The Periodic Table of Worthiness Explained

The Periodic Table of Worthiness was inspired through the process of writing Being Worthy. 

Decades of writings have discussed the importance of developing and maintaining positive self-esteem. This is quite true, and many people equate positive self-worth with positive self-esteem. 

My training and experiences have led me to articulate that worthiness is far more than self-esteem, which is but one element in the periodic table I’ve created. You can say, “I am worthy,” but not, “I am self-esteem.” That just doesn’t sound right! 

You are born worthy because you simply exist. Like helium in the chemistry table, the first element in the Periodic Table of Worthiness is “I am!” The second element would also be Worthy.

The universal concept of worthiness expands to deeply personal elements. These include resilience, hope, truth, love, integrity, ethics, humanity, and awareness of our relationships with others, which ought to be marked by decency, honesty, compassion, boundaries, charity, and clarity.

Acceptance, respect, generosity, civility, politeness, faith, and empowerment to elevate others are the essential elements. In dealing with a conflicted world, we note the worthiness of openness, listening, talking, understanding, and kindness. This is all within us, and we owe it to ourselves and others to express what we have.

I was being playful in articulating the “So what?” and “Now what?” elements. Many things in life are more trivial than we realize. We need to let go of things that no longer work, people who are toxic, or experiences that didn’t work out. Learn from them. “So what?” and “Now what?” encourage the processes and elements of change, the upgrading of self and positivity. What comes out of this are the green elements of wisdom, knowledge, fun, friendship, and experience to draw a greater sense of worth.

Once we discover our cornerstone of worth, it is incumbent upon us to share it with others to make our small place in the world a bit better every day. We do that using the elements of novelty, analysis, dignity, perspective, morality, and grace. 

Moving up the table, we find intimacy, insight, and an appreciation of our narrative history and culture. If we reconnect with these, we can educate others so that we don’t commit the errors of the past. The goal on the highest plane is to become a Worthy Warrior to defend unity, freedom, and a common positive destiny. In chemistry, we have the radioactive elements, and the Periodic Table reflects these in the Awful-Land elements. 

We create our own personal and collective prisons as individuals and in a larger societal context. We are the judge, jury, and warden of Awful-Land. But here’s the thing: We create these entities, but there is no lock. We can walk out if we choose to regard our worthiness. Similarly, we can also use the elements of worthiness to overcome the red, hot, Awful-Land. These elements may always exist, but we can do better.

As of now, I’ve identified 30 different elements that plague people and our world. There are probably more, but I’ll explain some of what I think are important ones to contemplate. 

We have internal negative introjects or self-defeating statements that are untrue that we live by and hold us back from our potential. The product of this includes negativity, guilt, anxiety, imposterism (“I am a fake”), depression, submission, and loneliness.

In our interpersonal lives, we encounter bullying, deceit, envy, shame, narcissism, and abuse. Over time and exposure, our Cornerstone of Worth can be compromised by violence, poverty, racism, exploitation, pollution, tyranny, and trauma. To envision a totality of worthiness comprised of a multitude of powerful elements, as expressed in this table, may be daunting for some, but for me, it was a stream of consciousness! But if you keep looking at it in segments, it begins to make sense.

The Periodic Table of Worthiness, in its genius, is both expansive and reductive. From more than 100 elements (and counting), the simple message (with apologies to Rene Descartes) is:

“I am; therefore, I am worthy.”