Your Worth Is Not Your Economic Output

I lay on the beach in Thailand. The wind twirls my hair while the last sliver of a wave gently touches my toes (yes, I am making it extremely easy to hate me). It is the most soothing experience I have had for the last few months – I should be serenity incarnate. But I am not. For some reason, while the waves flow back into the ocean, I have a feeling of guilt wash over me. I struggle for a second to pinpoint the origin of the feeling. Then it hits me: I feel guilty because I am not productive.

It is the first time in months that I have not been working for more than a few days. But somehow, I still feel guilty for just “being.” It is as if my worth as a human being is tied to the value of my economic output. Here is the thing, though:

• You help no one by feeling guilty.
• By feeling guilty, you waste your well-deserved time of rest.
• You work to live, not the other way around.

Whatever somebody may tell you, your worth as a human being has nothing to do with your economic output. Work hard, but do not forget to enjoy your time in the sun.