It’s not always easy to see your own value all the time. One technique that helped me was to look at myself like my best friend. What would I say to me from that perspective? I would highlight my strengths. Put my unique beautiful qualities front and center. I would place myself in a situation to win.

Often with my friends, I see their beautiful qualities and I steer them towards where those qualities would be valued. Steer yourself to where your qualities would be valued. Not everyone is going to need or value your unique traits and skills in a business or personal setting. Find where you’re valued.

Protect your concept of your value at all costs. Work on improving, but if you’re not getting positive responses after a certain period of time (it varies from person to person. I typically give establishments and people around 6-8 months of trying to make things work), then go someplace else.

Change is scary. We know our current situation. We know the ups and downs. Even if the downs are plentiful, we still know we can survive where we are. Our logical minds need to take over when we start to allow ourselves to be undervalued because we’re too afraid to make a change. Do your best not to burn any bridges. Even if you eventually realize your last situation is what would benefit you most, you can often go back or go to something similar. Stay gracious and kind, but be firm in valuing yourself.