During the 05/24/17 broadcast of the WR show, we discussed self-image and the need for us to build positive self-worth in this era of social media. Here are 10 practical strategies from our discussion to safeguard us from negative self worth.
1) Prayer: Pray asking God to secure your heart in Him. When we dismiss God in the process of building or re-building our self-esteem, our results do not last. God has a plan for you to improve how you feel about yourself, to boost your confidence and improve your relationships with others. His plan involves seeking Him to be a part of that journey as He unveils His will to you. Invite God to secure you in Him. Psalm 127 vs 1 tells us that anything done without God is done in vain.
2) Know your values: Ask yourself, “What is it that I value?” Another way to phrase this may be, “What qualities do I admire in my life.” These questions are important to ask in order to keep you focused and true to what you want out of your life. Looking to others to define this for you has the tendency to make you loose your true self and what you find important to you.
3) Set goals: We all have an innate desire for accomplishments. Your values enrich your life and you should prayerfully work to develop them. Set goals that are in accordance with what you value. Habakkuk 2:1-3 is an example of how God wants us to write down things and work to get them achieved through Him. Realizing you can accomplish the things you set out to do – even mundane things – is part build a positive self-image and self-worth.
4) Guard your mind: The temptation to think negatively is all around us. When you find yourself thinking negative thoughts about yourself or being very judgmental about yourself, remember this word, “STOP”. Remind yourself of God’s unconditional love for you. That love was so unconditional that He sent Jesus to die for you!
5) Speak the Word: Along with guarding your mind, it is important to have some scriptures memorized to renew your mind about who you are in Christ. Remember, when the enemy came to tempt Jesus in Matthew 4:1-11, Jesus did not fight by mere words but with the written word of God. Examples of scriptures you may want to start with are: Psalm 139:14; 2 Corinthians 12:7-9; Judges 6:16; Ephesians 1:3-6; Jeremiah 29:11
6) Forgive yourself: Self-forgiveness is a concept many of us shy away from. As humans, we make mistakes. Often it feels safer to consciously focus on something external that seems “not good enough,” or something we wish we had done differently. When we make mistakes, we should admit it and repent, asking God for forgiveness and also allowing ourselves to let go of it. The enemy has a way of molding our unforgiveness towards ourself into a deeply rooted negative self-image. Do not give the enemy any room to operate. Forgive yourself!
7) Make friends wisely: Let us be honest, there are certain people who can be toxic to our mental, emotional and spiritual health. Ensure that you spend time with people who do not negatively criticize or condemn others or you. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 tell us to encourage one another and build each other up. Relationships that encourage and seek to bring the best out of you are what meet Biblical standards. With that said, you should also make every effort to build and encourage those around you. That is what God wants from us.
8) Be Selfless: In line with being a person of encouragement, Luke 6:38 tells us to givers. Givers of our treasure, talent and time. In building or re-building your self-image, you need to understand the value of selflessness and its power to position you for God’s blessings. When I say blessings this does not only mean physical things we acquire, no, far from that. Blessings can be emotional, spiritual or mental such as peace in your mind. So, look for ways to be of help to others and watch how God uses that to restore or build you.
9) Take care of you: I think I need to add this here, being selfless does not mean you neglect or abuse yourself. No, God wants you to care for yourself and glorify Him in your body as well as in your spirit. You cannot glorify God in a neglected, uncared for body. Notice that Jesus, the greatest example for all of mankind even took breaks from caring for others to care for himself. There is a saying that goes like this, “When you look good, you feel good”. This has proven true for many people in building a positive self-image so try it! Look Good for the glory of God!
10) Be Grateful: “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18. God in His wisdom designed each one of us to maintain an attitude of gratitude (oh that rhymes!) God’s will for our lives is to give thanks in all circumstances, literally wake up being grateful and go to bed grateful. The secret of having an attitude of gratitude is that it leads us to have an abundant life! A simple way to practice this is to ask yourself each day, “For what am I grateful? Each and everyone of us can find at least one small thing each day for which we can be thankful. This keeps us on the positive track of life and away from negative emotions that can devalue our self-image. Some scriptures you can meditate on are: Psalm 34:1; Psalm 50:14; 2 Corinthians 9:15; Ephesians 5:18-20; Colossians 3:15
So, in conclusion, I just want to remind you that you do not have to be liked or approved of by others to feel valued. God proved how valuable you are to Him by sending Jesus to die for you. Each and every one of us are of infinite value to our loving God. Our acceptance and definition of self-worth should not come from Social Media or the world but from God. This means our primary goal in life should not be to live for the approval of others but for the approval of God only. God wants us to be the best version of ourselves so He will be glorified. So please, let us tune our minds, words and actions to that which glorifies Him and Him alone. I would love to hear your strategy of keeping and building a positive self-image and self-worth. Please comment below and let me know!
Love and hugs!