I am flying back home after spending two days with my youngest daughter. The actual, in air flight time to go from my home to hers is 13 hours and to get back is closer to 14 1/2. I am exhausted, not quite thinking straight, and I’m not a hundred percent certain that I’m making much sense when I speak. But, the time spent with her and the conversations we had during our time together was more than worth how I’m feeling. She is worth this level of exhaustion.

It’s an amazing thing to be enough…to be worth the work. To be shown it.

I’ve come to understand being ‘worth it’. For someone to go out of their way (oftentimes way out of their way) to do something with no expectation of anything in return. This is different than ‘paying it forward’ or ‘returning the favor’ or ‘giving back’. It is having something done for you or being treated in a way just because you are worthy of it. At first, I didn’t understand it and to be honest, I was very uncomfortable with it…I have learned that in a way, it is my ultimate love language.

So, what makes someone worth it? Good question. I don’t think that there is one definitive answer to that. Speaking for myself, it’s that I care about the person and want them to feel that. I want to make a situation easier for them, to bring a sense of ease into their life. On the flip side, it’s when I feel cared for and held…that no matter what, I am never alone.

I think it’s important that we have others that are worth it to us. For myself, it is recharging to give to someone, to share my energy, to take care of and do for someone else. It reminds me that sometimes the best thing I can do is to get out of my head and out of my own way to help. It’s why I loved volunteering.

But, are you worth it to yourself? Do you believe that you are worth the self care, the positive and kind self talk, taking the time to rest, taking the time for yourself? Or, are you so busy taking care of others that you aren’t even taking care of yourself? If you’re constantly giving to others, the battery eventually runs low, very low.

There is a picture that I look at occasionally from a time long ago where I can see just how completely and utterly drained I was. At the time that the picture was taken, I was drowning…and I most definitely was not putting on my own oxygen mask before helping others.

I was encouraged to put together a vision board of sorts. As opposed to short and long term goals, it developed into being about self care. It will take a lot of work and discipline, creating new habits, and challenging some old demons about how things ‘should’ look. I know there will be frustrations and hard days, but I am worth it. I am completely worth it.

In conclusion, I challenge you to answer these questions…

Who is worth it to you?

Who are you worth it to?

How do you show it?

How do you feel it?

And to the one who taught me the meaning of being worth it…I love you forever…