Pride is one of those emotions that can sometimes be overlooked as something other than what it is – a huge part of your self-esteem. The definition of pride is “a feeling or deep pleasure or satisfaction derived from one’s own achievements, the achievements of those with whom one is closely associated, or from qualities or possessions that are widely admired.” You are finally living your dream, you are walking through a good life, and then someone or something will come along and rain on your parade to alter your positive position of pride.
What is reverse pride?
Having your confidence taken away from what your ultimate goal is can lead you towards a feeling of unsatisfaction which can affect your pride negatively and make you feel like you are not doing anything worthwhile. In other words, you find yourself dealing with reverse pride. Wallowing in self-pity because you feel like you are not enough, deflating yourself because you are miserable in your current status and believe you should have more, or even thinking that everything around you will fail because you have failed are all examples of how your reverse pride can evolve into a character defect.
How Can I Change My Reverse Pride?
Working through your reverse pride can be accomplished by investing some effort into changing how you think about yourself and what you are doing. Therapy or working the steps can be instrumental in finding how to maneuver through reverse pride because you must alter the way you view yourself. Step Four gives you a method to write out an inventory that includes listing out your resentments, your fears, and your patterns in relationships that will allow you to see your character defects and grow from them. Step Five allows you to admit your inventory to someone else so that when you get to Step Six, you will gain an easement of insight that you can turn your character defects into strengths and assets. Step Seven gives you the ability to humble yourself and ask for help to continue to change who you are and who you will become.
With these steps put into action, reverse pride can be overturned into a healthy pride of self-respect rather than being woeful, or from even being egotistical. Human nature can be a funny thing, and what is remarkable is that there is a solution to change your seemingly negative flaws into something more positive if you work – because you are worth it.
Offering a full range of recovery and mental health services, Valiant Living offers “Expanded Recovery” to enrich our clients’ lives in mind, body, and spirit. Through evidence-based therapy options and the endless adventure of Colorado, Valiant fosters connection, encouraging clients to get connected to themselves, their peers, their families, and their higher power. With the power of recovery, clients are restored to full health and experience life-changing healing. Call us today for more information: 303-536-5463
