The Oxford Dictionary defines value as, ‘The regard that something is held to deserve; the importance, worth, or usefulness of something.’ Finding importance in ourselves, making ourselves worth something can be difficult. But why?

It took me a while to start valuing myself again, to find my own self worth. Now that I have that back, I feel more alive. I have more respect for myself and others. My point of view on life has changed drastically. How I want to be as a person and who I want around me has evolved.

Getting here was hard, I had to fall first before I finally realized that something was wrong. Through the ‘downs’ the voice in my head made me believe that I wasn’t worth it, that things happened to me as proof that this must be true. However, after a certain breaking point, I was able to open my eyes. I came to the realization that this is the only life I have to live, we are not invincible, and I asked myself, “how do I want to live out my life?” I wanted there to be change, and to accomplish that I needed to make changes in myself. I began to let go of things, I removed people from my life that I felt were putting me down, who didn’t respect me or appreciate me. Getting rid of the people who didn’t value me allowed me to be happy again. Paying attention to my surroundings, I started to learn what I valued the most in other people, and that I can value those same things in myself.

Finding value in myself doesn’t end here, this will be something that will continue to change, and with the change I will learn how to adapt so that I can always feel like I am worth something.