Commercial Integrator Making Waves Article: What’s your Self-Worth?

By Susan Wilhite

Someone once said, “Know your worth, then add tax.” Knowing your self-worth is not merely a buzzword; it's a powerful tool that empowers us to navigate life's challenges, pursue our dreams, and foster healthy relationships. Join me as we delve into the depths of self-awareness, self-acceptance, and self-love, and learn why recognizing our worth is crucial for leading a fulfilling and authentic life.

Cultivating Supportive Relationships:
One of the most important components of achieving success whether personally or professionally is having a high level of self-worth. For some of us it comes naturally, while others work hard to cultivate it. I would like to say I am one of those that it comes naturally, but sometimes a good internal peptalk is needed. Good thing, my optimistic outlook on life and positive feelings about myself help that self-talk. Then again, I can always turn to my group of #AVBesties to pump me up.  

Embrace Individuality:
Society often imposes a set of standards and expectations on women, leading us to question our worth when we don't fit into predefined molds. We are all a unique blend of talents, passions, strengths, and quirks. Embracing our authentic selves allows us to celebrate our differences, honor our passions, and find our true purpose in life.

Valuing Inner Strengths:
As women, we possess incredible emotional intelligence, empathy, and intuition. Self-worth is not about your accomplishments, job title, income, degrees, or looks. People constantly obsess over those, but bottom line, self-worth is the value you place on yourself.  Your self-worth is your responsibility, and your internal sense of being capable and bringing value to the table.  For me, self-worth leads to increased self-confidence. That feeling of self-worthiness improves my productivity, makes me confident to face those hard tasks and helps me work more cohesively with my colleagues.

Equality by the Numbers:
When you have a high-level of self-worth, you trust my own judgement and make better decisions. It can give you that confidence to ask for a pay rise, promotion or focus on getting a new job. In the same way that “no one can make you feel inferior without your consent”, it’s a personal responsibility to advocate for your worth and value. This is especially true when you consider that the national average reflects that women only earn 84% of what their male counterparts make.

In the same way that “no one can make you feel inferior without your consent”, it’s a personal responsibility to advocate for your worth and value. This is especially true when you consider that the national average reflects that women only earn 84% of what their male counterparts make. 

Standing up for your self-worth and demanding what you deserve shouldn’t be considered a selfish act, since opening that door or smashing that ceiling sets a precedent for the women that follow behind you. If you find yourself needing the inspiration to pursue equal pay, remember that it’s not just for yourself, but to close that 20% pay gap and progress towards a more equitable world. 

What we can find in studies and articles on women’s labor is that there actually is no tangible reason that women are underpaid and undervalued.  From the looks of it, women are just more likely to accept less than men, possibly because we are happy to even be offered a seat at the table. This cognitive dissonance to accepting pay that’s less than what we deserve and truly earn might only be cured on the grassroots level of women demanding equal pay from their employers since the statistics show us that companies are not making equal pay a priority or value. With that being said, women on all levels of the employment ladder need to be supported in their advocacy for equal pay, which may be achieved by placing more women in decision-making roles.

Maintaining self-respect and avoid compromise:
Consider this quote, “If you aren’t being treated with love and respect, check your price tag. Maybe you’ve marked yourself down. It’s YOU who tells people what you’re worth. Get off the clearance rack and get behind the glass where they keep the valuables!”

Recognizing our self-worth is a transformative journey that requires self-reflection, self-acceptance, and self-love. By embracing our individuality, valuing our inner strengths, practicing self-care, setting boundaries, and cultivating supportive relationships, we empower ourselves to live authentically and boldly. Embracing our worth is not a destination but a lifelong commitment to ourselves, allowing us to navigate life's challenges with grace and confidence. Remember, you are worthy, deserving, and capable of achieving greatness. Embrace your worth and let your light shine brightly in the world.

You are worthy! You are enough! Say it back.