4 Practices To Build Self-Worth That Lasts

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Self-worth is internal, based on who you are, not what you do or external validation. It differs from self-esteem, which is more performance-based. High self-worth doesn’t necessarily mean arrogance, but can lead to more confidence and success. Most importantly, it’ll help you to thrive in what’s actually most important to you, rather than being swept along by what other people want.

A stable foundation

A strong sense of self-worth shapes how you handle boundaries, what you believe you deserve, and what you pursue in life. This matters, because life is unpredictable, so having a resilient internal foundation (like a secure “house”) helps you to weather challenges.

  1. Self-acceptance and compassion:
    • Accept both your positive and negative traits with compassion.
    • Don’t judge yourself harshly; allow yourself to accept imperfections without guilt or shame.
  2. Self-trust:
    • Trust yourself to make choices that benefit you and create habits that support long-term well-being—especially if those benefits are cumulative!
    • Balance self-care with flexibility to enjoy life without being overly rigid.
  3. Get uncomfortable:
    • Growth happens outside your comfort zone. Step into new, challenging experiences to build self-trust.
    • However! Small uncomfortable actions lead to greater confidence and a stronger sense of self. Large uncomfortable actions often doing lead anywhere good.
  4. Separation of tasks:
    • Oftentimes we end up overly preoccupying ourselves with things that are not actually our responsibility. Focus instead on tasks that genuinely belong to you, and let go of trying to control others’ perceptions or tasks.
    • Seek internal validation, not external praise. Avoid people-pleasing behavior.

Finally, three things to keep in mind:

  • Boundaries: respecting your own boundaries strengthens self-worth, avoiding burnout from people-pleasing.
  • Validation: self-worth is independent of how others perceive you; focus on your integrity and personal growth.
  • Accountability: take responsibility for your actions but recognize that others’ reactions are beyond your control.

For more on all of these things, enjoy:

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Want to learn more?

You might also like to read:

Practise Self-Compassion In Your Relationship (But Watch Out!)

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  • 52 Ways to Walk – by Annabel Streets

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    Most of us learned to walk at a very young age and probably haven’t thought much about it since, except perhaps in a case where some injury made it difficult.

    Annabel Streets provides a wonderful guide to not just taking up (or perhaps reclaiming) the joy of walking, but also the science of it in more aspects than most of us have considered:

    • The physical mechanics of walking—what’s best?
    • Boots or shoes? Barefoot?
    • Roads, grass, rougher vegetation… Mud?
    • Flora & fauna down to the microbiota that affect us
    • How much walking is needed, to be healthy?
    • Is there such a thing as too much walking?
    • What are the health benefits (or risks) of various kinds of weather?
    • Is it better to walk quickly or to walk far?
    • What about if we’re carrying some injury?
    • What’s going on physiologically when we walk?
    • And so much more…

    Streets writes with a captivating blend of poetic joie-de-vivre coupled with scientific references.

    One moment the book is talking about neuroradiology reports of NO-levels in our blood, the impact of Mycobacterium vaccae, and the studied relationship between daily steps taken and production of oligosaccharide 3′-sialyllactose, and the next it’s all:

    “As if the newfound lightness in our limbs has crept into our minds, loosening our everyday cares and constraints…”

    And all in all, this book helps remind us that sometimes, science and a sense of wonder can and do (and should!) walk hand-in-hand.

    Treat yourself to “52 Ways to Walk” from Amazon today!

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  • Trout vs Carp – Which is Healthier?

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    Our Verdict

    When comparing trout to carp, we picked the trout.

    Why?

    Both have their strong points!

    In terms of macros, trout has slightly more protein and fat, and/but also has less cholesterol than carp. So, we pick the trout in the macros category.

    In the category of vitamins, trout has much more of vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B12, C, D, E, K, and choline, while carp has slightly more vitamin B9. In other words, an easy win for trout here.

    When it comes to minerals, however, trout has more potassium and selenium, while carp has more calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, and zinc. A fair win for carp this time.

    You may be wondering about heavy metals: this will vary depending on location, as well as the age of the fish (younger fish have had less time to accumulate heavy metals than old ones, so if you’re visiting the fishmonger, choose the smaller ones) and the lives they have led (e.g. wild vs farmed), however, as a general rule of thumb, trout will generally have lower heavy metals levels than carp, all other things (e.g. location, age, etc) being equal.

    In short, enjoy either or both in moderation, but trout wins on 3/4 categories today.

    Want to learn more?

    You might like to read:

    Farmed Fish vs Wild Caught: Antibiotics, Mercury, & More

    Take care!

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  • Cauliflower vs Carrot – Which is Healthier?

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    Our Verdict

    When comparing cauliflower to carrot, we picked the cauliflower.

    Why?

    In terms of macros, cauliflower has nearly 2x the protein while carrot has nearly 2x the carbs and slightly more fiber; we’re calling it a tie in this category.

    When it comes to vitamins, cauliflower has more of vitamins B2, B5, B6, B9, C, K, and choline, while carrot has more of vitamins A, B1, B3, and E. Thus, a 7:4 win for cauliflower here.

    In the category of minerals, cauliflower has more iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, selenium, and zinc, while carrot has more calcium, copper, and potassium. So, a 6:3 win for cauliflower here.

