Today, I grieve. Not for someone else, but for myself—the version of me that gave so much of my time, energy, and soul to people and places that didn’t deserve it. For years, I sought happiness outside myself, thinking someone else could fill the void. I waited for a miracle, hoping a relationship would magically transform my life. But the real miracle happened today: the awareness that all I need and want is within me..

I placed myself where my worth wasn’t seen or valued. It’s like a bottle of water: it’s $1 at a gas station, $4 at the gym, and $10 on an airplane. The water doesn’t change; its value is determined by where it’s placed. I was the same—valuable—but I put myself in places that didn’t recognize it. And when you place yourself in low-value environments, you receive low-value treatment.

For years, I surrounded myself with people who didn’t even understand their own worth. By aligning myself with their low self-esteem, I unknowingly diminished my own. I grieve for that version of me who didn’t know any better. I feel sad for the time I wasted, the opportunities I missed, and the energy I drained into mediocrity.

But today, I’ve learned something profound: you must know what you’re worth. When you don’t, you settle. You settle for less-than relationships, uninspiring environments, and people who can’t see your value because they don’t see their own.

The truth is, I’d rather be alone in a high-value place than surrounded by low-value people. Solitude, I’ve discovered, is a high-value space in itself. It’s where you can reconnect with your true self and create opportunities for growth, success, and meaningful connections.

Low-value people and environments drag you down. They waste your time and keep you stuck in mediocrity. Worse, they blind you to the possibility of something greater. Every moment spent in these places is a moment lost from elevating yourself.

Here’s the lesson: choose wisely where you place yourself and with whom you spend your time. Observe people closely—their habits, how they spend their days, whom their friends are and the content they consume. Low- esteemed people are often negative , pessimistic, dabble in unhealthy addictions, lack wholesome values, are ill – mannered, stingy , brag, complain , blame , judge and lack friends with integrity..They may fill their lives with noise and busyness but it lacks depth or purpose.

If you want to grow, surround yourself with growth. If you want success, align with successful and positive people. If you want peace, choose solitude over company . Knowing your worth means not just believing in it but positioning yourself in places and with people who reflect it back to you.

Grieve for the time you’ve lost, as I do today, but don’t stay there. Transform that grief into a resolve to never settle again. Know your worth, and never place yourself where it isn’t valued.