Dejection.
“I guess I didn’t work hard enough.” “I guess he’s smarter than I am.” “I don’t want to come off as rude.” “Maybe I’m just not worthy.”
These are the thoughts constantly flooding a woman’s head when she is let down in life. Whether it be somebody else taking credit for your work, another person receiving that big promotion or having your best effort simply taken for granted.
It can hurt a lot.
However, it doesn’t mean that you aren’t smart, talented or even a hard worker.
You deserve better than to be passed on a pay raise for the third time or told that you’ll never make it in your field.
You deserve to stand up for yourself.
Too many times I’ve seen people, primarily women, stay silent in the shadows and accept their repetitive cycle of passivity over decisions that they know in their hearts are wrong.
Women fear to come off aggressive, snobby or whiny if they were to question the status quo.
Shouldn’t you be able to stand up for yourself? Why does the judgment of a person or company determine your value?
Why is it seen as unreasonable for a woman to take charge in a situation, be given a higher role at the workplace or wish for more respect in her personal life? It shouldn’t be.
Too many women wait for opportunities to come along for them and hide in the shadows with a false premise that something marvelous will eventually fall into their hands. But, unfortunately, this rarely ever happens for anyone.
This applies to all types of relationships in life as well.
The quality of a friendship between two people doesn’t come from how long one has known another, but rather from the quality of treatment each person puts into forming a real, genuine friendship. A real friend respects boundaries, encourages you to follow your passions and brings out your best self.
Toxic people exist, and just like a job, it’s okay to cut ties if the friendship you’re a part of simply isn’t beneficial to you as a person.
This mindset is especially important in any romantic relationships a woman has in her life. Don’t settle for less than you deserve due to the fear of being alone. It’s better to be alone than to pander after an individual who you truly don’t belong with. Independence does not equate to misery. If anything, it helps build character.
You are worthy of more because you have value. We all do.
Don’t let others push you around or treat you like less of a person. If they truly care, they’ll respect what you have to say.
Voicing your opinions, being a leader and creating your own ideas even when people disagree is what will make you stand out in a crowd. There is a fundamental difference from being an aggressive human being and standing up for what you believe in.
Change and confrontation is terrifying. But confronting that vulnerability face-to-face doesn’t show desperation – it shows grit.
That grit and that courage to receive feedback and deal with it head on is what will get your further in life. Nobody needs to stay complacent for years on end.
It’s okay to move on, it’s okay to say no and its okay to lead your own life.
Because overall, you are worthy and you have more value than you’ll ever know.