YOUR SELF-WORTH NEVER CHANGES. Every human being is born with innate, God-given dignity and value. Having a strong sense of your inherent worth can help you when others don’t affirm or value you as they should.

    YOU ARE NOT ALONE! Look around you and you’ll see that everyone has times when they’re shy, sad, nervous, quiet, angry, silly, afraid to participate or embarrassed. People often act these ways when they’re feeling inferior. Everyone has times like this, but you can overcome them.

    DON’T COMPARE YOURSELF TO OTHERS. This is at the root of all inferiority. It’s deadly because people tend to compare their greatest weakness to another person’s greatest strength. There will always be people who are better and worse at something. When people accept who they are, they don’t have to compare themselves to others. Compensate instead of comparing. That is, make the most of what you have by concentrating on strength. Strengthen what skills you have and develop new ones. If you respect yourself, others will too.

    ESTABLISH GENUINE FRIENDSHIPS. The best way to have good friends is to be a good friend.

    BE YOUR OWN PERSON. This requires knowing your values and being faithful to them. If you don’t know what you want, or you don’t have a plan for getting it, you’ll be tossed around and pulled by every attraction that comes along.

    PAY ATTENTION TO PRAYER AND SPIRITUAL GROWTH. Pray every day. Study what really matters in life. Take care of your spiritual needs in order to keep your whole self healthy.

    STAY IN TOUCH AND COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR PARENTS. Generally parents are constant and faithful friends who are interested in the well-being and happiness of their children. Most parents have lots of wisdom and love and they can be your strongest support in times of difficulty. Talk about your problems with them. Seek their advice and pray for them.

    FACE YOUR PROBLEMS. Ignoring problems does not make them go away; instead, it tends to lower a person’s feelings of self-worth. Solving problems, on the other hand, enhances your self-worth.

    BE HAPPY AND SHOW IT WHEN OTHERS HAVE SUCCESS. Self-respect grows when we appreciate others’ blessings.

Adapted from Love and Familyby Mercedes Arzu Wilson