BECAUSE YOU ARE WORTH IT

So says the advertisement for hair products.  On a scale of one to ten, one being low and ten being high, how do you rate your self worth?

Low self esteem is another big factor in our feeding habits.  Someone who suffers with anorexia, bulimia or overeating usually have a distorted mindset about their value to, or affect on, others.  False beliefs rule their head and they self abuse their bodies with different ways regarding the intake of food.  The self harming starts off as a controlling method to cope with whatever in the world troubles them.  Instead of facing the problem it is masked/hidden/pushed down/got rid of by secretly eating, not eating or purging the body.  The control soon becomes a habit, the habit, an addiction.  Once addicted control is lost.  This cycle needs professional help to be broken.

Valuing your life and the body that carries your being is vital to well being.  If you scored lower than five on the self worth scale there is a danger you will self harm in any of the quick fix methods that are out there, accessible and acceptable to you.  Alternatively you can learn to like or love yourself just a little bit more in order to maintain 'good enough' self esteem.  "How do I do that?" I have been asked in my work.  Here are a few suggestions :

1. Read books, blogs or research the Internet sites on Self Esteem
2. Have some 'me' time to care for yourself
3. Reward yourself with a real treat from time to time (not food)
4. Use 'Affirmations' to give your head new scripts
5. Get out more, socialise, join groups, interact with your peers
6. Find a new interest/take up a new hobby
7. Volunteer to help others
8. Set yourself a challenge, train for it, do it.
9. Enrol at night school, learn new things, be proud of you achievement
10. Make peace with your soul
11. Meditate
12. Exercise - raise those 'happy' endorphins.
13. Fight off negative/unhelpful thoughts and feelings
14. Believe in yourself - YOU CAN DO THIS.

Even if you do not feel loved or valued - YOU ARE.  People you know - your neighbour, your friend, your work colleague, a cousin or other relative will not tell you 'I love you' or 'I value you' but their life would be so less rich without you in it.  They love how you smile each day and say 'hello' at the garden gate, they love how you work hard without complaint, they love your hair, your choice in clothes, the way you manage your life.  These silent loves enrich and inspire them to get through their 'stuff'.  We never know our value to others, perhaps that is why we don't value ourselves too well.  YOU ARE WORTH IT.  YOU ARE VALUED.

If you don't like or love yourself it makes it harder for others to get close to you, to show you you are valued by being your friend, companion, soul mate etc.  Yes people do hurt us, let us down, tell lies, pick us up and put us down, get ill and die leaving us bereft.  It is part of our human condition but they also nourish us in a way food cannot.  Think of ways this is so.  Be around those who encourage or inspire you, not those who drain you of energy.  Build your self esteem to be above the score of five.  As Len from 'Strictly Come Dancing' says - 'SEVEN' is a good score to aim for.