Move beyond the anxiety and depression that come from defining your self-worth externally. Who and What Defines Your Worth and Lovability?

Do you define your self-worth externally, through others’ approval of your looks and performance? Does your weight, your hair, your money, your job, your car, your clothes, your house, your mate, or the people you know define your self-worth?

The wounded self is the part of us that is externally defined. When we are operating from our wounded self, we are constantly trying to look right and perform right, in order to get others to like us, love us or approve of us. The wounded part of us feels worthy only when receiving validation from others.

This creates much anxiety. We feel unsafe when our whole sense of self-worth hinges upon having control over getting others’ approval. We may even feel panicked when we fear making mistakes and running the risk of disapproval and rejection. We may find ourselves judging ourselves in our effort to get ourselves to look “right” or do things “right.”