What's your worth?

I searched for the synonyms of the word "worth" on the internet, and here's the list:

From the list above, I selected those words that I found to be more related to how I understand the meaning of the word "worth".

Cost. Price. Quality. Valuation/Value. Desirability. Equivalance. Importance. Merit. Significance. Usefulness. Utility. Weight.

Sometimes people ask "What's your worth?" Does it mean that you are for sale? To some, yes, it means literally that way, but if you look at it metaphorically, you would understand what type of worth am I talking about.

How do you know your worth? How do you know if the people that you give your attention, affection, care, concern, and love is giving you what's worthy of you? How do you assess if something that you receive is worthy compared to something that you're giving? Simply put, how do you understand worth?

In this day and age, worth means paying a price, a value, something that involves money. Worth is a common term in the marketplace. Worth means how much, how many, in exchange for money or service. Worth is a price that one is willing to pay to be able to receive a product or service that is equivalent to the amount that he/she paid.

But, what does worth mean to a person?

If you are asked, "What's your worth?" How will you answer? Will you be assessing yourself, and think of a number that is tantamount to your whole being?

There are times you will be in a situation when you think that what you accept is what you rightfully deserve. There are times when you feel hurt by other people, but you choose to be the bigger person, and not mind that pain that they've caused you. Even if you feel the pain inside you, you think that you deserve it, because you doubt yourself and think that you're a nobody anyway.

When you're in a situation where you feel like you're the only one who's making an effort, always understanding the other person, fulfilling his/her visions, and making them your own, being patient with he/she becomes difficult, and the list goes on and on... Sometimes, this person that you truly care about, give your full attention to, love very much can also be the same person who doesn't recognize your worth at all.

Why?

There could be 3 reasons.

1. They benefit from you. You're the giver, the one who doesn't ask anything in return. You always are willing to do the extra effort, go the extra mile, give it all without expecting anything from them. Why do you do this? Because of the notion of giving until there's nothing left. Sometimes, you might think that if the relationship doesn't work in the future, you can tell that you had no regrets, and that you've been good. However, have you ever thought of how this kind of thinking consumes you? Have you ever thought of you being in the receiving end to? Have you ever thought that you deserve the things that you're willing to give?

2. They never think that you will leave them, whatever they may do. In Filipino, this means them being "kampante", meaning you just being there. You will be around, no matter what, whether they make an effort or not. Don't get me wrong, they also make an effort and make you feel special, and you love those moments, those moments that can be counted using your fingers. They know that you will stick with them because you promised to do so. But think about it, will they do the same for you? Will they be around for you and prioritize you above anything else?

3. They love you because they need you. I remember one line from a 2004 movie "Milan" when the role of Claudine Barretto asked the role of Piolo Pascual: "Mahal mo ako dahil kailangan mo ako, kailangan mo ako kaya mahal mo ako?" There's a difference between loving a person because you need him/her, and needing a person that's why you love him/her. Loving should be mutual, it's a give-and-take relationship. It should not be grounded on the necessity of having someone beside you to guide you and to give everything that you ever need or want. Loving has to be founded with a desire of someone, and you having that same desire to be with that someone. You do not love a person because you need them to be with you. It's not loving, it's called selfishness.

If you're in one of the situations I mentioned above, please look at yourself in the mirror. Ask yourself, is this what I truly deserve? Don't ever think that you don't deserve to be happy. Don't ever think that you need someone to complete you and give you happiness. Being happy is a decision, and guess what, you have that decision in your hands. You have to know your worth, you have to assert yourself and tell them what you rightfully deserve - not just a spare change, not only what is left out of the many, but what is RIGHT.

It's okay to choose yourself above everything. Love yourself, too. Because only by loving yourself will you truly know your worth. Only by loving yourself, you will truly understand what you need. Never settle for anything less than what you deserve.

Remember, you are worth it. :)