“When the value of something is unknown, its abuse is inevitable.”
I’ve come to realise that this truth doesn’t apply only to objects. It applies to people too.
When you don’t know your worth, you give others permission to define your value.
I know this because I’ve lived it.
As a teenager, life dealt me cards I never chose. I endured painful experiences that could easily have defined the rest of my life. For a long time, I allowed my circumstances to determine how I saw myself even as an adult.
Then I discovered something life-changing.
My worth had never been determined by my past, my failures, or other people’s opinions. It had always been there. I simply needed to recognise it.
But here’s another lesson life has taught me:
You don’t discover your worth just once. You rediscover it in every new season of life.
After loss.
After success.
After failure.
After becoming a parent.
After changing careers.
After starting over.
Every season quietly asks the same question:
“Do you know who you are now?”
When you truly know your worth, you stop chasing validation. You stop settling for less than you deserve. You stop shrinking to fit into spaces that were never meant for you.
Your value is not determined by your title, your bank account, your relationship status, or your past. It is reflected in the unique gifts, purpose, and potential you carry.
So today, I leave you with this question:
At this stage of your life, do you truly know your worth, or are you still allowing others to define it?
I’d love to hear your thoughts. Sometimes, one honest conversation can help someone rediscover who they really are.
-Hon. Princess Benedicta Attoh. Former Executive Chairman, Etsako East Local Government Council.
