Mental Health & Well-Being and Self-Love: The First Two Empowered Legacy Core Beliefs

The Core Beliefs

My previous post highlighted that Empowered Legacy’s core beliefs are designed to support people in showing up as their authentic selves, ready to be their best for themselves, their organizations, and those around them. As promised, this post begins to highlight the seven core beliefs that anchor the Empowered Legacy Framework. 

One thing that I have learned is that if I want to know what a person or organization believes...pay attention to their actions.  

As I considered what I wanted to reflect through my actions and the services provided through Empowered Legacy, I chose seven values gained through my lived experiences and the experiences of others to serve as the foundation of Empowered Legacy’s core beliefs.   These are priorities I believe are most effective in cultivating environments where people are valued, seen, and heard:

• Mental Health & Well-Being

• Self-Love

• Perseverance

• Human-Centered (People First) Leadership

• Meaningful Relationships

• Sustainable Change

• Legacy

  
  

Let’s take a moment to consider the first two core beliefs: Mental Health & Well-Being and Self-Love.

Mental Health & Well-Being

Surprisingly, to myself more than anyone else, Mental Health and Well-Being was the last core belief that I added, yet it’s one that I consider most important.  

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines mental health as the component of behavioral health that includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Mental health is a state of well-being that enables us to cope with the stresses of life, realize our abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to our community.¹

Our mental health influences many areas of our lives.  The CDC further states that mental health is closely linked to our physical health. It is not only about the absence of a mental health condition, but also about well-being and the ability to thrive.²

We experience mental health along a continuum, as outlined in the illustration, and where we are on the continuum at different times influences us internally and externally.  

Why is this an important factor in cultivating environments where people are valued, seen, and heard?  Empowered Legacy believes that prioritizing psychological well-being provides the foundation for inner wholeness, self-awareness, and positive impact.

Self-Love

I cannot recall a time when I have seen Self-Love as an organization’s core belief.  I’m not saying it doesn’t exist.  I simply haven’t seen it.  However, I have concluded that all things “self”, such as esteem, efficacy, respect, and worth, are all rooted in Self-Love.  As I pondered the Golden Rule of life which states to treat others the way I want them to treat me, or even to love others as I love myself, it became abundantly clear that the first rule of thumb was “self”...having an appreciation for myself. 

A great analogy is flying in an airplane. During pre-flight instructions, we’re told that if the cabin loses air pressure and oxygen masks descend, we must put on our own mask first before helping others.  Waiting until I’m in an emergency to take care of myself is not ideal, but the principle of helping myself first to best support others is key. 

Empowered Legacy believes that appreciation and acceptance of oneself are essential for authentic connections with others, which lead to healthy and thriving environments.

This reflection will continue in the next blog post, where I will highlight the next two core beliefs: Perseverance and Human-Centered (People First) Leadership.

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^{1, 2} About Mental Health. Center for Disease Control. https://www.cdc.gov/mental-health/about/index.html