When you were a child, did anyone tell you that you were a miracle of creation, made of the same stuff as the stars, and that everything in the universe plays its part in supporting you? Probably not. If you were schooled in certain religions, you were more likely to be told that you were a humble sinner rather than a boundless child of Spirit.Very few young people reach maturity without having their self-esteem dented by clumsy or insensitive programming.

Some psychologists believe childhood experiences lay down the pattern for life and can never be surmounted, but this is simply not true. What determines your self-esteem is not your upbringing, but your beliefs about it and your attitude to yourself now. And these are entirely within your control. Self-esteem is a spiritual issue. If you think of yourself as anything less than perfect and imagine yourself as less worthy than anybody else, you are selling yourself short. Creative Intelligence doesn’t make mistakes. It created you exactly as you are supposed to be.

313 A Human Being Having Occasional Spiritual Experiences?

The biggest leap in self-esteem takes place when you stop thinking of yourself merely as a body with a brain and instead see yourself as spiritual being in human form.

When we think of ourselves as nothing more than physical beings, our self-esteem is heavily based on our material form and what we do. We believe that our self-worth is related to our performance, our ability to do something well and what we earn. We are easily influenced by what others say, and are over-anxious to please. Fear – of what others think of us and what might happen in the future – plays a big part in our thinking.

In short, when we think of ourselves as merely physical beings, we’re in the grip of the ego and cut off from our Source.

314 A Spiritual Being Having Human Experiences

When we know that we are spiritual beings, our entire perspective changes. Our sense of identity is now based on non-physical attributes, such as our inner beauty and intrinsic worth. We are familiar, very familiar, with the silent, peaceful state in which we are connected to our Source.

We are guided by our intuition and no longer dependent on others’ opinions. We honour our own deepest values and cherish wisdom and truth. We know that we have these within ourselves and strive to make them a greater part of our experience.

We see others as spiritual beings, so are more tolerant and less likely to label them. We recognise the subtle levels of communication taking place between us, including synchronicity. We take responsibility for our thoughts, words, feelings and actions, knowing that these are choices which actively create our future.

315 Transform Yourself By The Renewal Of Your Mind

Your self-esteem is a set of thoughts which manifest in attitudes, emotions and behaviours. If it needs a makeover, apply the I-T-I-A Formula^© and

remember: all four parts are necessary to effect permanent change.

• Intention. Commit yourself to raising your self-esteem.
• Thinking. Monitor your self-talk, examine your beliefs and use affirmative prayer to realign your thinking.
• Imagination. Imagine feeling and behaving like someone with high self-esteem, CI flowing through with you, no longer driven by other people’s expectations.
• Action. Let your intentions, thinking and imagination show in your behaviour. If this feels uncomfortable at first, take it in small steps, ignore any discomfort and above all persist. Consistent action based on right thinking always brings results.

316 Decide To Treat Yourself With Love And Respect

Decide right now that from now on you’ll treat yourself only with love and respect, and accept only what is right for you. Show the same compassion and reverence to yourself as you would to any other part of creation.

317 Self-Acceptance

Self-acceptance and self-esteem go hand in hand. Self-acceptance means acknowledging what you are – a spiritual being in human form – and respecting all aspects of yourself.

Self-acceptance does not mean giving up on yourself. If there’s something you want to change, that can be changed and is worth changing, change it. Do it lovingly. Otherwise, joyfully make the most of what you’ve got.

Take a pen and paper and complete these statements: