Whatever terrible things may have happened to you, only one thing allows them to damage your core self, and that is continued belief in them.
Martha BeckRead
Realizing that we've surrendered our self-esteem to others and choosing to be accountable for our own self-worth would mean absorbing the terrifying fact that we're always vulnerable to pain and loss.
Interpretation
What this quote means
We often let others define our self-worth, but true accountability for it means accepting our vulnerability.
This quote highlights the importance of recognizing that our self-esteem is often influenced by others' opinions. It encourages us to take responsibility for our own sense of self-worth, acknowledging that this accountability comes with the acceptance of our vulnerability to emotional pain and loss, which is a part of being human.
Themes
Self-EsteemSelf-WorthVulnerabilityAccountabilityPainLoss
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational workshop discussing self-esteem.
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Since our society equates happiness with youth, we often assume that sorrow, quiet desperation, and hopelessness go hand in hand with getting older. They don't. Emotional pain or numbness are symptoms of living the wrong life, not a long life.
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