Low Self-Esteem? These Spiritual Practices Will Help

We all want to live a joyful life, filled with success, abundance, and pleasure. But, oftentimes, we inadvertently end up standing in our own way. A lack of self-esteem can seriously derail our greatest hopes, dreams, and plans as we convince ourselves that we are either not worthy of our aspirations—or simply unlucky. But the truth is, we create our own mindset which greatly influences our reality, and with a healthy amount of self =-love, so much is possible.
To truly understand self-worth, a certain amount of soul searching and shadow work is necessary; self-esteem involves having an intimate understanding of who you are and a deep sense of your own worthiness. Do you move towards new experiences or do you run from them? How you view your self-worth can be a determining factor in your approach to life.

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Having self-esteem involves a degree of self-understanding. When you take responsibility for your own actions and decisions, the true work of taking back your power and self-esteem begins. By making decisions that truly resonate with what is healthy for you, personal growth occurs naturally. Sometimes, a lack of self-esteem can be traced back to moments where our self-worth was defined and lowered by the judgments of other people. It’s important to remember that we all have our own paths to walk, and while feedback from other people can be beneficial in the quest for self-love, it will never replace it.

The following spiritual techniques can help you build your self-esteem by creating healthy daily practices to reinforce your personal growth.

Meditation

We’ve all heard the benefits of meditation—touted by everyone from doctors to celebrities—as a daily practice. And it really does live up to the hype. Meditation is an intrinsic tool in dealing with low self-esteem, helping to create a healthy distance from one’s perceived sense of self—and one’s ego. For the first time meditator, this may sound frightening: isn’t it dangerous to detach from yourself, and isn’t that counterproductive to self-love?
In short, no. Non-attachment is incredibly helpful when it comes to dealing with negative thoughts. By allowing silence and emptiness into daily life, it’s easier to break away from destructive mental patterns and habits. Meditation allows the mind to think clearer by slowing down racing thoughts and relieving anxiety.
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Prayer and Mantra

Prayer is an integral aspect of nearly every religion and spiritual practice in the world. Whether chanted, sung, or whispered, the power of prayer goes beyond its ability to focus energy and intention—it also helps to decrease anxiety and stress, lowering cortisol levels and blood pressure.

Prayer is a beautiful way to reconnect with your own cultural roots or explore new worlds and belief systems. You can use a prayer that already exists or create your own prayer or mantra to help you stay grounded and present. Whether written or spoken out loud, prayer is a powerful way to reconnect with your higher purpose.

Working with the Solar Plexus

Within the chakra system, the solar plexus holds the energy of self-esteem, self-worth, and confidence. Located above the belly button and below the sternum, this chakra is associated with the color yellow and the power of self-love. As the chakra most affected by a lack of self-esteem, a blockage can result in physical as well as emotional issues.

Tune into your solar plexus by placing your hands gently between your sternum and belly button. Visualize a warm yellow light flowing from your hands and engulfing your body. Witness the emotions that surface during this practice by giving them a name. Visualize any negative feelings drifting away from your body and let them be replaced with the bright yellow light.

Approach this practice with a sense of playfulness and joy and allow your mind to witness whatever comes up. An important aspect of self-esteem is knowing yourself, and by tuning into the emotions stored in your body, you can identify unprocessed pain and undealt with emotions.

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Both spirituality and self-esteem require self-realization and practice. If you’ve ever trained for a sport or learned a new language, you understand that mastering a new skill doesn’t simply happen overnight—it takes diligence to form new habits to train both your body and mind. Be patient with yourself as you begin your journey toward a more secure sense of self.