Your Self Worth is Priceless and is Never Up For Sale

I wanted success but not at any cost

“Be faithful to that which exists within yourself” — Andre Gide

You might be at a crossroads in your life, and your quest for direction may spur unethical thoughts.

Not making the right choices, you could risk losing your self-worth instantly.

Our self-worth encompasses our self-esteem — pride, beliefs about ourselves. Our self-image is a part of our identity. Our actions can either add or subtract from it.

My experience was over 20yrs ago, but the lesson learned is indelible in my heart and has guarded me on numerous personal and professional paths.

At 25, I was beautiful, promising and a college graduate working my first job as an administrator at one of the largest Life Insurance companies in the big city in my origin country. I was also a divorcee and the mother of a 4-year-old.

Like most young adults my age, I was eager for success and a better life.

I've met many people I admired and wanted to emulate.

He was different. Here's why.

He was no stranger; we were introduced by a mutual friend at a business function a year earlier.

I love success stories, and he had a good one, no wonder I was instantly drawn to him.

I was an entrepreneur at heart and dreamt of telling my own success story one day.

Soon a platonic relationship developed. Before long, we were talking about business ventures, and I had many ideas.

He was in his late 40's, a hotelier, and the owner of many other successful businesses.

The day I was tested.

The business we’d started four months earlier had gone sour. So, we scheduled a meeting to discuss important matters.

I agreed with his choice of venue when he refused to meet in a professional setting.

But, as I stood at the doorway of the luxurious penthouse of the high-rise hotel building where he lived, it was evident his intentions and mine were not aligned.

I knew then, I was in for a uphill, downhill battle.

I was the brains behind the business, and he was the financier.

Initially, the business was off to a great start and promising future.

Then came the demands —

sexual and provocative. I tried to brush them off but the day came when the bombshell exploded. I faced him head-on and refused his indecent request for sexual favors.

Things got pretty ugly.

He became vindictive, and changed the lock on the office building which housed our relatively new business — he owned the property. As a result, I had no access unless I met his demands.

I chose my dignity in my defense.

I was yet to see his darker side when he couldn't have his way; either I became his bed partner or paid back the capital he invested in the business with a 50% interest.

How could I even agree to his request with a relatively new business that's barely off the ground?

I sought legal advice.

My lawyer said I didn't have to meet his demands as there were insufficient documents to support his claims for reimbursement.

But I wanted to pay him back — the interesting aspect was the high interest he was asking in addition.

If I didn't fight for this business, he would seize the opportunity to continue without me. He had the money and my ideas from the planning stages on paper.

I agreed to the legal terms in his favor after numerous meetings, we couldn't get him to corporate.

He was out to get me. I let him have his way.

There were months I didn’t know if I could make the payments — the post-dated checks and deadlines were factors to consider.

The business was my only source of income; I had resigned from my previous job.

Long story short — It was challenging, but I repaid the principal and interest as agreed in a year.

The sum was in the millions; God knows how I did it.

But even amid the hardship, I held on to do what I thought was the hard way, but the right one was aligned with my character. But God knows I thought about the easier option.

That business is the one I own today.

As I sat at my office desk and reflected on the past. I wondered where would I be today if I had given in to his demands?

We’ll face big decisions in this life. So naturally, our first thoughts are on the easiest way out, as the best option.

But take time to think carefully about the effects your choices will have on your self-esteem, character, your dignity, and future.

Can you live with yourself after?

You are the author of your life. The choice is always yours to make.

I was young, vulnerable, and yearned for success, but not at any cost.

Since that day, I knew there was no price tag attached to my self-worth.

I was never for sale then, and even now.

Shout out to my fellow writer Craig Harris who recently had an operation to remove a cancerous tumor from his jaw. You're in my prayers, Craig, and I wish you a speedy recovery.

Craig reads more than he writes. His pieces are long, which, as you know, is not my usual reads, but when I read the few pieces he has written, I learn so much about him. Take the time to learn more about another writer today. Give Craig some love and cheer him on as he recovers from his surgery.

In his recent article, he disclosed his surgery.

You can read it at the link below.