Self Worth

August 21, 2026

by Shelley

Do you ever have one of those weeks where it feels like someone has made it their mission to shoot down every idea you have?

Every suggestion gets met with a problem. Conversations feel heavier than they need to be, and somehow you walk away wondering why you let that interaction affect you so much.

Yeah. That's been my week.

I'm big on energy. I try to surround myself with God-centered friends, solution-based people, and people who genuinely want to see others do well. People who can find the good, laugh when things get messy, and look for a solution instead of another problem.

But every once in a while, you encounter someone walking around with what I can only describe as hot dog water vibes.

And ideally? I'd avoid that energy altogether. But that's not always how life works. Sometimes we have to interact with people whose personalities, perspectives, or way of handling things are completely different from ours.

I'm learning that maybe the lesson isn't always about changing them.

Maybe it's about changing me.

Throughout my journey with God, I've had to learn something that hasn't always come easily:

My worth is not determined by someone else's opinion of me.

I don't need everyone to agree with my ideas for them to have value. I don't need everyone's approval to know who I am. And someone else's bad mood, negativity, or perception of me doesn't have to become mine.

There was a time when I would replay conversations over and over. I'd wonder what I did wrong, what I should've said differently, or why someone treated me a certain way.

I'm learning to release that.

I cannot control how another person chooses to live or communicate. I can't make someone see things the way I do. I can't control what someone thinks about me.

But I can control my reaction.

I can choose kindness without becoming a doormat. I can set boundaries without becoming bitter. I can pray for someone without allowing their energy to steal my peace.

And sometimes, I can simply walk away.

Not every disagreement needs a response. Not every negative comment deserves space in my head. Sometimes protecting your peace looks a whole lot like saying a little prayer, trusting God with the rest, and continuing forward.

And if I'm going to walk away anyway, I might as well do it in a really cute pair of Leviticus Fashions boots.

I'm realizing more and more that growth isn't always about getting someone else to understand you. Sometimes it's being secure enough in who God created you to be that you no longer need them to.

So I'll keep bringing my ideas. I'll keep growing. I'll keep praying for the people who challenge me, and I'll keep working on the things within myself that God is still shaping.

I'll protect my peace.

I'll trust Him.

And I'll keep walking.

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