Welcome back. Please join me in welcoming Shirlena Hucks, my guest blogger. Enjoy!

What determines value?

I’ve often wondered exactly who decides what is considered valuable especially as it relates to materials such as wood, jewelry, and even the currency of money. There are many types of stones, gems, and precious metals but who determined their value? Who said this rock is worth more than the other one? How was the value established? Why was it important to give value to them in the first place? Why aren't gems and metals all just gems and metals without greater and lesser values?

(Value Definition Vocabulary.com) When you value something, you consider it important and worthy. When used as a verb; it means "holding something in high regard,". For instance, "I value our friendship", but it can also mean "to determine how much something is worth," The prize was valued at $200 is an example.

There are three standards that people may use to evaluate and determine worth.

PROCESS - age, refining, heat,

LOCATION-deep sea, cave, indigenous land

RARITY-one of a kind or very few like it

Here is my question to us; do we still value ourselves when it comes to handling the ebb and flow of life situations? When we encounter the good, bad, ugly and indifferent, these experiences should never determine the totality of our worth as human beings. Case in point, we may have had to travail through hardships that will make us feel they will kill us or we may want to die. I am also sure we have endured experiences that cause us to feel ashamed and defeated. Invaluable. As you begin to do a self-check and look at all of your attributes, to determine your value, you might count yourself out or less worthy. Why? Because in the process of evaluation, you will tally up your flaws too and then you are back to where you started. Feeling defeated. On the one hand, some outsiders will observe what you possess and because they are disingenuous will attempt to use you. On the other hand, family and friends will see your skills, talents, and gifts and will encourage you to embrace what they see in you because you're not always able to recognize them.

What makes YOU valuable? While there is a "WHAT" factor we should not focus on WHAT makes you valuable, just know and understand that YOU ARE. No matter what you have gone through, remember to LIVE is a gift, to LOVE is a treasure, to allow yourself to experience both, especially after heartbreaks and trials now that’s PRICELESS.

Let’s Heal and Let’s Go

Shirlena Hucks