“Don’t betray your self-esteem. It is far more valuable than any short-term reward.”
- James McPartland
Building our self-esteem is an ongoing summons to the hero within us. It is courageously pursuing a consistent level of awareness for how we show up in the world. It means being willing to live our lives in alignment with our highest values, especially when doing so may not be easy. We may need to overcome inertia, face down fears, confront pain, or stand alone in loyalty to our own beliefs, even against those we love.
Self-esteem may be one of the best predictors of happiness that we have, as it is easy to see that people with high self-esteem are happier than those with low self-esteem.
However, in the short term, fortifying our self-esteem triggers the temptation to avoid discomfort when that is exactly what one's personal growth entails. If one of our top priorities is to avoid discomfort, if it becomes a higher value than our self-care, then under pressure we will abandon our values and our own personal standards precisely when we need them the most.
Summoning the hero is to avoid betraying ourselves-- deciding that our self-esteem and happiness matter more than any short-term discomfort or pain. A reset on this path may mean taking small steps at being more conscious, self-accepting, responsible, and a person of integrity.
When we practice these steps we’ll probably start to notice that we like ourselves a little more, inspiring us to go even further. We become more truthful, with ourselves and others, and we can even feel our self-esteem rising. We begin to build momentum, gain strength, and develop the skills required to confront uncomfortable emotions and unsettling situations.
Experiencing ourselves as more powerful, we are no longer threatened by the inevitable difficulties that surface in our lives. While we will never be totally free of fear and pain, we are no longer intimidated by them. Taking a stand for ourselves becomes more natural.
Inside our company, much of our work centers around the philosophy of professional growth through personal development.
We believe that the commitment to our own growth can only come from the love we have for our own life. It is the launching pad for our highest and noblest aspirations. However, the pre-launch protocol is embracing what is and where we are in life.
Acceptance is a prerequisite for change. If we can't accept what is, where will we find the inspiration to grow? Confronting ourselves through self-examination drives our ability to live in accordance with our highest values, consistently raise our own standards, and resist the urge to betray our self-esteem.
