Where does your sense of self worth come from?

Looking so damn good in the mirror. :p

I don’t know…I’m afraid I don’t have much of one, so usually from those around me…

I don’t know either. As time goes by I am starting to believe that either you are born with it or you never attain it.

From accomplishments. From trying something difficult and achieving something, whether or not it’s a complete success.

From becoming good at something, even expert at something. Anything.

From winning the respect and recognition of one’s peers. From being trusted by those one holds dear.

From understanding that we are all just people and hence that the innate worth of any human being is no greater and no less than one’s own.

I agree wiht @Jeruba on this. For me, my sense of self worth comes from my memories. My memories of things I’ve already accomplished in the past as well as from my memories of good things I envision to come in the future. If I never created these memories in the first place, I wouldn’t have the same self-worth that I now posses.

Memories and focus on those memories, that’s where my sense of self worth comes from.

Trying to be a good person, by my own standards.
Trying to be a good mom, by my own and my children’s standards.
Also, the fact that a lot of people seem to trust me. I like to think that’s a reflection of my actions and my approachability, and that makes me feel good.

Helping people in various ways contributes to my self worth.

Positive emotions, engagement (based on my strengths and virtues), relationships, meaning and accomplishments.

@ZEPHYRA I agree. I have a healthy self-worth and a strong sense of self-preservation, but can’t say why. It’s not like everyone in my life has always been nice to me – many have not. My accomplishments aren’t stellar, but I have done what I was interested in doing. I’m good :) I feel good. I am satisfied and happy. There are people out there who have more, have done more, look better, and are still miserable. Go figure.

A long history of accomplishments in both the Army and private industry, the love of my family and friends, and the belief that God does not make junk. : )

People love me. Total intimacy. Complete acceptance physically. Complete acceptance. Ability to do things that people like, or find valuable. Sense that I am being good even if other people don’t seem to think so.

My community, fledgling as it is. And my family.

My relationship with God. I am of infinite worth in God’s eyes. How can I think less of myself? Oh, and so is everyone else.

It comes from within, from my ambitions and accomplishments, from experiences, from others.

My sense of worth comes from looking for and finding the good in the people I meet. I travel a great deal, probably more than 100k miles a year. Some of the people I meet rub me the wrong way on our first meeting. As soon as possible, I engage them in conversation or through an interpreter. I ask about their family, children, where the went to school, and what interests them. In the majority of cases we find common ground and see eachother in a different, better light. The gratification in this coupled with a job well done makes me feel great and worthy of the occasional complement that I receive.

Of course there is a downside. Sometimes I meet a completely reprehensible character. The downer from that lost person is as low as the previous experience is high. Fortunately those people are few and far between.