Tuesday's Tea Bag Philosophy - Vol. 4

It's unseasonably warm here today - nearly 70 and humid out. Not ideal tea weather, granted, but as far as I'm concerned, a full tea mug is the perfect accessory for school work and cloudy skies.

Here's today's tea bag:

That first part, oh that first part. While the second part, acting with wisdom, is obviously a worthwhile goal for a person's life, it's the beginning, having faith in your worth, that resonates like an opus when I read it.

I was lucky enough growing up to have family and friends around me who constantly reminded me I was valuable. I was told I was smart, funny, capable, pretty and I was never ever to let anyone tell me any differently. Thank God for that because later on in my life, there were people (okay, we're all friends here. Let's be honest - horrible ex-boyfriends) who decided that they were so inherently miserable with themselves that the only way to feel better was by making me feel worse. Everyday. All the time. And so went about undermining everything about me that I'd learned to be proud of. Some of it got in, but after awhile I realized that if it was my job to take care of myself as eight year old, I'd never ever let anyone treat eight-year-old me that way - screaming at me and name calling and being verbally abusive. Psh. My now 20-something year old self deserved that same courtesy.

And so does everyone.

Even if you weren't raised hearing it, everyone is intrinsically valuable. It sounds so trite, like something in a pamphlet in a guidance counselor's office. But it is so, so important to know that as a human being, despite circumstances, despite your past, despite anything going on right now, you are worth something. You have something to offer the world that is different than anyone else. And no one has the right to make you feel like you don't. That knowledge, that wisdom that you are incredible for your own sake will steel you against those people who will try and make you feel like nothing. And they're out there. Truuust me. But their bullshit has nothing to do with you. Know better. Help the people around you to know better too.

Have faith in your worth. It's a permeable armor that allows you to dictate who gets in. And it looks fucking great on you.

xo.