A Lesson in Self Worth
Realizing your self worth has to do with your overall mentality and how you view yourself. Unfortunately, due to the pressure that social media puts on people today, especially younger generations, people often feel the need to change the way that they look or act in order to fit into societal standards of beauty or status. The belief that you need to change one’s appearance or other aspects of life based on other people’s opinions can have damaging effects on a person’s mental health. This often leads to anxiety, depression, and other mental disorders. According to an article published by Independent, “A study conducted by the University of Copenhagen found that many people suffer from “Facebook envy”, when compared to those who abstained from using the popular site reporting that they felt more satisfied with their lives.”
The connection between social media and self-esteem is one that has gained attention in recent years. In order to maintain a healthy sense of self-esteem, it is important that you accept yourself for who you are, regardless of other people’s standards or opinions. In today’s society, individuals often search for their self-worth by comparing themselves to others, whether it be by physical appearance or social status.
Additionally, studies show “that basing one’s self-worth on external factors is actually harmful to one’s mental health.” People often do not realize the harm they cause to themselves until it is too late. In the past years, I struggled to maintain my self-esteem because of the way I looked. When I was young, I was bullied a lot, so I felt the need to appease others when I was really trying to appease myself. However, as I grew up, I started focusing my mind on positive things by surrounding myself with people who appreciate me for me. Hopefully, by sharing my story, I am able to persuade others who are struggling to find their confidence, to love and respect themselves for who they are, regardless of the opinions of others.