Worth. And why numbers should never define you.

Worth.

So much of our life we can mark by numbers ~

• There’s the physical contributors of how old we are, how much we weigh or how tall we may be, and the size of our clothing,
• Then for the avid social media user there are the number of views, followers, likes, shares one account may get,
• The business side of things with the amount of sales, number of team members, etc.
• For the student this can be tied to a grade on an assignment or in a class and number of their GPA,
• For the patient this can come in the form of a statistic,
• For the athlete or performer in the number of a score, performance, ranking or time.

And for some reason, some of us as humans put entirely too much of an emphasis on these numbers. Whether physical or social, we see a number and we let it define us. Or, if we are brave enough to not let that define us, then we still manage to find a way to let that number control us. And it’s under that control that we lose our identity and our sense of purpose. We lose our self and quickly our confidence starts to slip away.

As I have been engaging in this blogging world, one of the things I have been doing is engaging and supporting other bloggers in various support/engagement groups. And a trend that I have been noticing is an overall feeling of discouragement tied to numbers. And I totally get that, and it has had me thinking. Thinking a lot lately. And it’s not just with blogging and social media. I see it every day as a high school teacher, as I watch as students react to grades, both unit assessments and final course grades and things can get even more intense when you bring up class rankings. From a business side, I have been observing this as I have been exploring the business side of Young Living and essential oils and I can easily see how the number of team members and sales can be confining and controlling. And then let’s take our physical bodies. We might step on a scale each morning and easily let that number be a reason for determining and understanding our individual value and worth. Or from a health stand point, we might view family history and statistics within diagnoses and allow that to restrict our faith and diminish our sight.

And when I think of these numbers, the numbers that we so easily let define and control us, it becomes so clear how easy it is for us to allow comparison to reign dominance in our lives. Take a moment and follow my thought process here.

The actual definition of “define” (ha.. that’s funny)

define.

verb, used with an object.

1. to state or set forth the meaning of
2. to explain or identify the nature or essential qualities of
3. to fix or lay down clearly and definitely

Source: Dictionary.com

When we use numbers to define us, we are using that digit (Whatever it stands for) and allowing it to determine our identity, distinguish our worth, and control our path and our future. When we use a number to define us we are allowing that number, for whatever it may represent, to set forth the meaning of our life, to explain the nature of the core qualities that make us unique, and to lay down definitive standards upon which we believe to live by.

Not only can numbers falsely try to define us, but they also allow room for comparison to grow and jealousy to eat away our spirit. Look how easy, how simplistic it is to compare numbers to numbers, the comparison is blunt, with no room for error or differing of opinions. But also, no room for explanation while just looking at the number itself, without knowing and understanding the context of the situation or analyzing the circumstances surrounding each number to process more in depth.

• Age: one is older, one is younger while taking no account to the person or life that has been lived
• Weight: one is heavier, one is lighter while taking no account to the body complexion or height or history
• Number of followers: one has x amount, while another has y without actually meaning anything substantial
• Grade: one has an A, while another has a B, but these two individual scores don’t portray knowledge or hard work, they are just a grade
• Score: winner has one score, while the loser has another, but (again) these two scores are relative, they only tell of the competition between the two competitors, they don’t reflect the actual range of performance of the individual team players

You may disagree with me. You may personally be screaming inside your head right now about how all of this is false and how numbers will always define things. And that’s what is so remarkable about humans. The ability to have the right to speak your mind and believe your own beliefs. And to respect those who believe and see things differently than us. Granted, I am a social studies teacher, not a mathematician and while I processed my thoughts and typed out this blog post, (vulnerable moment here) I continuously battled insecure thoughts regarding the content of this message. I battled the fear and the worry of what others may think, and I get that some people are numbers people and they live for numbers and the definite worth that they stand for. But it is this exact same view point in my reason for believing in this content. Humans are more than a number. I am more than a number. You are more than a number. We all are more than a number. 

More than a grade, more than a number on the scale, more than a statistic, and more than the number of likes/followers. Our worth, our individual value, cannot be fixed at a certain number, because our worth was determined the moment our life was formed. And that worth is infinite. Infinite to be desired, infinite to loved, to be pursued and to be valued.

I know so many of us struggle everyday with comparison and jealously. It’s human nature, but what is it that we are doing to allow us to continuously fall in to this trap and feel burdened by this weight. Is it because we are allowing numbers to define us? Remember, a number is just a number, and upon first look, that number is simply what it stands for. So why are we letting something define, and control us. Why not let this be our freedom and our reason to be set free.

How should we identify ourselves? How do we determine our worth? We determine our worth by what’s inside. We determine our worth by our heart. And there is no number to define that.

So where do we go from here? How can this be applied to my life so that I can live this out, freely.

Well friends, first you must absolutely understand and recognize that you are worth it. That your life is worth it. That you are unique, desired, and loved. That there is something in you that the world needs.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that you should not work towards your goals and success. This is not me saying to not try hard, this is simply me saying do not let a number define you. And when you see that number. Don’t judge yourself and create an identity for yourself based on that digit. Feel the freedom of not letting it control you and instead feel refined. Feel the freedom of not being tied to a number and instead feel empowered, feel motivated, feel encouraged to keep your head up, your eyes on the prize, and continue moving forward. Don’t let any particular score or value stop you from pursuing your dreams. Continue to follow your heart and pursue and cultivate your vision, because it matters. Your vision is treasured and it is needed.  So feel free to continue to pursue your dreams and go after all of your ambitions, working hard and fearlessly, but with the freedom that no matter the chances you take, the challenges you face, a number will not and cannot determine your worth and your value. And when you know and fully understand this freedom, then you have more reason and more room to grow. It is the freedom that propels you to move closer to those dreams. Closer to your purpose.

Purpose.

Speaking of purpose. In a world that so easily uses numbers to define, be absolutely certain and sure you know your purpose. Understand your “why.” What is your reason for doing whatever it is that you are doing? Why are you in school, why are you pursuing this business, why are you using social media, why are you watching your weight? When you know and understand your why, you have that as your floor plan, your why becomes your design. It becomes your blue print to fall back on, to look towards, to cling to. Your why will keep you constant in frustrating seasons, your why will be your fuel and your momentum even when you feel tired and run dry. Know your why. Understand your reasons and believe in your purpose.

Believe in your value, believe in your worth. Know that your story is necessary to be told. Don’t let your enemies silence you. Be bold, be brave, pursue your passions, follow your heart.

And remember, no number will ever or can ever define you. You are more than that, you are more than enough.

xo. Haley