Worth vs. Work
“Your worth is not measured by your productivity.”
Read that again.
We do this, don’t we? We measure our worth by how much we have to do, by the amount of things we are busy doing, or by what we accomplish. Those things DO NOT
How Much We Have To Do
We don’t feel valued unless we are needed by people. Yep, we sometimes feel lost if we aren’t running around helping, supporting, doing, fixing, rescuing. As soon as we have any downtime, we’re looking for that next thing we can do for others. We can feel devalued if we don’t have enough to do at work, too. We might tend to feel less important or less “in charge” if we don’t always have a full plate.
How Much We Are Doing
We make lists, and the more things we check off each day, the greater pride we feel. We tend to keep score, right? Are we doing enough? Enough for what? Are we doing too much? What does “too much” mean anyway? Did we do everything we should have done? Should have? (I’m even guilty of adding a task to my list just so I can check it off and feel good about myself. The worst! Don’t tell anybody!)
How Much We Accomplish
At the end of the day, when our heads hit the pillow, we lie awake going back over the day, assessing our progress, and declaring whether it was a “good day” by how much we accomplished. We brag a little when we get it all done, yet our hearts sink with disappointment when we fall short.
Next, let’s work to separate ourselves from work “stuff” to feel valuable. It might be helpful to remember that it is the depth and goodness of our hearts, how we treat others, our compassion, and so much more that truly determine our value as human beings.
And lastly, I think we try to form new perspectives. If we don’t get it all done today, so what? What if we say “no” and not take this project on? What if we let that laundry sit and take a nap instead? What if we get up from the assignment, go out in the sunshine, and finish it tomorrow? Our inability to not do (or not want to do) all the things does not make us worthless.
Studio Owners and Dance Teachers, we are enough. We are lovers of children and life changers. We are dream makers and manufacturers of magic. We are coaches, mentors, and role models. Keep all that in mind, and never allow productivity to define you.
