Photo: D. Paul Graham / Serenbe Stables circa 2018

“Monday 5 Things”™…..Higher Valuations…..

Scott Peck wrote that “until you value yourself, you won’t value your time. Until you value your time, you will not do anything with it.” Recent discussions with some friends about their fears, taking risks, making changes in life and how we value – or more expressly how we undervalue ourselves – led to thoughts on higher valuations. This morning’s M5T considers realizing and affecting a higher personal value.

1. Reframe it.

Make a conscious decision to be the head not the tail. Moses wrote about that in Deuteronomy. Be the chess player not the piece. If you don’t value yourself and your time, others will gladly put a lower value on you. Take the controls in your life, turn off the autopilot, and fly at the altitude of your choosing. Change your behavior. Stop waiting for things to change. Force yourself out of your comfort zone.

2. Untangle it.

What was the first decision you made today? Did you hit the snooze button, or did you jump out of bed even though you didn’t really want to? (Ok, maybe you slept in at the tail end of this long weekend.) In chemistry, activation energy is the minimum amount of energy that is required to make a specified change. It is surprising how little energy it can take to make a change in life. Large steps are not needed. Baby-steps forward to make a change can be the catalyst to massive changes in perspective and our own self-worth. You simply need to start.

3. Value it.

In your work, realize how much value you bring with your skills, talents, service, and knowledge. Invest in your self-worth. Never stop honing those skills and talents, while making time to master new skills. In your relationships, realize how much you mean to those you love and those that truly love you. Stop discounting your fees, your love, your time, and the communication of your wants, needs and dreams.

4. Believe it.

See yourself as a peer not an outsider; an asset not a liability. Know that you are good enough, or even in fact you could be the best in the situation. AA has a concept called “stinking thinking”; alcoholics and addicts are not the only ones that suffer from that negative thought. At times, we all have an inner voice of disbelieve, powerlessness, fear, and emotionally beating up on ourselves. Transform that inner expression to a voice of positivity, acceptance, forgiveness and affirmation of yourself and others.

5. Live it.

Show up and act like you own the place. Understand who you want to be and stop undermining your true self. Be direct, firm, powerful and unapologetic of who you are. In all situations, do this with grace and humility. The duality of placing a high value on yourself is that confidence breeds self-worth, self-awareness, reciprocity, and cooperation. It leads to putting a higher value on others that make a positive impact on your life. A high value on yourself makes you more compassionate, kind, loving, understanding and allows you to make a difference by being engaged and engaging.

Here’s to a week of the highest of valuations.

© 2021 D. Paul Graham, all rights reserved.

D. Paul Graham is passionate about people, culture, photography and business. He has embraced his wanderlust with his travels around the globe and is at peace with his need for spirited drives in all things automotive.

You can find M5T each Monday here on www.southmag.com and by friending D. Paul Graham on Facebook. Paul is also a contributing photographer to South Magazine. His photographic work can be found on Instagram @dpgraham and atwww.imageGRAHAM.com . Your feedback is always welcome. Email Paul at dpg@imagegraham.com