THE "UN" WORDS

©CherieElainePhotography2020

Honey, have I got news for you! 

YOU ARE TALENTED, SMART AND STRONG!!!

We've been believing a lie if we believe anything less that this about ourselves. 

I've been thinking a lot lately about "work." Since this pandemic, I think a whole lot of us are, yes? I am pretty sure my job has been eliminated, or the company I worked for has been. Hard to tell because I haven't been able to reach anyone there. 

So, along with the other hundreds of thousands of people who are out of work or out of business, I am looking at the job market and wondering what is to become of me. 

But let me tell you this:  If you were unhappy in your job, the place you spent more waking hours than any other place in your life, and it gave you the un's, then maybe this pandemic is a time to reset how you value yourself. 

• Unappreciated
• Undervalued
• Unworthy
• Unintelligent
• Underrated
• Unhappy

I have had a lot of work experience in many different fields. I like being fluid, and learning new things. I work hard, no matter what job I'm doing. But in the big picture that is my 40 year employment history, I have had a lot of un. 

The only work I am truly happy doing is work that makes me feel

• Appreciated!
• Valuable!
• Worthy!
• Intelligent!
• Necessary!
• Happy!

Do you know what I love doing? If you read my blog or follow me on social media, you know I love photography, and writing. And you know what? I am damn good at both. These are my calling. These are my true jobs. These are my employment. They may not be what makes me money, but they are what makes me sane. 

Photo Credit: Sarah Bee

Being almost 57 means I am shouting from the rooftops that ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! I've worked hard. I've worked long. And I've had jobs that made me feel like an "un." No more. NO MORE! 

The first step to finding the work where we feel appreciated, valued, worthy, intelligent, necessary, and happy is believing we already are. It is our responsibility to ourselves, as an employee or an employer, to enter our places of work being the brilliant people we are created to be! If we believe it? Our clients, our bosses, our coworkers will believe it. 

OWN THE WORK YOU ARE DOING. OWN YOUR CALLING! 

"Strength! Courage! Don't be timid; don't get discouraged. God, YOUR God, is with you every step you take."  -- Joshua 1:9 (MSG)

I've had a lot of people argue with me about what I felt was right, what I felt God wanted me to do. They meant well. They thought it was better to just "get a job" and not be who I am or earn what I am worth. You know what? There is going to be a lot of that advice floating around when things (if things?) get back to normal. 

Here is what you need to know: It's time to undo the lies. 

Believe in who God says you are, and believe it wherever you are. It might be a job, or a bad relationship, or a hobby that you messed up or a song that doesn't get heard. 

1. BELIEVE THESE TRUTHS ABOUT YOURSELVES: YOU ARE APPRECIATED--AND YOU DESERVE TO BE! 
2. YOU ARE VALUABLE--NO ONE CAN PUT A PRICE ON YOU! 
3. YOUR WORTH IS FAR ABOVE RUBIES--YES, WORTHY! 
4. YOU ARE INTELLIGENT--BRILLIANT! 
5. NECESSARY--YOU ARE NECESSARY, YOU, WITH YOUR UNIQUE IDEAS AND TALENTS AND CHARACTER! YOU ARE SO NECESSARY TO THIS WORLD! 
6. BE HAPPY--NO ONE CAN DO THIS FOR YOU. PEOPLE, MONEY, THINGS, PLACES, THEY CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE FEELING OF IT, BUT THEY CANNOT MAKE THE CHOICE FOR YOU. 
7. And finally, BE LOVED. BELOVED. LOVE. Allow others to love you. Remember that you are beloved, created by God to BE LOVED. And love others. The greatest of these.....

I LOVE YOU SO MUCH.