December 8th, 2024

Valuing Myself Over Things

Hey friends,

“The more we value things, the less we value ourselves.” – Bruce Lee

At first, I didn’t want to admit how much this hit home. I mean, who doesn’t love nice things? We work hard, we reward ourselves, and yeah, sometimes those rewards are material. But when I really sat with this quote, I started to wonder: Have I been valuing “things” more than myself?

Let me tell you, this hasn’t been an easy realization. I’ve caught myself chasing after stuff—clothes, gadgets, even social media likes—thinking they’d make me feel better, more successful, more enough. And for a moment, they do. There’s that little dopamine hit, that fleeting moment of satisfaction.

But then what? The shine wears off, and I’m back where I started, still feeling like something’s missing.

Here’s what I’ve realized: when we put too much value on things, we start to forget our own worth. We get so focused on what we have that we lose sight of who we are. And I don’t know about you, but that’s not the kind of life I want to live.

For me, this journey has been about redefining what I value. It’s about choosing to prioritize my health over fitting into a trend. It’s about recognizing that my time and energy are worth so much more than what I can buy with them. And it’s about learning to sit with myself—just me, without all the distractions—and still feel like I’m enough.

This doesn’t mean I’ve sworn off nice things (let’s be real, I still love a good pair of shoes). But now, I try to ask myself: Why do I want this? Am I buying it because it’ll genuinely add value to my life, or am I trying to fill a hole that no “thing” could ever fill?

And let me tell you, the freedom that comes from valuing yourself over things? It’s life-changing. It feels like finally being able to breathe, to show up as you are, without feeling like you need to prove anything to anyone—including yourself.

So, here’s my challenge to you: take a minute to think about what you’ve been valuing lately. Is it a thing, or is it you? And if it’s the thing, how can you start shifting that focus back to yourself? Maybe it’s something small, like taking a break when you’re tired instead of pushing through to check one more thing off the list. Or maybe it’s something big, like asking yourself what really makes you happy—and being brave enough to listen.

Whatever it is, I’d love to hear about it. Let’s talk in the comments, or send me a message if you’re feeling shy. We’re all in this together, figuring it out one realization at a time.

Thanks for being here with me today. Your presence, your journey—it’s worth so much more than any “thing” ever could be.

Until next time,
Marjoly 🌿