I was in the store the other day watching a heated argument between a husband and a wife who had no problem airing their hurt feelings and anger in public. Watching it was kind of like watching a scary movie – you don’t want to watch but for some reason are compelled to watch. A crowd of noisy onlookers gathered; I moved my cart to another aisle to get away from the show.

I watched one of my kids, early in her dating career, try to find reasons to stay with a boyfriend who was utterly unfair and unkind to her.

I know of a manager who regularly intimates his employees, to make himself feel smart and his employees to feel dumb.

I used to be involved with a family that would tell each other they cared about them and then unleash a barrage of behind-the-back critiques as soon as a family member would leave the room.

I had my time of putting up with bad relationships, with people who took advantage of me, who took advantage of my ideas in the workplace, and who required me to believe what they believed. No more. I am worth so much more than that.

I believe that we each have the ability and responsibility to invent our own definition of a great life. And having this gift tells me I am intensely valuable. Not more valuable than someone else, but intensely valuable – period.

Each of us is unique – I like to think of it as being “handcrafted;” we each have a combination of abilities and gifts that makes us truly distinct.  There is something extraordinary in each of us – some spark, light or amount of divinely inspired greatness – that must remind each of us that we are so worth being respected, valued, cared for and loved. This should be the norm, not the exception.

I love the word “Namaste” and the gesture that accompanies it. With the hands together and short head bow, it conveys that, regardless of whether I know you or not, I know you have intrinsic greatness – you have divine elements – and that I respect and acknowledge you just for that. Imagine if we all were a little more aware of this in our interactions with everyone we meet. We would change our contact – we would change our interaction. We would appreciate the intrinsic greatness – the handcrafting – in each of us. We would not only insist on being treated better, but we would treat others better.

We are so worth having someone who cares about and supports us.

We are so worth having a career, job or responsibilities that allow us to make a difference in our workplace, and be respected, valued and appreciated.

We are so worth being respected just because we are, rather than for what we have, where we live or who we know.

We should never put up with people, events or environments that don’t respect, care, value and love us. We should always be aware of our own internal greatness and remind ourselves that we are just right as we are, without explanation or justification.

Greatness – we are born with it; it doesn’t come by winning awards, being rich or proving it to others. It is ours as a gift. We each get it. We each deserve to hear, “you are so worth it.” And as you have a right to receive it, you also have an obligation to show it. Change how you see everyone – find their greatness – their spark. It is there if you look for it – because we are all born with it.