R-E-S-P-E-C-T, an oldie R&B song by Otis Redding made famous by Aretha Franklin in 1967 is probably one of our go to music when we feel disrespected or whenever we are want to heighten our confidence. However, how many of us once the tune has stopped can truly say that we truly understand our self-worth? While it is easy for us to simply say that we know we are valuable or priceless, do we truly know what it means to actually know our worth?
To start to decipher this concept of self-worth, I think it is important to break it into two categories: personal and professional. This separation is only done to help establish the definitions but in no way does it separate one from the other. While both the personal and professional make up our overall self-worth, many of us have only been able to master one aspect and few are those who have mastered both.
Personal self-worth can be identified as the knowledge of what we bring to the table as individuals. Whether it is your reliability, honesty, intelligence, caring nature, or your ability to put a smile on others’ faces; these aspects of your character help you embrace and understand your contribution to those around you. While personal self-worth can affect one’s self-esteem, it is not necessarily a great indicator of how one views himself/herself. However with most of us, the more valued we feel by those around us, the more positive effect it will have on our self-esteem.
Professional self-worth is easier to describe and is the value that you hold as a professional. This is closely related to your education, training, and most of all experience. It grows over time but unfortunately, some of us never realize our contribution to the workplace until we receive recognition or simply realize that we have a lot more knowledge (and sometimes education) than members of the leadership team.
Overall, whether it is in our personal or professional life, we must learn to acknowledge our worth. There is nothing worse than witnessing someone get taken advantage of. Whether at work or in a personal relationship, it is imperative that we constantly reevaluate whether we are currently as happy as we would like to be and to be honest with ourselves and admit when we deserve better and work towards obtaining better. Knowing your worth leads to higher confidence and self-esteem. When you recognize your self-worth, you must also act accordingly in order to uphold a higher standard which will dictate how others will view and treat you. After all, whether we recognize it or not, people are only able to treat us as good/bad as we are allowing them to.
I hope this article will help motivate you to want to reach a higher level of happiness in life and discover yourself and establish your own self-worth. When you do, be sure to never forget it!
Reese
glamgirlonthego 