You are valuable.
Things in life; status, emotions, perception of different realities change – but this will not. You are valuable. Any time with you, even if only in your thoughts, is an immense privilege – for me or anyone, including you. You? Privileged to be with you? Yes.
Have you ever lost yourself? Have you felt the heat hit your face when your thoughts fly into a rage, words rushing out as if exploding dynamite. Bewildering, no? You know then.
Have you forgotten where your car keys are but do not care because you are still in bed and have no motivation to move. Your calendar, that once excited the tap of your fingers across your keyboard, holds no interest now. You hide, ashamed but mostly you just do not want to explain to others. “Too much energy,” you think. If so, you know then that being with you is a privilege.
All these things you despise are reminders that you are precious and of immense value. You are worth anything and everything to have the chance of holding once again. You are the reason people crossed the prairies, fought against the sun and hunted for food to survive. You are the reason the ark survived for forty days and forty nights. You are the reason precious metals are considered lovely. And it is because of you that you want to be your friend. You are valuable.
In the previous chapter, we talked about Briggs and his wife. They did not like the condition they were in, but they valued themselves as evidenced by seeking help. While taking their history, I gathered together the names of medications Briggs had taken, when he took them, why he took them, how long, why he stopped and what they did for him. And then the foreboding came. I started thinking about numbers.
Now, you know that I am not a number person. Remember? “Big fat F.” (F for feeler in terms of Jungian Typology.) But here was Briggs and when the numbers started obstructing my “F” I got uncomfortable. That meant to me that Briggs was risky. He could die.
In Chapter One, I asked you, “Is there any treatment you think is too extreme to consider to get brain health?” I did not say this directly to Briggs but I said it. In my thoughts, Briggs is so courageous to fight the cruel sun the way he does. In my thoughts, he is why freedom and fresh flowers and hope remain. He is valuable. I wanted to know his answer.
“Briggs, what do you want to do now?”
Our culture does not remember that Briggs is the reason that diamonds cost more than more. Culture tells us that he is damaged and not so much of a treasure. Culture says, some treatments are shameful and the value of hiding shame is more than the value of Briggs, or me, or you. For shame. The value of Me is more than the value of hiding shame.
We are part of culture and culture is part of us. Knowing what we want to do when what we have done has not yet worked, this knowing begins with our culture and with our self-value. This knowing of Me increases our freedom to choose. Knowing the value of Me increases our courage to choose what is difficult, what takes energy and hard work and a standing up against stigma and the taking of risks. Knowing what we want to do when starts with knowing the value of Me.
You are valuable and being with you is a privilege.
Questions:
-
Do you know your value?
-
If you are lost, what are you willing to do to be with yourself again?
-
How has knowing your self-value increased your freedom to choose?
-
How has knowing your self-value helped you decide what to do when you were or are ill?
Please tell me your story.
Self-Care Tip – Remember your value.
Related articles
- Myers-Briggs Type Indicator – Psychology Definition of the Week (psychology.about.com)
- The Myers Briggs (gooseberrybush.wordpress.com)
- Shy Mind (babuedwin.wordpress.com)
- Myers Briggs (livingoverseasandlovingit.wordpress.com)
- Seeking Depression Help From St. John’s Wort (everydayhealth.com)
- What the science of human nature can teach us : The New Yorker (newyorker.com)
- Myers-Briggs Assessment (maasmith.com)
- Myers-Briggs for Workplace Stress Reduction (hrawakening.com)
- Myers-Briggs (bryanadominique.wordpress.com)
- Meyers Briggs Personality Types: An Introduction (myspiltbrains.wordpress.com)
I’ve no idea, Brigg’s own situation is confounded by his wife. Perhaps a spell of hospital care with monitored medication? I don’t know.
good one cin. totally. that lady is part of brigg’s disease process.
when u say, “a spell of hospital care,” i think, “she’s onto our magic!”
Amazing Post Sana
elish my friend! thank u. largely because i’m such an enormous fan of yours, your feedback feels like fortune. smile.
What a great message! We are all valuable…we just need to believe it.
thank u suzicate. u sure live this and i’m always inspired by that. keep on.
