Treat Yourself Like You Matter

Why do we treat diamonds with reverence but leave ourselves unprotected? This thought-provoking exploration of self-worth challenges us to reconsider how we value ourselves in a world that often teaches us to accept less than we deserve.

When was the last time you treated yourself like you mattered? We instinctively know how to handle valuables – whispering in jewelry stores, keeping hands behind our backs at museums, storing fine wine in climate-controlled cellars. Yet somehow, we fail to apply this same level of care to ourselves, our boundaries, our time, and our energy.

The disconnect often stems from deep-seated beliefs formed through past experiences, comparison culture, fear of rejection, or trauma. Maybe you grew up hearing you were "too much" or "not enough." Perhaps social media has convinced you that you're somehow behind or less than. Or you've lowered your standards out of fear that requiring proper treatment means nobody will choose you. But here's the truth: none of that erases your inherent worth; it only clouds how you see it.

Things of genuine value don't argue about being valuable – they simply are. The diamond doesn't beg to be put in the case. The painting doesn't explain why it needs protection. Their worth is already established. Your job isn't to convince people of your value; it's to remember it for yourself. This means setting boundaries even when uncomfortable, saying no to protect your energy, and requiring respect – not because you're better than others, but because you're not less than. Like a diamond that doesn't plead "pick me," you don't need to convince anyone. Those meant to recognize your value will see it naturally.

Ask yourself: Where have I left my worth unprotected? Where have I let people handle me without care? Today, decide to put yourself back in the case – not hiding, but protecting; not becoming untouchable, but becoming intentional. Because what's valuable is always worth the care. Share this message with someone who needs to hear that their worth is non-negotiable.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Today I want to ask you a question when was the last
time you treated yourself likeyou mattered, like you were
worth the pause, the protection,the intentionality?
Because what I've noticed isthat we know how to treat
valuables when they're outsideof us.
We'll walk into a jewelry storeand whisper like we're in

(00:21):
church.
We'll admire a painting at amuseum with our hands behind our
back like we don't want tobreathe too hard near it, but
when it comes to ourselves, mygosh, that's where we drop the
ball.
You see value changes,treatment, diamonds they're
locked in a glass case, whitegloves are required.

(00:42):
Rare books, special rooms,special permission, luxury cars
they don't even see daylightuntil they're polished and
detailed.
Wine cellars, climatecontrolled, not rushed.
Some bottles are waitingdecades for the right moment.
Even people VIPs get red carpetrolled out.

(01:05):
Special seating, security Allof these examples scream one
thing this is not common.
This is worth protecting.
So the real question becomeswhy don't we treat ourselves the
same way?
Why do we leave ourselves outin the open, unprotected,
available to anyone who wants totake a swipe at our peace, our

(01:28):
time, our energy?
See, this is what I don'tunderstand, the why people don't
feel worthy of the care.
This is where it gets deep,because people don't treat
themselves like valuablesbecause somewhere along the line
they were convinced that theyweren't Past experience.
Maybe they grew up being toldyou were too much or not enough

(01:52):
or black to black.
When you hear that long enough,you start believing you don't
deserve special treatment.
And then we have thiscomparison culture where social
media will have you thinkingyou're behind, less than
disposable, and when you don'tsee yourself measuring up, you
don't place yourself behind theglass, you put yourself on

(02:15):
clearance.
Or is it your fear of rejection?
Some people lower their pricetag just because people, so that
people will choose them.
See, we accept being handledcarelessly because deep down, we
are afraid that if we requiredwhite glove treatment, nobody

(02:36):
would come near us.
Or is it your trauma and brokentrust?
Being mishandled leaves scarsbroken trust.
Being mishandled leaves scars.
And if you've been dropped,abandoned or overlooked enough
times, you start treatingyourself the way others treated
you carelessly.
And let me tell you somethingNone of that erases your worth,

(03:00):
it just clouds how you see it.
So here's the truth.
Things of value don't argueabout being valuable, they just
are.
The diamond doesn't beg to beput in the case.
The painting doesn't explainwhy it needs glass over it.
The worth is alreadyestablished.
Your job isn't to convincepeople of your worth, it's to

(03:26):
remember it for yourself.
So what does that look like?
It looks like settingboundaries even when it feels
uncomfortable.
It looks like saying no,because protecting your energy
is saying yes to yourself.
It looks like requiring respect, not because you're better than
, but because you are not lessthan, and reminding yourself
daily that you don't belong onthe clearance rack.

