Still Gold: Finding Worth, Family, and a New Beginning in 2026

by Richard Valdez - www.RichardValdezRE.com

Your Worth Is Not Up for Debate

Worth is a funny thing.

Most people think it comes from titles, paychecks, or praise.

But the truth is—it doesn’t.

Your worth is written in your breath,

etched deep into who you are.

It’s priceless, even when the world…

and even your own family… refuse to see it.

I had to learn that the hard way.

Standing low. Feeling less.

Hearing words that were meant to break me.

Growing Up in Shadows

My mother’s weapon of choice was her words.

Verbal abuse was her discipline.

No editor. No filter.

She told her children they were ugly.

She told me I was fat.

She body-shamed me as though cruelty was a kind of love.

And when the insults weren’t enough,

she demanded more.

• Pay rent.

• Cook dinner on weekdays.

• Spend weekends—my only days off— cleaning and cooking again.

• Then take her and my sister out to restaurants every time I get paid.

My money. My time. My worth.

Always drained. Never enough.

A Sister’s Shadow

Then there’s my sister.

A lawyer—sharp, polished,

wearing her degree like a crown.

If you couldn’t keep up,

if you admitted you didn’t know,

she wouldn’t slow down.

She’d dismiss you with two words:

“Forget it.”

It wasn’t just my sister I saw in those moments—

it was my mother’s shadow, too.

And yet, in the past, I supported her success.

I celebrated her wins.

I gave gifts to her child.

But not once—not once—

did she thank me.

She was a fair-weather person.

She only connected when the spotlight was on her.

When it was about you—she disappeared.

So I stepped away.

Fifteen years of silence.

In all that time, she reached out only twice.

Both times, I stayed silent.

I thought I had finally disappeared.

Found in San Francisco

But family has a way of finding you.

She tracked me down here in San Francisco.

Not because she cared.

Not because she missed me.

But out of curiosity.

And without warning,

she handed my mother—

the very woman I had run from—

the one thing I had guarded most:

my home address.

That’s when I remembered something vital:

Your worth doesn’t come from them.

Not from a mother who used words like weapons.

Not from a sister who belittled you,

dismissed you,

or only showed up when it was convenient.

Not from a family who never truly chose you.

No—your worth comes from the simple fact that you’re here.

Breathing. Standing. Rising.

Still gold.

A New Year, A New You, A New Home

As we step into 2026, I’m reminded of this truth:

Every year—like every home—holds the promise of renewal.

• A new you.

• A new home.

• A new beginning.

No matter where you’ve come from,

or what you’ve had to rise above,

this year offers space for healing, growth, and possibility.

For me, that renewal means more than survival.

It means helping others find their own sense of worth and belonging—

not just in themselves, but in the place they call home.

Because home is more than an address.

It’s where your worth finally feels safe.

So here’s to 2026:

✨ A year of standing taller, breathing deeper,

and stepping into the worth that’s been ours all along. ✨

And if part of your journey this year is finding a home in San Francisco or the Bay Area,

I’d be honored to walk that path with you.

🌐 Begin your search with me at www.RichardValdezRE.com.

Here’s to new doors opening,

and to the beautiful life waiting on the other side.

In my own words…

“Maybe the past is like a home we have to leave behind.

But the future -

that’s the key to the front door we get to open for ourselves.”