Feeling unvaluable I would suggest is the grease for a downward spiral into severe mental health problems. So these thoughts you offer today are indeed valuable. If we need to build self esteem we need to be proactive and do esteemable things. For others.
doing for others and being deliberate about our goals – i agree. value in value. thanks u carl
Hi Sana! I was feeling lost, which is not me at all. I finally decided that two years of flight training (with questionable instructors) had seriously started deteriorating my self confidence. I am not a quitter, but I am a survivor. I finally chose to stop this activity (that I was doing not for me, but for my husband) that was eating away at the happy, creative lady that I am. I chose life under my terms. I wanted to make my husband happy, but not at the expense of self. I hope I’m not too off track for the stories you were looking for.
I love reading your blog and look forward to your posts. *wave*
thanks for your comment and compliment beth. big swell “hearing” u. so need that.
i am sure many readers know what u felt like, spending yourself on agendas that weren’t yours. sheeze. don’t we!
If I am lost what am I willing to do to be with myself again? I am willing to face pain, in my body, my spirit and my mind. That is what I am willing to do. I am willing to go to a A.R.T. practitioner and have my myofascial, tendons, and ligaments, and muscles released. I am willing to have energy work done with a practitioner who is very good at what she does. I am willing to speak my truth (not always eloquently) and allow the chips to fall where they may. I am willing to stand up to an adult bully at work and say enough, I am done. And the God and the Universe heard that and said alright then, and put all the people and players in place so that I was supported, heard and cared for and the bully was vanquished. I said not one word to the bully or any one else. I just had to tell God and myself. I am willing to work through the pain in my body and its pretty bad most days, through practicing Feldenkrais and allowing the pain to ease away and take the emotions with it. I am willing to sit by myself in practice and allow the hip to release as I worked it and allow the silent scream up and out of my body that was so amazing I actually choked on a silent scream. I am willing to go to those places and know that in the end I will be still here whole and sound.
I am willing to read Women Food and God, and have all these different people in my life to support me, and hold me and care for me, whether they knew they were doing it or not. I knew, and I trusted enough to allow it.
I think the biggest thing I have allowed to happen, the biggest willingness is to trust. I have chosen to trust and just allow what happens to happen. Today is today and yesterday and all that happened around me and to me is yesterday. I trust today.
Trust today is the thing I have been most willing to do. God, the Universe, people around me, and myself!
Its been a journey over time and place and it has taken a long time, and you know, that’s okay today too.
I journeyed so far from who I was and am, I don’t even know who I am. I am getting to know myself each day. I am willing to trust, that is how I will be with me.
thank u for sharing your specifics Col. i was totally w u along the way; musculoskelatal, energy, voice, courage, God, worship, pain, reading, community, trust, growing …
IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD! And we are all God’s children!
here! here! show me the key to the city (i mean village)!
http://breakitdownpete.wordpress.com/2011/11/06/with-a-little-help-from-my-friends/
u got it pete. great post and thanks for posting link. keep on!
Yes, we are all valuable, and we mustn’t forget it. Too many people allow themselves to be treated badly because they think they aren’t valuable. But, who actually deserves to be treated badly? No one. We are valuable despite what may be wrong with us, so if we want a certain treatment, we should go for it despite what society might say. I’m not going to not get help for myself just because people may look down on me for it.
thanks duck. we are. this comment is this w cream n i think many of us contend that we just can’t get enough of what you’re talking about.
A powerful message! Everyone has a right to be treated with gentleness, respect and dignity…yes, we are all precious and invaluable, just like the diamonds at the top.
Thank you, Sana, for stopping by my blog and leaving a comment. 😀
hey mal! oh delight delight. u came. thank u back at u n u r welcome. i spose this message has such a resonance because i need it so much too. so many of us just don’t remember why. keep on and hope to connect more w u.
Thank you Dr. Q for working to put value in our lifes…whether we are at a point in treatment were we cant see value yet or are just starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel or laying in the bright sunshine basking in all the rays and sharing our new founded light…we are all of value as we exist. It’s hard work but with the help of yourself and the willingness to seek help I just hope we can all find even just a piece of what we need to be that radiant diamond we all want to be. This is speaking from the view point of a diamond in the rough in the precious hands of great minds and the right meds to cut away the dullness because I know if not today or tomorrow super soon I’m gonna be a brilliant 10k diamond of enourmous value.
too good – 10K diamond indeed. thanks carrie n u r welcome too. this was really warm and great to hear. keep on!
btw, i hear u create hair accessaries and jewelry? do u have a website/blog/or such? send us some pics.