In American culture, we’ve been trained from a young age to believe our self-worth is tied to material things like our job title, income, and social status. When those factors drop in a recession, we feel empty. But our self-worth is so much greater than the physical plane. If we quiet the noise around us and focus on our purpose, we will learn to acknowledge our soul-esteem.
What Is Soul-Esteem?
Loosely defined, soul-esteem is the innate worth each human being is born with, but all too often, is lost or forgotten somewhere along life’s journey. Most of us live our entire lives reflected in the mirrors that other humans hold up, which prevents our true and extraordinary selves from reaching full-realization. If self-esteem is confidence and satisfaction in oneself, then soul-esteem would be the profound and primal awareness of our connection with everything in the universe. This soul-esteem, inherent in every being, instills in us an enormous sense of peace and belonging. It etches our lives with deep and meaningful purpose.
Soul-esteem has also been referred to as our ‘Buddha nature‘ (or that oneness with all). It is the absolute inner-knowledge of who we are and how we can best utilize our unique talents to enrich the world.
Why Developing Soul-Esteem Is Essential
Developing our soul-esteem gives us spiritual confidence, not just to participate in our culture, but to transform it into something better. It is that open-minded and non-judgmental assurance that helps us foster deeply significant connections to other people, linking humanity instead of dividing it.
Some of the great leaders, like Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., developed extraordinary soul-esteem to oppose the norm, and to inspire others to rally against oppression and injustice. To be connected with our soul-esteem means that we can achieve immense spiritual confidence, allowing us to act from our highest power.
What Can You Do?
If we don’t engage and foster our soul-esteem, our souls can wither. Depression, stress, frustration, illness, and even escapism are all side effects of failure to carefully develop our soul-esteem. We must listen to our primal and untainted inner guides, as they will lead us along the path we need to travel. When new opportunities arise, we must acknowledge them and allow our souls to lead us in the most positive direction that will stimulate spiritual growth. If we engage that wise and deep part of ourselves that shines and lights the way for others, then we are truly letting our souls flower fully and freely.
