My value is not established by how others treat me.
Even if it were, almost all of the time, almost everyone treats me well.
So, if that were a measure, I would be doing well, as would pretty much everyone.
If my value were so established, it certainly would not be established by how you just treated me.
How you just treated me is a drop in the ocean.
To feel wounded, brittle, fractured, wizened, shrivelled, stilted, broken, squashed, bent out of shape, put down, diminished, painted into a corner is not a valid response to a single situation.
That situation is one of a gazillion, and is not representative.
Why pick that one to generalise from?
Insane.
To boot: I'm not the prime mover of how others treat me. They have their own character, personality, history, objectives, and algorithm.
Portraying my worth through their treatment of me is not their aim.
I am not the bloated causer of all things.
So, my worth is eternal and does not rise and fall with what is happening right now.
So what's all this about?
The ego wants me to be vulnerable and broken, in order that I turn to it for salvation.
If I'm strong and confident, there is no need to go to it.
Who lights a candle outside on a sunny day?
The candle needs me to be in the dark.
So it gets me to send out the vultures.
What are the vultures?
Scavengers of death.
Their job is to bring back rotten flesh.
What is rotten flesh?
Evidence of my inferiority and weakness.
How do they find this?
They scan each situation for signs of mistreatment.
Everything is a sign.
Everything is only a sign.
The only purpose of anything is to elevate or damn me.
But today's purpose is to be damned.
And, if I'll be damned, there are the vultures, coming back with the evidence.
What evidence?
The evidence they set out to find, and, by George, they found it.
There's something wrong with me.
So who am I going to turn to?
The ego.
And who's the hero of this whole charade?
Me!
The downtrodden protagonist.
Devastated but top billing.
Get it now?