I love this poem because it attests to our power – the power we have as human beings to ask for, and receive what we desire in life.  To demand it even.  No, that doesn’t mean that we will get EVERYTHING we want.  Life just doesn’t work that way.  But it definitely means that if you never set a goal…if you never set your worth, you definitely will never achieve it.

I remember early in my career, I met with the Human Resources representative at the company I was working for and had laid out a very thorough and carefully researched case for the raise I wished to receive.  My supervisor and I met earlier and he agreed that the raise was fair based on my accomplishments that year.  To my surprise, I was met with huge push-back from the HR rep and was asked “What makes you think you deserve to make this amount of money?  This is well above the average pay for someone in your position.”  My simple response was “Well, I’m not average.”  That statement may seem arrogant, but the reality is that I knew the pay scale for my position and I knew that I had worked above and beyond what my job duties required.  I knew my worth.

I am truly thankful to my parents for giving me a strong sense of self through their constant encouragement.  I decided early in life that I would not let anyone dictate to me how much I should make or how valuable I was, or how big my dreams should be because frankly, they had no power to do so.  I and I alone can make that determination.

People will sometimes want to put their own personal limitations on you.  To try to force you to live your life based on their limited standards.  If you like riding rockets to the moon, don’t let people that like burying their heads in the sand tell you how to live your life!

Do you know your worth?  Are you demanding it of life?   Of yourself?  I challenge you to do so.  Reach for the stars!

La Donna