Lifestyle

Never Sell Yourself Short: 3 Reasons Why You're Priceless

by Francisco Alvarez

If I were to ask you, “How much do you think you’re worth?” What would your answer be? Ten thousand? One million?

The answer to the question should always be, “I’m priceless.” Nobody can put a price tag on you; nobody can buy you.

If we accept this premise to be true, why, then, do we lower the standards we have set in order to meet expectations? Why do we choose to settle for less than we deserve?

When this happens, we become thieves, and do you know what we rob? Our potential.

The answer to these questions varies depending on who you ask. In my honest opinion, most of them should include references to time, self-esteem and perspective. Of course, situations may vary as they often do; therefore, I’ll give you a couple examples in which these come into play.

Time

I must admit, I have a healthy obsession with the concept of time. Time plays a strong role in our development as people. As you all probably know by now, lost time is never found; yet, we still manage to waste a lot of it.

Please notice I used the term "manage." We are all given 24 hours a day, seven days a week. When it comes to that department, we're equally rich, no matter what anyone says.

Poor time management will lead to pushing our backs against the wall because we feel like we’ve missed out on a lot. In what might seem like the blink of an eye, society is embedding in our heads that it is time to get married, get jobs, have kids and keep the circle of life going strong.

I just turned 31, and I don’t feel any pressure whatsoever. All I see around me are my peers tying the knot and becoming parents, and I don’t even have a girlfriend!

After these very important steps in their lives, they still see me as single and look at me with eyes of regret. I would never wish that upon anyone; living with regret is no way to live at all.

So, the next time you feel as if you’re pressured to make a decision in your life as important as marriage or anything else of that caliber, take a step back and analyze. Ask yourself, "Have I accomplished everything I wanted to up to this point in my life? Am I standing where I need to be in order to be happy?"

If the answer is no, take more time. Time is the ultimate currency; invest wisely.

Self-Esteem

Self-esteem is another factor that determines your self-worth. It is composed of your values and beliefs, along with past experiences you’ve been through in life.

What do you see when you look in the mirror? The reflection looking back tells a lot about you.

If you see a happy, positive and ambitious person, chances are you’re going to see yourself in a bright light. If you're waking up with a sense of direction, you have purpose. A sense of direction is often an indicator you're on the right path to becoming who you're meant to be in this world.

On the other hand, if what you see is a mediocre, tired and unmotivated image, then your self-esteem has taken a toll.

Pacing around aimlessly might be a sign you need to think about your immediate future and figure out what components of your core environment are preventing you from living the life you've always wanted. My recommendation is that you take some time for yourself and reassess your current state.

Learn what encourages you to become a better person so you can set aside everything that holds you back.

Perspective

This is something that needs to change in order for your self-worth to go up. By now, you’ve probably heard a million quotes about attitude and how it all changes your outlook on life. That’s fine; it’s true.

Perspective, however, is the way you see things regardless of how they are. The classic example is the glass and whether or not it’s half-full or half-empty.

When you assume a positive perspective, you’ll feel better about yourself. When you feel better about yourself, you'll become a more productive person, and in turn, you’ll create a more energetic environment around you.

Adopting a negative view of the world will only lead to confusion and a lack of motivation to partake in everyday activities. Having a dim viewpoint on the things that matter the most to you will undoubtedly backfire in the form of lethargy. Inspiration will escape, and you'll feel stuck in one place wearing cement shoes.

In conclusion, you are priceless. Regardless of whether you’re rich or poor, tall or short, famous or not, you’re priceless. Don’t ever let anyone tell you differently.