So many of us lead our lives feeling unworthy.

We are convinced that all life has to offer is not really for us. We are worthy only of a little bit of success. But a lot? That’s for others.

How wrong we are.

It is amazing how our belief system – what we think of ourselves – manifests itself in the outer world.

What happens between our ears translates into the reality of our career status and relationships.

This fundamental question – “Am I worthy?” can be answered in only one way:

YES.

We are all worthy of being the best that we can be, and obtaining the most that we can from life.

I am not referring here to just money, because many of us do not believe we are worthy of being loved.

This would seem to be insanity.

But in fact, the feeling of not deserving a good life is rooted in how we respond to what others have to say, and what the world as a whole is telling us.

Writer and therapist Tonya Ladipo, in an article entitled “Feeling unworthy or undeserving? Let’s undo that” says that as a black woman, she was taught by her family that she could do anything she wanted in life. But when she went out into the world, she faced prejudice and a societal message that she wasn’t good enough.

Ladipo began to feel that maybe those who tried to put her down were right.

We succumb to the destruction of our self-esteem when we choose to believe the groundless put-downs of others.

In the early days of his career, music producers told Elvis Presley that he was no singer – and that he ought to return to truck driving. Similarly, Katy Perry was told she would never amount to much. Presley and Perry chose to believe otherwise.

The truth is: we are what we choose to believe we are.

I often wonder what would have happened to the world had the great movers and shakers opted to feel they were unworthy.

What if Gandhi, Lincoln and Mandela all decided they were not up to the task of making change? What if their low self-esteem caused them to hide behind the curtain of history, amounting to nothing?

At birth, we are all equal.

Through life, we are all equally worthy.

One of the first self-help authors, James Allen, said “The outer conditions of a person’s life will always be found to reflect their inner beliefs.”

If you say you are undeserving, I say “Why not?” And we both know, there is no answer you can give that will make any sense.

Keep asking yourself “Why am I not worthy?” and your inability to respond effectively will open your mind.

Inner peace starts with knowing you are as worthy as the next person.

Change your mind. Change your world.