Value.

When I was younger – I used to catch those traveling appraisal shows on television – and I was always so intrigued… You ever seen them? People would go through their attics, basements, garages and storage units looking for little odds, ends and things that they’ve either acquired over time, or things that were given to them. One they found whatever they were looking for, they would go to this huge swap meet/flea market kind of thing, and antique experts would evaluate their findings and let them know how much they could get for it, should they decide to sell it. And we aren’t just talking about a few hundred dollars, either. I remember, very vividly, people’s eyes widening with the shock of knowing that the cuckoo clock from their grandmother living room wall was actually worth $75,000.000. Or that the old pocket knife, with the mother of pearl handle, that their father picked up at the pawn shop for $10.00 was really worth $10,000.00. They would laugh about how their item was passed down from generations, or how they almost threw it out because it didn’t fit the decor of their home. Time and time again, people said the same thing: “It didn’t seem like it was worth that much”. I was so convinced of the possibility of having some priceless relic in our home, that by the time the credits rolled, I was ready to sweep through my mothers armoire and see if there were any finds that could make us rich lol. But once my playful scavenger hunt was over, I would think back to the people who had come to the knowledge of the fortune that they had, sitting right under their nose – and didn’t know it. And I would say aloud,

“How in tarnation did you not know that you had something so valuable, this whole time??”

In a day and time when COMPARISON reigns supreme, it can almost seem impossible to believe that you are valuable. When our Instagram timelines and twitter feeds are overflowing with 23 year old influencers, exotic vacations, exploding follower numbers and “top-ten-most-brilliant-people-ever-to-start-a-business-while-also-staying-in-shape-and-never-having-a-bad-day” lists, it could be easy to feel like you have to be doing something new and exciting in order to be extraordinary.

But what if I told you that the things about yourself that you’ve been overlooking, are the very things that hold the most value. Most times it’s the STORY BEHIND THOSE THINGS that make them valuable – just like on the show.

I mean, sure, a cuckoo clock is cute. But if that clock was kept in good condition after having transitions from home to home throughout generations of time, or hung as a time piece in the home of a poet laureate or famous painter, it increases in value. If a knife was well-crafted, then hooray for that knife. But if that knife was held in the hands of a civil war veteran, who was able to save his own life (potentially by taking someone else’s life with that very same knife), it increases its value. I said that to say that it’s usually what we ENDURE and OVERCOME that adds value to our lives. Let’s go a little further, shall we?

It doesn’t even matter if you have a past that you’re ashamed of, embarrassed by, can’t remember because you spent the time in a substance or because the time was spent in an institution- You are still valuable! The things you survived have added value to your life. The fact that you’re here is a testament to your strength and I am here to tell you that you’ve been appraised – YOU’RE PRICELESS!!!

I’m not here to preach to you, fam. I just want you to take a look inside and see what you could be overlooking. There’s a talent in there somewhere. There’s a gift hidden underneath an insecurity. There’s confidence hiding behind a chest filled with insults and criticisms. Something is in there – all you have to do is find it! Having trouble?? Get you friend who can help you clear out some of the clutter of fear and anxiety and all of those other dusty rags of procrastination, and expose the brilliance that’s waiting inside of you.

Here’s the Truth: You paid the price in PAST to have a VALUABLE future.

Peace.

Wanna chat more? Catch Tamara Hudson (Host) and I (Co-Host) of #LanguageOfLifeLive EVERY Tuesday at 9:30pm EST on Facebook LIVE and Instagram LIVE.