Discovering Your Inner Worth

• Pearl Harbour

• Pearl of the Orient

• Mother of Pearl

• Pearls of Wisdom

• The Pearl - John Steinbeck’s 1947 novel

• Matthew 7:6: Don’t cast your Pearls before swine

• Pearl Jam - the 1990’s grunge rock band

• Pearl drum kit - as used by Deep Purple’s Ian Paice

• The Pearly gates …

It’s amazing what comes up from a simple online search for “pearl”.

The question “What is your Pearl?” had cropped up during a coffee talk session with a close friend a couple of weeks ago. It was an intriguing one - given that I’d never thought much about it before. And a popular topic as revealed by the examples above.

Evidently, pearls are the only gemstones in the world that come from living mollusks. In this case - oysters and mussels. They are so exquisite that in older times, they were even used as medicine to cure insanity and other ailments, especially within the upper classes. It’s both mind boggling and an eye opener how the ideas and beliefs of the ruling class often dominate and shape society, even today. But I digress.

Which leads me to this truth - each of us are like pearls: unique and valuable. Your true worth and authentic self are something to imagine and behold.

Hold on to that thought for a moment.

But first, a Reality Check:

Tesla hits the nail right on its head.

In short, do we really think of ourselves as pearls? When we look in the mirror do we see a pearl? How many of us realize that all those ideas and talents that we hold in our hands are pearls?

Our behavior can be compared to a float that is tossed around by the waves of a turbulent sea. We are constantly bombarded with messages, both subtle and overt, about our value, which can cause us to forget our true worth.

As always, there are those things outside our control that we cannot change. While accepting that, it is more important to focus on what we can control and change, however small it may seem. Therein lies our power. You don’t really need to go looking all over the world for affirmations. The answers have always been and always will lie within you.

As for affirmations, this is one that is spot on:

I have never thought of myself as a pearl - even though my Tamil surname is “Manickam” which translates to “precious stone” in English.

Going back in time, while in primary school we learnt of this Malay proverb “Seperti jauhari mengenali manikam”. The maxim originates from how the ancient Indian traders (Manikam) had befriended the seafarers (Jauhari) in the Malay peninsula and ended up journeying together. On the other side of the world, Africans often have a preference for names that carry significant meaning, such as Precious, Blessing, and Goodwill. Maybe there’s a message here too. Compare this to the confirmation names we come up with these days!

Coming back to our story, these pearls come in different sizes, exhibit luster, reflect light, and have historically been seen as a symbol of wealth. At one point, Julius Caesar even banned anyone below the ruling class from wearing them! The emperor's old groove.

Our true value is not determined by external factors, but rather by what lies within us. Like a pearl formed within an oyster, our inner worth is molded by our experiences and talents. It's up to us to recognize and nurture this "pearl," which holds the key to unlocking our full potential and living a fulfilling life.

Here are 3 Steps to get to where we want to go from here:

True inner worth change begins with identity change. I learnt this through James Clear's exciting book “Atomic Habits”:

The most practical way to change who you are is to change what you do:

• Each time you write a page, you are a writer

• Each time you practice the violin, you are a musician

• Each time you start a workout, you are an athlete

Old ways and habits must give way to new and better ones.

You are the pearl. You are holding the pearl in your hands.

Your new identity will emerge out of your new habits.

An inspirational song from 2006, "Pearls on a Chain" appears on Olivia’s Grace and Gratitude album. It feels just right for our topic today. Part of the lyrics go like this:

Every living thing on this earth has a heart

Every little thing that I am, so you are

And if you look in my eyes

You will see we are souls alike

We are Pearls

We are Pearls

We are Pearls on a Chain

Here’s to a fulfilling week discovering your true inner worth.

Till next time

Jude