6 September | Youth
«Love your neighbor as yourself.» Matthew 22:39
Many people have a challenging time dealing with themselves. What each person thinks about themselves will determine their worldview and will accompany them for the rest of their lives. Self-perception influences their type of friends, choice of spouse and many other important life situations.
I was a teenager with many traumas. I went through those tumultuous years of life questioning my worth. If I tried to do anything –play football, for example– and something went wrong, I started to think that I was worthless because of the mistake I made. I grew up making an association between performance and acceptance. Know this: more people than you realize face the same struggle. The world is full of people who do not love or value each other.
Self-esteem is self-judgment. I am fully convinced that, in order to develop this feeling in a healthy way, a balanced family relationship is essential. If this is not learned at home, it is unlikely to be learned elsewhere; if it is not during childhood, it will not be easy to cultivate it later. If it is not formed in the loving arms of parents, it will not be formed in the neighborhood or in the workplace.
Human behavior scholars say that children before the age of seven have no idea of their reality. But, from that age onwards, they become aware of themselves. It is the age when we are too small for certain privileges and big enough for certain responsibilities. The child starts doing something new and soon hears: “That’s not for children!”; and when he does something age-appropriate: “You’re not a child anymore!” What you say to a child at this stage will forever be recorded in their subconscious. If it is negative and painful, it will become embedded in their personality.
In other words, children who grow up suffocated by criticism do not learn to deal well with themselves, with other people or with everyday problems. Those who do not love themselves have a lot of difficulty loving God and other people. You were created and redeemed by God. Recognize this truth and allow it to determine your relationship with yourself and others.