Jul 22, 2007 | 6:00 am
How much are you worth?
The more I talk to my clients, the more I realize that most of us have some sense of worthlessness. For some, it’s tied to the bank account’s presentation of the total amount of money we have available. To others, it’s the number of people we interact with, or don’t. Regardless, we’re constantly looking for our worth to be validated from someone or something other than ourselves.
What if I told you that my self-worth was just the same as yours? I believe that we all have the same value - it’s just that our thoughts get in the way or seeing that as the truth.
Some people avoid really experiencing their own self-worth. We, in essence, are afraid of ourselves and what might be possible. We keep ourselves small by not really dreaming big. We keep ourselves quiet so that we don’t (gasp) wake the world up to our presence. If we told the truth, the world might judge our personal success.
On the other hand there’s another group of people that talk big, and talk constantly, trying to prove to the world how worthy they are. They wear masks to pretend that life is perfect, wonderful, and complete. When asked, “How are you?”, they respond, “Never been better!” Quite possible, but I doubt that’s the truth either.
Homework:
Do something this week just to nurture your self-worth. Here are some options:
- Wash, moisturize, apply toner, apply eye cream, and pat dry your face with a soft cloth.
- Return an item to the store that you didn’t really want in the first place.
- Tell the grocery clerk that you like his or her smile. (or make up your own compliment)
- Grab some crayons and draw a picture like you were 6 again. Sign it and post it on your refrigerator.
- Let yourself cry. Cry without boundaries. Cry until you laugh. Cry about spilt milk. Trust me; we all have something to cry about.
Truly Yours,
Joseph Lyons
PS. What did you think this article was going to be about when you saw the title? What can you learn about yourself from that thought?