The Weight and Worth of Knowing Yourself

There’s something sacred about knowing your own worth. Not in the loud, performative way the world often expects, but in the quiet, steady certainty that lives deep within you the kind that doesn’t need applause to feel real.

Competition in the United Kingdom

The weight and worth of knowing yourself is something I’ve come to understand deeply not just as a concept, but as a lived experience. It’s not about ego or bravado, but about recognizing the value you bring to every space you enter, regardless of how others perceive you.

For much of my life, I tied my value to performance. As an athlete, your worth often feels measured in medals, stats, and how close you are to the top of the podium. It’s a dangerous game because when the race ends or the cameras turn off, you’re left wondering: Who am I without the win?

2016 Olympic Trials; Eugene, Oregon

It took me years and a lot of unlearning to realize that worth isn’t given. It’s owned. It’s not about who notices you. It’s about how you see yourself when no one’s watching.

The moments very few people get to see.

Knowing your worth means being able to walk away from things that don’t serve you, even if it’s uncomfortable. It means setting boundaries without guilt. It means not shrinking to make others feel big. It means saying “no” not out of arrogance, but from a deep respect for your time, energy, and purpose.

Realizing that no is complete sentence.

In the business world, that’s meant walking away from certain partnerships even ones that looked good on paper. Sometimes, things just didn’t align with who I am or the way I choose to show up. Other times, I felt undervalued or mistreated. And while it wasn’t always easy to step away, I’ve learned that protecting your integrity is never the wrong decision. If something costs you your peace, your voice, or your self-respect it’s too expensive.

Unfortunately, I had to step down as the keynote speaker for being mistreated in a meeting.

I’ve also learned what it means to walk into rooms boardrooms, brand meetings, press events fully aware that I’ll be judged. For how I look. For what I represent. For what people assume about me before I ever speak. But I walk in anyway. Because knowing your worth also means owning the fact that you deserve to be in those rooms. I’ve earned my place. My presence isn’t luck it’s the result of decades of work, character, and purpose. I don’t walk in asking for permission. I walk in knowing I bring something of value with me always.

Nothing happens by luck. It's relationships that have been built over years.

Understanding your worth goes deeper. That’s knowing that your story, your scars, your gifts all of it have value. That your presence has impact. That you can be both a work in progress and a masterpiece at the same time.

University of Washington; School or Business.

Personal worth isn't about perfection it’s about alignment. Are you living in a way that reflects what you believe about yourself? Are you honoring your purpose, your peace, your potential?

Honoring my purpose at Seattle Children's Hospital

Today, I stand in rooms not because I need validation, but because I bring value. I show up not to prove anything, but to be everything I already am. That shift changes how you move, how you speak, how you love, how you build.

Look great, feel great!

So if no one’s told you lately: You don’t need to earn your worth. You already have it. Now live like it.