Self-love, self-acceptance, inner support... Any person who was even slightly interested in the topic of self-development or psychology has probably heard these concepts. Sometimes these notorious tips about self-love already cause rejection. It seems that everyone is trumpeting about this, but what exactly to do remains a mystery. Yes, and is it really so important to love yourself? Let's figure it out. There are things on which, like three elephants, our psyche and our mental health rest. One of those things is self-worth. The concept is very similar to self-esteem, but still completely different. Self-esteem is more about assessing yourself in relation to others, comparing your competencies, skills, characteristics according to various parameters. Self-esteem can change throughout life, it is dynamic and can be different in different areas. Let's say, as a friend, I rate myself highly, but as a hostess, not so much. In children under about seven years of age, self-esteem is usually overestimated, and this is the age norm. For a woman on maternity leave, for example, her self-esteem in the career field may decrease, and then rise again after returning to work. A novice specialist may also have a slightly lower assessment of himself as a professional, because... there are much more competent and advanced colleagues in the field. They often say that you cannot compare yourself with anyone and that any assessment in general is bad. It seems to me that there are situations when a certain level of comparison is quite appropriate. This is one of the methods of analyzing the situation and understanding where I am. This can be useful and very creative, especially for those who have good internal support. Which exists regardless of any assessments, including self-esteem. Self-esteem can be adequate or not, but this is all secondary and follows from the internal state. And the inner feeling of being valuable, smart, worthy, beautiful (or vice versa) - this is just in time for the topic of self-worth. Self-worth is our internal support, internal support. If we imagine that there is a tree inside us, then its roots, trunk and largest branches are its own value. This is the basis of ourselves. And all the other twigs, leaves, flowers and fruits are self-esteem, which goes further into self-confidence, the ability to manifest itself in the world, interact, declare oneself, build relationships, earn money, and so on. If the inner trunk is thin and weak, then even a small wind or shock can break it. And then the flowers and fruits are already in question. If the inner trunk is large and strong, then we can handle any external hurricanes. The tree will survive. Self-worth is also our relationship with ourselves. What internal dialogues are I having? What words and phrases do I say to myself? “You can handle it, you will succeed, it’s okay to make mistakes, you’re doing great!” or “Better not take it, you won’t be able to do it anyway, what kind of stupidity did you come up with again?” How to strengthen your self-worth, how to cultivate inner support and, as a result, self-love and self-acceptance? There are several simple but very effective exercises. Disclaimer: like any other exercise, you need to do it (and not just read it) to feel the effect. Monitor your internal dialogues. When criticism, devaluation, or insults towards yourself appear, immediately stop these thoughts and begin to support yourself. In this way, you will gradually develop an inner supporting part that will always be with you. This radically changes the quality of life. Yes, criticism can be constructive, but it also comes through support first and foremost. Keep a success diary. Every day in the evening, write down 10-20 points for which you can praise yourself. Do this for at least a month, or better yet, on an ongoing basis. This will help you “pump up the muscle” of self-love. Essentially, self-love is a matter of practice and habit. It’s as if you took a red pen and highlight not mistakes, but successes, even the smallest ones. Where our attention is, there is development. Write down all your achievements throughout your life. Everything you're proud of