How is self-confidence different from self-worth? And how do I grow my self-worth?

Were there people in your life who made you feel important and special? Regardless of whether you had abilities, talents or something to offer, they found you worthy of attention, love and respect. They may have been your parents, caregivers or people who have become close to you. Thanks to them, you were able to build self-worth. 

As you grew older, you developed your strengths and talents by using them. Along the way you had to work hard to accomplish difficult tasks in some areas of life, and you came out stronger and successful in these areas. You developed your self-confidence. 

Self-confidence and self-worth

The origin of the word confidence is ‘fidere’ which in Latin means “to trust.” Our confidence is based on how much we trust our skills, abilities and knowledge about specific areas in life.

Things that may decrease our self-confidence: 

• Failures, or our perception of failures. ( Getting low scores, not performing well on stage, not getting the promotion you wanted, not getting the job) 
• Comparing yourself to other people 
• Not getting opportunities to grow 
• Being discriminated upon

On the other hand, esteem originates from the Latin word ‘aestimare’ that translates “to estimate, appraise, or put value.” Self-esteem is based on how we value our own worth, or how we rate ourselves.

Things that may decrease our self-worth: 

• Experiencing abuse, especially during childhood
• Experiencing an unhealthy romantic relationship ( lack of respect or boundaries) 
• Experiencing neglect during childhood
• Experiencing invalidation or lack of emotional support 
• Receiving conditional affection ( only receiving care and love if you do something good)

Both healthy self-confidence and strong self-worth are crucial in our ability to become healthy and happy individuals, make supportive relationships, grow in our professional life and live our daily lives. In fact, research shows that low self-esteem is especially related to mental struggles like anxiety and depression.

The benefits of a strong self-worth

Having a strong self-worth is like looking into the world through the lens that “I am good enough.” This belief that you are acceptable translates to your thoughts, feelings, and actions. 

1. You can handle negative feedback better. It is because you do not tie your worth to what others say. 
2. You can advocate for your needs and your choices. Since you know and accept who you are, you are able to speak up and go after things that will help you fill your needs. 
3. You are not dependent on other people’s approval to feel accepted. Your value is based on how you perceive yourself. Your own affirmation is more important. 
4. You become more confident to try new things. You choose to do things to grow outside of your comfort zone. 

Boost your self worth

Instead of comparing yourself to other people’s skills, abilities and accomplishments, boosting your self worth makes you look inward. 

Embrace your uniqueness. What makes you different from others is valuable. To do this, get to know your own skills, weaknesses, past failures, perspectives, accomplishments, and life experiences. Then come to accept them as part of who you are, even the bad ones. 

One telling question to assess your current view of yourself is, “What did your internal conversation look like during the last time you got rejected or you thought you failed?” This reveals to us our current relationship with bad experiences in life and how we usually talk to ourselves.

Redefine your internal conversation. If you notice that your internal message is mostly negative, challenge yourself to this. How can I shift my perspective to look at this situation more positively? What is not true in my internal message and what truth can I replace them with? These truths and affirmations will enhance your self-worth.

The thing about self-confidence and self-worth is that they are constantly changing. You can grow in these areas by identifying your current view of yourself and taking some time to focus on redefining your perceptions of yourself. The more you know and accept who you are, the more confident and worthy you will feel! 

Looking for qualified healthcare talents in the US? Reach candidates faster with a medical field job board. Register with us and find top talent!