Self-Worth vs. Self-Esteem vs. Self-Love

I Have Struggled with All Three. How About You?

Backward Facing Therapy contains soulful and insightful stories from my time as both a therapist and a therapy client. Sit by me as we work on our mental health together. Paid subscribers get access to downloadable workbooks, worksheets, journals, and more in Kim’s Therapy Space.

Posts are informational and should not be considered a substitute for professional health care.

If you’ve spent any amount of time on social media, you’ve probably seen the terms self-worth, self-esteem, and self-love used so often that the meanings of the words have become diluted.

Or you view these phrases as something that the yoga-practicing, trendy influencers throw around when they’re trying to sell something.

As a therapist, I’ve heard both influencers and clients use these terms interchangeably. They might use the phrase self-love when what they’re describing is self-worth. One client told me, “I have zero self-love,” but when I asked her to elaborate on what she meant, it became clear that she was actually describing her self-esteem.

While self-worth, self-esteem, and self-love are deeply connected, they are not the same. Each touches a different part of our inner landscape, and understanding their differences can offer clarity, healing, and a deeper relationship with ourselves.

Let’s take a closer look.

Self-Worth

Self-worth is the foundation. It’s not based on how you look, what you’ve accomplished, or what others think of you. It’s the quiet, steady belief that you matter just because you exist.

In other words, you were born with worth.

I was born with worth.

Our worth doesn’t rise and fall with our mistakes or our successes.

Self-worth says:
Even though I am imperfect and I make mistakes, I still have value.

I often describe self-worth as the foundation beneath your emotional house. If that ground is shaky, everything else (your confidence, your boundaries, your ability to receive love) feels unstable. When someone struggles with chronic people-pleasing or has trouble accepting love or compliments, it’s often a wound in their self-worth.

How to improve self-worth:

Improving self-worth begins with unlearning the idea that you have to earn your value.

Read that again.

Next, identify the conditions you’ve attached to your worth (e.g., being productive, helpful, attractive, or making others happy).

Ask: Who taught me that I had to be these things to be loved?

Reconnect with your worth by practicing worth-affirming truths daily, such as:

I am enough because I exist.

Challenge the belief that you have to prove yourself. Surround yourself with people who reflect your inherent dignity back to you. Often discussed in sociology, theology, and health care professions:

Inherent Human Dignity is the recognition of the intrinsic worth and value of every individual, purely by virtue of being human.

You matter because you exist.

Another way to improve and explore your self-worth is by working on your inner child. I had to repair that part of me that learned I had to be perfect to earn and be worthy of love.

My Damn Inner Child Showed Up

Therapeutic reflection:
What would change in my life if I believed, down to my bones, that I was already enough?

Self-Esteem: How You See Yourself

Self-esteem is more conditional. It’s how you feel about yourself based on your abilities, your appearance, your performance, and how well you meet your own standards or goals.

In other words, self-esteem fluctuates.

When we do something we’re proud of (like me finishing this post), finish a project, or show up for a difficult conversation, our self-esteem often rises. But if we fail a test, make a mistake, or feel like we said something stupid, our self-esteem can plummet.

Self-esteem says:
I feel good about myself because I handled that well.

***A word of caution about self-esteem:

Don’t rely solely on positive self-esteem without the grounding of self-worth, because then you may associate your value with your productivity. In today’s achievement-obsessed culture, this imbalance is common.

How to improve self-esteem:

To improve self-esteem, focus on mastery, resilience, and aligned action.

Aligned action means taking steps towards your goals in a way that is consistent with your values, intentions, and a clear vision for the future. It's about ensuring your actions are in harmony with your inner compass, leading to a sense of purpose and fulfillment. Source

Set small, achievable goals that stretch you, then acknowledge your follow-through. Keep promises to yourself. Let confidence be built through evidence, not perfection.

Practice catching your inner critic and replacing harsh thoughts with compassionate self-talk: That didn’t go how I wanted, but I’m proud I tried.

Celebrate your efforts, not just outcomes. Reflect on your wins and let them remind you that you are capable and learning.

Therapeutic reminder:
Healthy self-esteem is not about being the best but about seeing yourself as capable and treating yourself with kindness when you fall short.

Self-Love: The Practice of Treating Yourself Like Someone Worth Loving

Self-love is all about action. It’s the way you show up for yourself, tend to your needs, and speak to yourself when no one else is listening. It’s the action that comes from the belief that you are worthy and valuable.

It’s how you feed yourself, how you rest, and how you forgive yourself.
It’s in the boundaries you set, the people you surround yourself with, and in the way you walk away from something that dishonors you.

Self-love says:
I am committed to treating myself with care even when it’s hard.

Where self-worth is inherent, and self-esteem is shaped by performance, self-love is an ongoing choice. It’s something you do—>especially on the days when you don’t feel like you’re enough.

How to improve self-love:

Please, for the love of all that is holy, start small. Begin by making a list of habits or rituals that ground and nourish you and honor them as acts of devotion.

Next, ask yourself throughout the day:

What do I need right now?

What would love do here?

Self-love isn’t about spa days and grand gestures but about the small moments where you take time to care for yourself. It’s drinking water when you’re thirsty, saying no when you’re overwhelmed, and taking a breath before reacting.

Treat mistakes as learning experiences.

Self-love grows each time you choose to show up for yourself with tenderness, patience, and consistency.

Somatic practice:
Place your hand over your heart, take a slow breath, and say aloud, I am learning to love myself here, too.

Understanding the differences between these three allows us to identify what’s missing.

When we begin to untangle these threads and tend to each one, we move toward wholeness.

If your self-worth is wounded, begin by affirming your inherent value, even when you don’t “earn” it.
If your self-esteem is low, seek opportunities to notice your strengths and take empowered action.
If your self-love is scarce, practice small, consistent acts of tenderness toward yourself.

These are not traits you either have or don’t have. They are muscles that strengthen with intention, kindness, and time.

Note: If you’re struggling with self-worth, self-esteem, or self-love, please know that you’re not alone. And deficits in these areas do not discriminate. It can affect therapists, CEO’s, celebrities, and people who seem to have it all.

My dear reader, you are human, and humans are beautifully complex. You don’t have to master self-worth, self-esteem, and self-love all at once.

Just begin right where you are.

Self-worth whispers, You belong.
Self-esteem declares, You are capable.
Self-love affirms, You are worth the effort.

And you are.

Take care of yourself,

Kim

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