In recent times, it seems there are only three measures of success; Money, looks, and fame. If you don’t have one or all of them, you feel like things aren’t good enough, and perhaps you feel unlucky and cheated. But you’re an ordinary person, and it’s hard to feel self-worth, self-respect, and self-esteem in such an unjust world. How do you find a sense of significance in a world that seems so very shallow?
Gratitude is the one thing that most people who feel a low sense of self-worth lack. If you can look outside your own world, and see how good you really have it, you will feel much more like your life is a worthwhile thing. If you don’t have a terminal illness, you’ve had something to eat today, have a bed to sleep in tonight… materially speaking you have it better than 70% of all the people in the whole world. If you’re reading this on your own phone/computer, you’re better off than about 90% of everyone.
The media seem to be overflowing with images of the young, rich, and beautiful, and unless you fit that mold, you feel less worthy of good things in your life. But those things are so fleeting – youth and beauty fade with years.
Sometimes we feel like our life isn’t exciting because we’re only doing the work that we need to do in order to get by. Take time to work on a new hobby or maybe learn something new like a new language or learn a skill. Not only will your time be spent doing something productive but you’ll have a sense of satisfaction when you make progress on your new skills. There is nothing that will make you feel like you are valued, needed, and essential like volunteering to help and serve others who are less fortunate than you.
Never use someone else’s life or accomplishments as a measuring stick for the worth or value of your own. There will always be someone faster (and someone slower). There will always be someone prettier (or you may be prettier than someone else).
So don’t be sad if you didn’t come in first, because “someone else who is last is sure to think you are fast.” Your life is your own. Rise up and live it.
