THIS ARTICLE ENTITLED, “BE THE HERO” IS BY DR. SHANNI DOVER
Hello again, dear Reader. Last week I discussed how to be the hero in your life and in the lives of others. We learned that faith in yourself is essential to the process of becoming a hero. Thus, by believing in yourself, you bolster your sense of self esteem. This serves to empower you as you face life’s challenges.
For today, I will discuss ways in which you can be the hero by striving to improve your self esteem. If we work towards a better opinion of ourselves, we can augment our confidence. Consequently, this confidence will facilitate your being a hero to yourself and those around you.
Combatting Adversity:
A hero is defined as a person who…”combats adversity through feats of ingenuity, courage or strength “-Merriam-Webster
Thus, in order to be a combatant against adversity, a person must have a strong sense of self. Some refer to this as integrity.
Integrity is defined as… “doing the right thing in a reliable way.”-Merriam-Webster
Thus, integrity means that you are consistently looking for the best solution to a problem. This is a defining characteristic of a hero.
Therefore, to be a hero in your life, you must have belief in yourself as well as integrity. But how does one develop a strong sense of self esteem and a moral compass? First, you must work towards self love.
Self Love:
Self love is an integral component to be successful in your life. Developing self love isn’t easy, but the rewards you will reap are well worth the practice.
To begin the journey towards self love, you start with baby steps. This is a process, meaning it doesn’t happen all at once. Your daily practice of self love is vital as you redefine yourself.
Affirmations:
Through the use of daily affirmations, a person can reconstrue their life events. Some of us tend to be too hard on ourselves, myself included. Many of us tend to beat ourselves up over our choices. The broom must be put away! Now is the time to develop self love and be the hero.
Reconstruction:
The reconstruction of our internal schemes allows us to foster a new view of our lives. Our use of personal daily affirmations assists us in re-construing our decisions, and thereby forgiving ourselves for our errors.
Daily Affirmations:
Our personal daily affirmations should typically include statements that underscore your self worth. Examples include statements such as:
“I am worthy of love”; “I am a necessary part of the world “; “I deserve kindness and respect “; “I am valuable “; “I am unique”; “I contribute positively to my world “; “I am a strong person “; and, “I am loving and giving” help to redefine our self concept. By practicing daily self love, we can better step up to face the struggles in life.
Life Long Skills:
When using the phrase “life skills”, I am referring to characteristics that transcend our daily communications. Life long guidelines are meant to assist you in honing your compassion.
These life skills include characteristics such as: honesty, loyalty, trustworthiness, honoring others and patience. Therefore, by practicing these virtues, one can become a hero to others as well as self.
Helping Others:
As we apply these principles to our lives, we will see growth in our ability to be a hero to others. Through caring, integrity, patience, and a sense of humor, we can not only be a hero to ourselves, but also for those who are in need of inspiration. As Longfellow wrote many years ago…
“Lives of great men all remind us,
We can make our lives sublime,
And departing, leave behind us,
Footprints on the sands of time.
Footprints, that, perhaps another
Sailing o’er life’s solemn main,
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing shall take heart again.”
Excerpt: A Psalm of Life, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Therefore, statements such as:
“You are important to me”; “I like you”; “You are brave “; “You’re a winner”; “You brighten my days”; and, “I’m proud of you “ hold the power necessary to improve the quality of life for you and others.
Although they may seem like mere words, the strength of these words resonates with our fellow human beings. As we praise others, we demonstrate humility and love. Furthermore, we continue to improve our compassion towards others who cross our path.
“If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete.”
-Jack Kornfield, “Buddha’s Little Instruction Book”
Thoughts To Consider:
In conclusion, it is important to practice self love to be a hero. A hero allows compassion to guide their decisions, thereby combatting the vicissitudes of life through devotion and love.
Devotion to self and others creates a beacon for lost souls, but it also empowers the hero. Practicing daily positive affirmations is a means by which we can help ourselves become more resilient, another quality of a hero.
Finally, our practice of positive life skills such as honesty, loyalty, caring and courage can bolster our own self esteem, making us shining examples to others in need of inspiration.
Please feel free to comment with regards to the value of this article to you, and what you would like to see more of in these posts.
For next time (Sunday 3-6 pm), I will discuss being “here and now” in your life, currently termed as “being present “. Until then, dear Reader, I remain your Friend.
THIS ARTICLE ENTITLED, ”BE THE HERO” IS BY DR. SHANNI DOVER
