The world does not Define you
Have you ever felt worthless?
Maybe you have even hated yourself at times. We regularly hear from folks who struggle with self-esteem and hopelessness, who have tied their identity to the lies and labels other people or society place on them. If we don't look like the airbrushed and edited actors, models, and influencers we follow, we feel bad about ourselves and think we are less valuable than those “beautiful” people. In that case, we’ve tied our self-worth to our looks. In other words, we identify as "not attractive enough." Other areas where we might end up feeling less than: academics, athletics, job status, wealth status, popularity, etc. If you identify too deeply with your performance any of these areas, the smallest setback will leave you wrecked and feeling worthless.
It’s hard to feel worthy of love and respect when you're looking to something unpredictable as your main source of identity. Imagine one of those areas of your life just went "poof" and disappeared. What then? Would you be left wondering who you truly are? Do you have core values that transcend these things? Are you confident in your identity without school, TikTok, your girlfriend, or whatever else might be important to you?
As you consider your understanding of who you are, ask yourself:
Does a bad grade change how smart you are?
Does having the "right" amount of money in your pocket change how
deserving or successful you are?
Does having the latest pair of sneakers or a flat tummy make you a better
person?