Val-You

I have to admit, I am a sucker for those storage and pawn reality shows. I get sucked in but the allure of finding out what things are worth. My two favorite are Pawn Stars and Storage Wars. I am continuously amazed at what people are getting rid of, found. or left in a storage locker. In the past couple of years, my wife and I have become avid Amazon shoppers and have saved ourselves a lot of money. Recently, we found a foam mattress pad at Bed, Bath, and Beyond that was going to cost us around $300. We found one on Amazon for $134. I don't believe that I have to pay more just to get the quality that I am looking for. It's all about the value. What is that product worth, what am I willing to pay for it, and what is someone willing to sell it to me for? There is only one item that I will not allow myself to go find a bargain for and that is myself. Our value should never be determined by anyone else but ourselves. But all to often, we compromise our value to please others or allow ourselves to be devalued by others. Our value should be set by us and only by us. If you don't like your value, upgrade yourself. It's never too late to work on yourself. You can teach an old dog new tricks. Maybe it's finding a new circle of friends that see you for what you can be and not by what they think you are. Maybe it's changing jobs or careers because your employer or career is holding you back from your real value. Many times, we must go through tough times to add to our value. Not unlike a piece of coal, we have to endure some heat and pressure, to become a diamond. But we have to be willing to endure those tough times and not allow them to destroy our potential but allow them to add value to our lives. It's easy to get knocked down, it's getting back up that is hard. But that decision is entirely in your hands. Never allow people to degrade you or situations to define you. You alone determine your value in this life. Will you end up in a storage locker like some forgotten relic or will you be pawned because you became irrelevant to someone? Become priceless in your own eyes and heart and other will treat you as such.

Dream Big...Pursue Big...Live Big