How do You Find Value in Yourself?

Today's question which was asked by someone who wished to remain anonymous is, "How do you find value in yourself?"

The first step you need is to believe that you have value.

So often in today’s world, we get caught up in comparing our worst to others’ best. It’s so easy to do this when everyone presents their best self everywhere we look, 24/7 (thanks to Facebook, Instagram, SnapChat and the likes).

But what we aren’t seeing is the worst parts of others’ lives, and trust me, every person has a battle they are fighting. We try to pretend that it doesn’t exist, and in pretending it isn’t there, we actually make our insecurities latch onto us more strongly.

Remember, that your value does not lie in your worst, and that you have tremendous value even if you have cracks (as everyone in the world does).

There is a Japanese art known as, “Kintsugi”. When a piece of pottery breaks, they repair it with lacquer mixed with gold, silver, or platinum, which shows that this piece of pottery has history behind it, and that history makes it more beautiful, which ties into the Japanese philosphy of “Wabi-Sabi” or embracing the imperfection.

I have also found that sometimes these broken peices of us actually turn into great things later on.

For instance, I went through a major bout of depression and was on the verge of suicide. It was something that I never thought I would overcome… Luckily I did overcome it, and today I was asked to be a co-author for a book which is being used to help stem the tide of teen suicide (More about the book and mission here if you’re interested: http://makeitagreatdaybook.com/ )

I would’ve never been a part of this mission if I had not gone through that time of life where I felt valueless, where I felt broken, where I felt hopeless. But now, coming through that to where I am today, I understand I am full of value, even with cracks and “imperfections”.

Along with this, I have used, and have my clients utilize, the VIA Institute on Character Report, you can go through my link here if you’d like: http://TheLeadershipGuide.pro.viasurvey.org

VIA has researched values all over the world and has determined the top 24 values that are cross-cultural and which can be utilized by us to impact our work, life, and those around us to a higher degree.

My Top 5 are:

-Perspective - Being able to provide wise counsel to others; having ways of looking at the world that make sense to oneself/others.

-Kindness - Doing favors and good deeds for others; helping them; taking care of them.

-Spirituality - Having coherent beliefs about the higher purpose and meaning of the universe; knowing where one fits within the larger scheme; having beliefs about the meaning of life that shape conduct and provide comfort.

-Hope - Expecting the best in the future and working to achieve it; believing that a good future is something that can be brought about.

-Appreciation of Beauty and Excellence - Noticing and appreciating beauty, excellence, and/or skilled performance in various domains of life, from nature to art to mathematics to science to everyday experience.

These have all been incredibly helpful in my business and my life. Understanding these, and utilizing these, have helped me dramatically change my own life, as well as the lives of those I work with.

Hopefully this helps, and know that you are valueable, even in the moments where you don’t believe it. I KNOW that you are valuable!

If you found value in today's chat, be a Legendary Leader to someone else and share this with them - Remember that sometimes the smallest acts lead to the most amazing results!

If you are interested in learning about my work, go to https://www.TheLeadership.Guide

Here's to your success,

Cody Dakota