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SunMar 24

National Each Person is A Person of Worth Day – March 24, 2024

The power of recognizing others’ worth and how this recognition impacts the other person is the key focus behind National Each Person is a Person of Worth Day, which is held each year on March 24. This celebration reminds us that not only is self-worth a universal trait, but how we gauge others’ worth also stays the same around the world. This day aims to get people to recognize the worth of everyone around them, and in doing so, appreciate their own.

History of National Each Person is A Person of Worth Day

Everyone, and we mean absolutely everyone, even across geographical and cultural boundaries, judges another person’s ‘worth’ almost as soon as they meet them (and sometimes before they even see the person). That’s why common beauty standards favor a certain type of individual, and why famous people from around the world can resemble two peas in a pod. Why do we humans indulge in this? How do we estimate others’ worthiness? And where does self-worth come from?

The answer lies somewhere in our long-established societal constructs, scientists tell us. The more societies — and humans — evolved, the more they noticed differences among themselves. People with more money, land, etc. naturally became more prosperous and powerful, and thus, enjoyed a higher status among their fellow men. This, in turn, impacted how people viewed them and created a perception that continues even today.

Those who had ‘more’ — more money, more land, more beauty, etc. — naturally became more prosperous and powerful, and thus, enjoyed a higher status among their fellow men. This in turn impacted how others viewed them, creating a system that began to automatically measure people according to these standards.

While those long-ago standards have evolved — slightly — some ‘scales’ to measure people remain constant. We still have a tendency to raise certain qualities above others. Building positive self-worth is still a struggle for countless people due to these very standards. This is why Dr. Mary Jo Podgurski, founder of the Academy for Adolescent Health, created this day — to remind people that ‘worth’ is to be judged by who you are rather than what you are. Dr. Podgurski believes that self-worth must be taught right from adolescence to help teens mature into confident and empowered adults. She and her team conduct youth-centered workshops and training to encourage young people to find their own self-worthiness and to love themselves unconditionally.

National Each Person is A Person of Worth Day timeline

1969
We Have a Book

“The Psychology of Self-Esteem” by psychologist Nathaniel Branden spawns a series of 14 more books on this subject — theories of human psychology focusing on self-esteem.

1988
Empowering the Youth

Together with her staff, Dr. Mary Jo Podgurski, a nurse, educator, and counselor, teaches almost a quarter of a million young people about their worth, starting this year.

2003
Measuring Self-Worth

Researchers Crocker, Luhtanen, Cooper, and Bouvrette develop a special scale to measure self-worth; it is called the Contingencies of Self-Worth Scale.

2020
Presenting...Our Day

The Academy for Adolescent Health founds the National Each Person is a Person of Worth Day.

National Each Person is A Person of Worth Day FAQs

What is my worth as a person?

While a dictionary defines this term as something of importance or value, today’s world sees this word differently. Everyone is recognized as having their own worth, i.e., everyone is seen as important, valuable, and interesting in their own way.

What makes someone worthy?

If people believe themselves to be good enough, important, and worthy of love, that automatically increases their self-worth.

What is self-worth and why is it important?

It’s how you see yourself and love yourself regardless, that counts as ‘worth.’

How to Observe National Each Person is A Person of Worth Day

  1. Celebrate others' worth

    Everyone has something unique to contribute, even if this is not immediately identifiable. Make sure the people around you know you value them. If you haven't already, affirm their worth to the people around you by words and actions.

  2. Indulge in a little self-worth

    Show yourself some love. Acknowledge and respect the person you are right now, and continue to maintain this healthy self-esteem, self-love, and self-worth through sunshine and clouds.

  3. Teach others to acknowledge worth

    Even as you are celebrating someone else's worth and your own, encourage people around you to do the same. Model this kind of behavior around kids and adolescents too, to motivate them to do the same.

5 Common Factors People Use To Measure Others' Worth

  1. What they look like

    Appearance is one of the most common factors to measure self-worth and includes clothing, hair, and popularity.

  2. What they've got in the bank

    The size of a person's wallet is another deciding factor that affects how people see others.

  3. Who they know

    Social circles determine where people fall on the social ladder, and can influence people to treat those with influential connections differently.

  4. What they do

    Some careers are considered more impressive and successful than others, and as such are given more respect.

  5. What they've achieved

    Winning titles, accolades, and awards is more likely to get approval than not, and such people are accorded more respect, according to studies.

Why National Each Person is A Person of Worth Day is Important

  1. It reiterates everyone's worth

    We know everyone is worthy simply by virtue of being born. However, a small reminder — by way of this day — is always welcome to reinforce this thought in people's minds.

  2. It builds a stronger society

    When people are kinder to each other, when they see the other person’s worth, and when they take steps to acknowledge this, we are succeeding in creating a loving, supportive, and enriched community filled with happy and confident people.

  3. We build our own self-worth

    As we lift others up, we begin to realize that we too, deserve the same consideration. Learning about worth and self-worth can in turn teach us all how to be authentic and happy in our skin.

National Each Person is A Person of Worth Day dates

YearDateDay
2024March 24Sunday
2025March 24Monday
2026March 24Tuesday
2027March 24Wednesday
2028March 24Friday

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