I found a small market. It was close to my street. Anytime I just pass, I greet most of the old men right there. Like we have known each other forever, but later they stopped by, decided to get some fresh pepper and tomatoes.
As usual, I tried my best to bargain for price. And we were beating price and arguing. I smiled and acted like I was trying to walk away, And the old woman shook her head and said, not today, "no reduction for you". And that one made me pause that, not because of the money, but because of what kind of tone she used.
It wasn't good. It was fine, but there was some hidden meaning. And she said with the kind of confidence, confidence that comes from knowing your value. So I just realized something right there, that in front of that tomatoes, that sometimes we are the ones who are supposed to be for ourselves.
We give discounts on our time, our energy, our dreams, just to please people. When we reduce ourselves to others, this can feel very comfortable. But this woman was right there, protecting herself, trying to protect that profit that she's trying to make after staying up two hours a day. This reminds us of something important.
Your value is your value. You should not try to reduce it because someone is gaslighting you or is asking you nicely. That day I would ask for some money, not because I got too much, but because it taught me a lesson that sometimes in life you have to say to yourself, no reduction for you.
You're not being prideful, but you're just protecting yourself with respect so that people don't take you for granted.
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