What am I worth?
...As women we often undervalue ourselves, our life stories, and what we’re capable of, and that leads to lost potential. We think, "I can’t do that, I can’t dream that big, I’m being selfish to even think about this, I don’t deserve to earn (or have my company earn) that much money, I shouldn’t have delusions of grandeur." And when this happens, we all lose. Think of all those projects that could have been created, those businesses that could have thrived, that money that could be flowing back into our communities. When we cut ourselves off at the knees we lose all that, our communities lose all that, we all lose.
Taken from: http://apracticalwedding.com/2010/09/reclaiming-wife-on-money-self-worth/#ixzz1W6V4adgk
The rest of the article isn't applicable to me here, but this particular quote really sets the tone.
I've been thinking a lot lately about the question, "How much am I worth?"
As I apply for jobs, I'm constantly estimating how much the salary might be. In my mind, the salary helps determine whether or not it's a job "at my level", presumably meaning something where my graduate degree would be appreciated. Ultimately it leads me to think about how much I'm worth, how much my education and experience is worth, and how much I deserve. Why must it often be about what we deserve with women, instead of just going for what we want?
I believe everyone thinks about their worth in these situations, even if they don't use this particular language. But I believe that many women, myself definitely included, think about their worth in these situations beyond just education and professional experience. We think about the life experiences that have shaped us, and we can often overweight the negative experiences when it comes to putting a dollar sign on what we can contribute.
Maybe all women don't do this, (maybe not even some women) but I know that it's something I personally struggle with. Recent negative events have led me to question everything that was once a given in my life, even down to whether or not I'd consider myself a good person. And even thought I've just achieved something great educationally, it is undermined by my flailing confidence when it comes to the price tag. I'm conflicted about how much I deserve to earn, because I'm conflicted about my own self-worth.
The point of these rambings is two-fold:
1. The way in which earnings get wrapped up with self-worth is problematic. For me, it has put my job hunt in stasis, because I'm unable to make myself apply for jobs that make "too much" money, and instead apply for things I'm overqualified for.
2. The way in which earnings get detrimentally tied to self worth is exactly why women should talk more about money.
Taken from: http://apracticalwedding.com/2010/09/reclaiming-wife-on-money-self-worth/#ixzz1W6V4adgk
The rest of the article isn't applicable to me here, but this particular quote really sets the tone.
I've been thinking a lot lately about the question, "How much am I worth?"
As I apply for jobs, I'm constantly estimating how much the salary might be. In my mind, the salary helps determine whether or not it's a job "at my level", presumably meaning something where my graduate degree would be appreciated. Ultimately it leads me to think about how much I'm worth, how much my education and experience is worth, and how much I deserve. Why must it often be about what we deserve with women, instead of just going for what we want?
I believe everyone thinks about their worth in these situations, even if they don't use this particular language. But I believe that many women, myself definitely included, think about their worth in these situations beyond just education and professional experience. We think about the life experiences that have shaped us, and we can often overweight the negative experiences when it comes to putting a dollar sign on what we can contribute.
Maybe all women don't do this, (maybe not even some women) but I know that it's something I personally struggle with. Recent negative events have led me to question everything that was once a given in my life, even down to whether or not I'd consider myself a good person. And even thought I've just achieved something great educationally, it is undermined by my flailing confidence when it comes to the price tag. I'm conflicted about how much I deserve to earn, because I'm conflicted about my own self-worth.
The point of these rambings is two-fold:
1. The way in which earnings get wrapped up with self-worth is problematic. For me, it has put my job hunt in stasis, because I'm unable to make myself apply for jobs that make "too much" money, and instead apply for things I'm overqualified for.
2. The way in which earnings get detrimentally tied to self worth is exactly why women should talk more about money.