Ian Wallace Interpretation:
Dreaming that you have lost something valuable, such as purse, wallet or jewellery, suggests that your sense of self-worth in waking life has been substantially reduced in some way. This can often happen as you transition from one period of your life to another. You may hold others accountable for your loss, but you are ultimately responsible for having your value recognized by other people. Rather than helplessly waiting for other people to recognize the value of your talents and skills, learn to rectify this same flaw within yourself: learn to truly value yourself and realize that you have a lot to offer. How might you draw attention to your valuable experience so that you can make a worthwhile contribution to a situation? We often don’t value ourselves enough because we lack confidence in our resourcefulness. Even though you may not have the financial means you desire, being creatively resourceful naturally opens up opportunities for you.
Opportunity to recover my fundamental sense of self-worth so I can reestablish how worthwhile I am to other people
Dream: You have lost something that is very valuable to you, and although it may be an object of high monetary worth, it might also have a huge sentimental value for you. The missing item is often your purse or wallet and you only notice it is gone when you have to pay for something. As well as the value of its financial contents, it may also contain your identification and licences. You can’t believe you were careless enough to lose it and you may become convinced that your valuable has been stolen.
Meaning: When you dream about losing something valuable, you are often considering how much you value yourself and how much you feel valued by others in waking life. The loss of your valuables indicates that you unconsciously feel that your self-worth has been diminished in some way and you are uncertain of how to restore your previous levels of healthy selfesteem. These feelings are usually triggered by a change in personal circumstances where you feel that your value isn’t being acknowledged or appreciated the same way any longer. This can often happen where there has been a change in your financial circumstances or you no longer have the commitment and support of someone who was once close to you. You know deep down inside that you are valuable person but your annoyance at not having your purse or wallet to pay for something reflects your frustration in not having your value recognized by other people. The loss of your identification and your licences suggests your lack of confidence is preventing you from taking part in activities that you really used to enjoy. Being convinced that your valuable has been stolen indicates you feel that other people have robbed you of some future opportunities and so are responsible for your loss of self-worth and status. You, however, are the person who has ultimate responsibility for maintaining your sense of self-esteem by ensuring that your real value is truly recognized by others.
Action: This dream is helping you to recover an enduring sense of self-worth and is re-establishing your ability to display your fundamental value to other people. In the same way that you would retrace your steps when looking for something that has been lost, it is valuable to reflect on your situation and put events into a wider perspective. Instead of blaming others for your circumstances, use this change to develop some new opportunities. The best way to feel invaluable again is just to be yourself and so rather than trying to impress anyone else, concentrate on what you value most about yourself.
Background: We often measure our success by the apparent value of the objects we accumulate because valuable items are often seen as a tangible reflection of our self-worth. The object itself is often not all that valuable, however, and can usually be replaced by another. The item may not actually contain anything meaningful or magical but only reflects the value that we give to it as we shine our self-esteem onto it. What makes the precious item so apparently valuable is the feeling of self-worth it inspires in us.