(03:47):
I'll say it again you are notto be handled carelessly.
Who told you that your value isbased upon what someone gives
you at a job?
Who told you that, just becausethis is the environment in

(04:07):
which you grew up, that this isthe only place that you're going
to be?
Who told you that you can't seta boundary for yourself as it
relates to relationships andthat you want the best of the
best?
Who told you that you needed tosettle for less?
See, we live in a society thatfeels like you have to settle in

(04:30):
order to get something, and Ibeg to differ.
I beg to differ.
What if I decided that I didnot want to settle because I
knew the value that I had inmyself, that I didn't need you
to come and affirm me that Ialready understood who I was and

(04:52):
who I am and that my value doesnot have a price tag.
See, when you begin to talk toyourself about yourself, you
begin to throw your shouldersback and look in the mirror and
say I'm that girl, I'm that guyand nobody can tell me any
different.
When you begin to say no tothose things that no longer

(05:16):
serve you and be cool with beingable to back away, that's value
.
And I think a lot of timespeople are afraid of what
everyone else is going to saywhen you begin to put value on
you.
Why?
Because maybe they just don'thave the value, or the perceived

(05:39):
value that you have placed uponyourself.
Because you know who you are,are.
See, authenticity shows updifferent.
Courage shows up different.
Being okay with you shows updifferent than the person who
has to wear the mask and besomething that they are not.

(06:00):
See, when you show up as you,your value, do you think that a
diamond has to be anything otherthan a diamond?
It doesn't need the filter, itdoesn't need anyone to say oh my
gosh, you're a diamond.

(06:20):
Nobody can see that.
But when you walk into thejewelry store.
You know that you can't just goin and put your hands on it.
You're going to have to waitfor the person that works there
to unlock the case and then makesure that they're asking is
this the one that you want tosee?

(06:40):
They don't just take all ofthem out at one time.
Why is it that we don't handleourselves with care?
And a lot of times I believeit's because we don't even speak
kindly to ourselves.
See, you are the loudest voicethat you're going to hear and
you are with you from birthuntil the time that you die.
So why would you not bespeaking life into you?

(07:04):
See, a lot of times you'rewaiting for someone else to
encourage you.
You're waiting for someone, oneelse, to give you a pat on the
back.
You're waiting for that thing,that person, to show up in your
life to give you what youperceive as value, to say that
you either are a wife or you'renot.
But what if you just showed up,being who you are, knowing who

(07:36):
you're supposed to be, and allowthem to be able to see it for
themselves?
So you don't have to?
A diamond does not say hey,pick me, there are other
diamonds in the jewelry store.
A diamond does not say, hey,pick me.
There are other diamonds in thejewelry store and the person

(07:57):
that decides to buy it made thedecision because they felt like
this is the one.
See, when we start treatingourselves like the diamond, when
we start treating ourselveslike the rare book, when we
start treating ourselves likethe rare book, when we start
treating ourselves like thepenny, you show up different.
The light around you isdifferent.

(08:20):
Just think about when you gointo a jewelry store, the light
that is on you.
Think about when you go to thatmuseum, the light that is on
you.
The book has a light on it.
When you are who you are, youshow up with your light already

(08:45):
on.
You don't have to perform, youdon't have to do a trick and
dance so that someone sees you.
They are going to see youbecause of who you are and the
people that you are called to,the person that wants you in

(09:06):
their life.
They will see you.
You don't have to convince themthat you are who you are,
because they will see it.
And let me give you this onecaveat If they do not see it,
it's because you were not forthem.
Again, when we talk about.
When we go in the jewelry store, there are lots of diamonds for

(09:29):
you to pick from and then youmake a decision that this is the
one that you want.
Why?
Because it just might stand outto you.
It might be the cut that youlike, it might be the clarity
that you like, it might be the,the carrot and the weight that
you like, but the person buys itbecause that's so.

(09:54):
I need you to treat yourselflike you are that valuable and
I'm not going to and I'm justtalking to myself right now.
I know that you may belistening to me, but I'm excited
about not having to convinceanyone that I am worth it
because, baby, if you don't seeall of the value that is in this

(10:18):
girl here, that's your loss,not mine.
If you don't see all that I canbring to you, that is your loss
, not mine.
If you don't see how I can helpyou elevate to the next level,
that is your loss, not mine.
And I'm not just talking aboutin relationships.

(10:41):
This could be friendships, thiscan be at your job, this can be
wherever your value is you, thegifts, the talents, all of
those things that you have.
They see the external, but theydon't get a chance to see all
of the internal workings of you,all of the inner workings of

(11:03):
you, and you don't have to justgive that to anybody.
That should be special, thatshould be reserved, it should
have VIP seated, vip seated.

(11:24):
So I need you to treat youdifferently, because people are
only going to treat you the waythat you treat yourself first.
So how do you talk to you?
How do you go out in the world?
In the world, how do people seeyou?
That's how we have to begin toshow up.
That's how we have to showpeople that I am who I am and

(11:46):
you're going to like it or not,and if it's not for you, cool.
But I am called to a people thatwill take all of what I have to

(12:07):
offer and its value and handleit with care.
So let me leave you with thisIf things of value are always
handled with care, then you, myfriend, deserve nothing less.
And I need you to ask yourselfthis week where have I left my
worth unprotected?
Where have I let people handleme without gloves, without care,

(12:32):
without intention, and thendecide, so starting today, that
you are putting yourself back inthe case.
You're not hiding, you'reprotecting.
You're not becoming untouchable.
You're becoming intentional,because what's valuable is
always worth the care.

(12:53):
So if today's episode spoke toyou, share it with somebody who
needs the reminder that theirworth is not negotiable.
And remember stop living likeyour ordinary when God designed
you extraordinary.
Until next time.