Life and experiences have a way of causing us to feel broken—fatally flawed, beyond use or repair. But the fact is that value is all in perception. Why do two items of similar make often command completely different price points? Perceived value. Perhaps one has a designer label, or another may be reported to have superior design. Ultimately, it’s about perception.
This is where we can become our own worst enemies. If we devalue ourselves (or the things we create), we are changing our own perceived value. Therefore we can’t be surprised when other’s agree with our assessment, after all—who better to know our worth than ourselves? We spend more time with ourselves than anyone else.
Therefore, we must begin by seeing our own value, rather than waiting for everyone else to reflect it to us. Choose to see ourselves as worthy and treat ourselves as such. The result will be that others will continue to believe our assessment, but this time they’ll be acknowledging our worth.
So whether that looks like drawing much-needed boundaries, making time for self-care, charging appropriately for your time—choose to see your own worth.
And if you feel broken, battered or bruised—perhaps feeling of little use, remember that value is in the eye of the beholder. So just as two of the stones in this Crystal Landscape had been broken, and yet found new life and are being shown in all their broken beauty, so you too can find your way to shine. Simply look for the way to show what is beautiful rather than maximizing your areas of perceived deficiency.
Everything and everyone has value and purpose. It’s simply a matter of seeing it. So find it in yourself, and then give that gift to others by seeing it in them too.