Joy Wasted with KB Dickey

Hey y’all! I was literally having this conversation with my mentee today after she asked me some tough questions. One of them was, “How do you handle negative feedback from other people?”

My answer was simple: I thank them for the feedback and then I compartmentalize it.

I take a moment to evaluate whether there’s truth in it. If it applies to me and can help me grow, I give it some thought and make adjustments. But if it doesn’t align with who I am, my character, or reality, I put it right in the trash where it belongs… periodtt.

Not every opinion deserves a permanent place in your mind. Some feedback is meant to sharpen you, and some is meant to be discarded. The wisdom is knowing the difference!

So, can we have a real conversation for a minute?

One of the most dangerous things you can do in life is allow somebody else’s opinion of you to become your reality.

I’m talking about that supervisor who overlooks you. The leader who doesn’t recognize your contributions. The friend who takes you for granted. The family member who never seems impressed. The person who walked away. The business partner who couldn’t see your vision.

Listen to me carefully…

Just because someone doesn’t see your value doesn’t mean you don’t have value.

Let that sink all the way in.

We spend so much of our lives trying to convince people that we’re worthy, qualified, talented, smart enough, strong enough, pretty enough, experienced enough, or deserving enough. Meanwhile, God already stamped value on us before we ever arrived on this earth.

You came here with purpose.

You came here with gifts.

You came here with potential.

You came here carrying something that nobody else can deliver the way you can.

And one person’s inability to recognize that does not erase it.

I think sometimes we get so caught up in wanting approval from a specific person or opportunity that we start believing they are our only option.

That job.

That leader.

That relationship.

That business deal.

That promotion.

That organization.

That audience.

That one “yes.”

But what if I told you that your value was never tied to any of those things?

What if the door that closed wasn’t your final destination?

What if the rejection was simply redirection?

What if God was protecting you from settling in a place that was never meant to hold your greatness?

See, here’s what I’ve learned. When we don’t know our value, we become willing to accept discounts.

We’ll tolerate disrespect.

We’ll stay where we’re not appreciated.

We’ll overperform trying to earn validation.

We’ll shrink ourselves to fit environments that have already outgrown us—or environments we’ve outgrown.

We’ll sit at tables where our voice isn’t respected because we’re afraid there isn’t another table available.

But that’s a lie.

You are not without options.

Read that again.

You are not without options.

As long as you have breath in your body, there is another opportunity, another connection, another strategy, another path, another lesson, another chapter waiting for you.

Sometimes we act like one person’s decision has the power to determine our entire future.

It doesn’t.

One “no” doesn’t cancel your destiny.

One missed opportunity doesn’t eliminate your purpose.

One bad boss doesn’t define your career.

One failed business doesn’t define your entrepreneurial journey.

One mistake doesn’t define your character.

You are bigger than a moment.

You are bigger than a setback.

You are bigger than someone else’s perception of you.

You are a seed.

And seeds are powerful things.

When you look at a seed, you don’t immediately see the tree. You don’t see the fruit. You don’t see the shade it will provide. You don’t see the generations it could impact.

But the potential is already there.

Everything it needs is already inside.

It simply needs the right environment to grow.

That’s why you have to stop questioning your worth when you’re planted in the wrong soil.

Some environments aren’t built to nurture what you’ve been called to become.

And that’s okay.

Move.

Grow.

Stretch.

Learn.

Develop.

Find better soil.

Find people who recognize greatness and challenge you to become even greater.

Find places where your gifts can flourish instead of constantly fighting for survival.

The world is too big, and your purpose is too important, to spend your life trying to be accepted by people who were never assigned to your journey.

Know your value.

Protect your value.

Walk in your value.

And never allow another person’s inability to see your worth to convince you that you’re worth less.

You were created with endless potential.

You were designed with intention.

You carry gifts, experiences, wisdom, and strengths that this world needs.

So if someone overlooks you, let them.

If someone underestimates you, let them.

If someone doesn’t recognize your value, let them.

Just don’t you do it.

Because the moment you remember who you are, whose you are, and what you bring to the table, you’ll stop begging for a seat and start building your own.

And trust me, there’s plenty of room for growth when you know your value.

Stay encouraged!

Your worth is not up for negotiation. ❤️

#joyjunkie

Don’t forget to like, share and subscribe!

You can also show your support here: https://linktr.ee/kbdickey

I appreciate you!