By LaPora Lindsey

Let’s talk about one of the scariest risks- taking a risk on yourself, trusting yourself, and believing in yourself. Allowing yourself to be because you know that is the best way to succeed. 

But first, let’s talk about this photo.

This photo was taken more than three years ago. At the time, I honestly thought I needed a costume to be myself. At the time, I was struggling with an extensive episode of Alopecia Areata.

For those unfamiliar, alopecia areata is a condition where circular bald patches result on the scalp or other body parts. Sometimes hair grows back within weeks, months, or in my case, years.

When my hair went bald, I thought I needed hair to be worth more. And so I purchased wigs. I felt I needed wigs for people to like me. 

I wore wigs for years because I didn’t have hair and feared what other people would think of me without it. I spent thousands of dollars on wigs and hundreds more on adhesives. Yet, it never made me feel like myself. The wigs didn’t fit right, and they certainly didn’t feel right, but they gave me comfort, and it resulted in me settling for something that I could not keep, literally.

This picture was the first time I went out in public, bald. But it was a costume. It was a cover-up.

I thought I could only walk in public bald if I dressed as someone else. Because people would like me as a warrior, and people wouldn’t like me as me, or so I thought. 

Self-Worth Found

But one day (13 months later), I officially took off my disguise. I decided to dethrone my wigs. I got rid of every one of them, and I decided to bare my bald head and embrace exposure. And guess what? People welcomed me as they always had. I was me, just with a different hairdo.  

Why did I share this? Because we shouldn’t think less of ourselves because of what we don’t have.

It’s common for people to think they need something more to be worth more — a larger paycheck or a more impressive job title. But we don’t — to be worth more, we need to value ourselves more.

You may be wearing your wig that gives you comfort, but you don’t like what you still want to try for better. You may be wearing your wig that gives you comfort, but you know you are capable of better. You may be wearing your wig that gives you comfort, but it keeps you unseen and unheard. 

I want to encourage you to believe in yourself and challenge the limits instead of limiting the challenges. Even though you may feel comfortable wearing your wig, it does allow you to be you.

Getting rid of my wigs didn’t eliminate fears or insecurities. But it was a part of accepting what I have to offer— as I am. 

We will never be the right person to every person, but we can strive to be the best version of ourselves.

One perception of what it means to be successful includes having more and being at the top to be successful. However, another version of being successful includes you being yourself. It is essential to focus on yourself and identify how to increase your self-worth.

You are the only person who knows what you want out of life. So why not make yourself your most significant asset? You are worth investing in.

If you have a desire to work on your self-worth in the workplace or within your team, let’s schedule some time to chat.

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