    In short, for overall nutritional density, adding up the sections makes for a clear win for cauliflower, but of course, enjoy either or (preferably) both; diversity is good!

    Want to learn more?

    You might like to read:

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    Take care!

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  • ‘Disease X’: What it is (and isn’t)

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    What you need to know

    • In January 2024, the World Economic Forum hosted an event called Preparing for Disease X to discuss strategies to improve international pandemic response.
    • Disease X is a term used in epidemiology to refer to potential disease threats. It is not a real disease or a global conspiracy.
    • Preparation to prevent and respond to future pandemics is a necessary part of global health to keep us all safer.

    During the World Economic Forum’s 54th annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, global health experts discussed ways to strengthen health care systems in preparation for future pandemics. Conspiracy theories quickly began circulating posts about the event and the fictional disease at its center, so-called Disease X. 

    What is Disease X?

    In 2018, the World Health Organization added Disease X to its list of Blueprint Priority Diseases that are public health risks. But, unlike the other diseases on the list, Disease X doesn’t exist. The term represents a hypothetical human disease capable of causing a pandemic. Although experts don’t know what the next Disease X will be, they can make educated guesses about where and how it may emerge—and how we can prepare for it.

    Why are we hearing about Disease X now?

    COVID-19 has been the deadliest infectious disease outbreak of the 21st century. It’s also an example of a Disease X: a previously unknown pathogen that spreads rapidly around the world, claiming millions of lives. 

    When the WEF hosted a panel of experts to discuss Disease X, it was the first exposure that many people had to a concept that global health experts have been discussing since 2018.

    Even before the routine pandemic preparedness event took place, online conspiracy theorists began circulating false claims that those discussing and preparing for Disease X had sinister motives, underscoring how widespread distrust of global health entities has become in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

    Why does Disease X matter?

    Epidemiologists use concepts like Disease X to plan for future outbreaks and avoid the mistakes of past outbreaks. The COVID-19 pandemic and the recent non-endemic outbreak of mpox highlight the importance of global coordination to efficiently prevent and respond to disease outbreaks.

    Pandemics are inevitable, but the scale of their destruction doesn’t have to be. Major disease outbreaks are likely to become more frequent due to the impacts of climate change. Preparing for a pandemic now helps ensure that the world is better equipped to handle the next one.

    This article first appeared on Public Good News and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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  • Anti-Inflammatory Khichri & Tadka

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    This is halfway between a daal and a risotto; it’s delicious and it’s full of protein, fiber, heathy fats, and flavors. And those flavors? Mostly from health-giving phytochemicals of one kind of another.

    You will need

    For the khichri:

    • 1 oz chana dal
    • 1 oz red lentils
    • 1 oz brown lentils
    • 1 oz quinoa
    • 4 oz wholegrain basmati rice
    • 1 tbsp chia seeds
    • 1 tsp ground turmeric
    • ½ tsp MSG or 1 tsp low-sodium salt

    For the tadka:

    • 2 tbsp avocado oil (or other oil suitable for high temperatures—so, not olive oil on this occasion!)
    • ¼ bulb garlic, thinly sliced
    • 1 fresh red chili (adjust per heat preferences)
    • 1 fresh green chili (adjust per heat preferences)
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • 6 curry leaves
    • 12 twists of freshly ground black pepper

    To serve:

    • Optional: flatbreads or poppadoms
    • Optional: lemon wedges or lime wedges
    • Optional: chopped cilantro or parsley

    Method

    (we suggest you read everything at least once before doing anything)

    1) Simmer the khichri ingredients in 5 cups of water, stirring occasionally if necessary, until it has a risotto-like consistency; this will probably take about 30–40 minutes. This time can be greatly reduced by using a pressure cooker, but obviously you won’t be able to check or stir, so do that only if you know what you’re doing cooking those grains and pseudograins in there, and what settings/timings to use for your specific device.

    2) Make the tadka when the khichri is nearly ready, by heating the 2 tbsp of avocado oil in a skillet until very hot but not smoking, Add the rest of the ingredients from the tadka section, and cook until the garlic is nice and golden.

    3) Pour the tadka over the khichri to serve, with any of the optional accompaniments we mentioned.

    Enjoy!

    Want to learn more?

    For those interested in some of the science of what we have going on today:

    Take care!

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  • Younger For Life – by Dr. Anthony Youn

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    We’ve reviewed anti-aging books before, so what makes this one different? Mostly, it’s the very practical focus.

    Which is not to say there’s not also good science in here; there is. But the focus is on what everything means for the reader, not what happened with a certain cohort of lab mice. Instead, he looks at the causes of aging, the process of aging, and what interventions to implement to address those, and reverse many of them.

    Some parts are more general lifestyle interventions that 10almonds readers will know well already, but other parts are very specific advices, protocols, and regimes; in particular his skincare section is well worth reading. As for nutrition, there’s even a respectable recipes section, so this book does have it all!

    The final section of the book is dedicated to plastic surgeries (the author is a plastic surgeon who believes that most people should not need those, and would do well to stick to the advices in the rest of the book). We suspect this last part of the book will be of least interest to 10almonds readers.

    Bottom line: if you’re of the view that getting older should come with as little as possible physical deterioration along the way, then this book can help a lot with that.

    Click here to check out Younger For Life, and feel great!

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