Self-worth.

        A well-known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $20 bill.
        In the room of 200, he asked, "Who would like this $20 bill?"
        Hands started going up.
        He said, "I am going to give this $20 to one of you but first, let me do this."  He proceeded to crumple the dollar bill up.
        He then asked, "Who still wants it?" Still the hands were up in the air.
        "Well," he replied, "what if I do this?"  And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now all crumpled and dirty.
        "Now who still wants it?" Still the hands went into the air.
        "My friends, you have all learned a very valuable lesson.  No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value.  It was still worth $20.  Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way.  We feel as though we are worthless.  But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value.  Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless.

This has been one of my most favorite speeches since I was 17. Short, sweet, and straight to the point. I refuse to let people treat me badly because I have always had a great family support system that has instilled in me a great deal of confidence. I am LUCKY. I am no door mat and I don't allow myself to be treated as one. If someone is vulgar or disrespectful to me, I simply cut them out of my life and close out their negativity. I may be cold, but I am happy because I only keep positive influences in my life.

For every person reading this, I hope that you know that you deserve only the best. By this, I mean that you deserve only the best people in your life and the best mind set. YOU deserve to be treated well and with absolute respect. Don't ever settle for anything or anyone who does not make you feel loved and trusted. If you allow darkness and disrespect into your life, then you're going to get just that.

I love you and I hope that you know that I mean every word of this.