowledge and self-awareness are a prerequisite for operating from a position of authenticity. Make sure you know how you tick: your values, beliefs and traits, how you are in the world and how you interact with others.
Accept Yourself
Self-acceptance is one of the most important qualities to develop. Self-esteem feeds off performance and achievements, boosting feelings of self-worth when there is something to be proud of. The problem is, that once performance drops, self-esteem plummets, as many retired athletes have experienced.
With self-acceptance you do not only focus on the ‘good’. You know the whole picture of who you are — good, bad, indifferent. You do not shy away from acknowledging your talents, skills and successes. But more than that, you also accept shortcomings, failures and hiccups without trying to hide them or engaging in serious self-recrimination.
Self-acceptance knows that imperfection is an unavoidable part of being human. It is about being realistic and honest — with understanding, self-compassion and the willingness to face those parts of yourself that might require a tune-up…
… keep reading the full & original article HERE