You Are The Standard: Reclaiming Your Value In a Noisy World

 

I didn’t shrink overnight. Nor did I start to think less of myself in a single moment. It happened slowly. 

With every “yes” I said, when deep within I meant no. With every “I can’t do it” and “I’ll fail if I try.” 

It happened each time I smiled to hide the ache. Each time I hid behind others, hoping to be seen through them. 

I wore negativity like a cloak. It followed me everywhere. 

I didn’t know my worth and was easily intimidated. The things people said about me mattered more than what I knew to be true about myself.

I became a people-pleaser. Not because I was kind, but out of fear. I just wanted to be part of the “crew.” 

But with each passing day, my self-worth depleted. My confidence faded. And the change wasn’t dramatic—it was subtle. 

One day, the realization hit me. Something inside me whispered: “This isn’t right.”

I asked myself; 

• What’s wrong?

• What lies have I told myself that made me keep my head low and my shoulders bent?

• Why do I look down on myself before anyone else gets the chance? 

I recalled how I used negativity as a cover-up. I believed that if I pleased everyone, I’d be loved by everyone. But the more I gave, the less I had left for myself. 

I was tired of shrinking. I was tired of being everyone’s version of me except my own. 

The hunger to show up as myself overcame the need to please. And slowly, I began to change. 

I started saying “no” without guilt. I wrote down my values and what I truly believed in. 

I listened to my voice again. And I chose to show up as myself. 

Some of us are still in that place. And it’s okay. We don’t figure it all out at once. 

But we must stop hiding. We must stop bending our will for others. 

We must stop hiding in the shadows of people we think are better than us. It reduces your worth. 

And the truth is, people often trample on those who don’t know their worth. Don’t let them do that to you. 

Live by values. Do what makes you happy, even if it annoys others. You don’t owe anyone your silence, your compromise or your shrinking. 

So today, take a moment and reflect:

• What do you consider your core values? 

• What truly makes you happy? 

• Have you been pleasing people just to feel among? 

• What needs to change in your life today? 

And here’s a subtle reminder:

Yes, it’s okay to be reserved, shy and humble. But the world doesn’t reward silence. It rewards presence. 

So show up. Fully and boldly as you. Because you are the standard.