Self-R.E.S.P.E.C.T… or Bust
Anxiously HUMAN
Just like the famous Aretha Franklin says…
The first, most important thing to remember about self-respect:
YOU HAVE TO HAVE IT TO GIVE IT.
If you don’t respect yourself, it is unlikely you will have respect for others.
The dictionary definition of self-respect: pride and confidence in oneself; a feeling that one is behaving with honor and dignity.
Now I don’t know about you, but I know a ton of people who do not behave with honor and dignity, nor do they think about acting with honor and dignity. Integrity is something lost on these types of people.
Why is this? What causes someone to not have or consider honor and dignity?
There are several factors involved, but the biggest one is upbringing. If someone’s parents never taught them that honor and dignity were important and essential, they will not develop this way of thinking or behaving. Although this is a daunting truth, we are programmed by our parents or caregivers and our childhood experiences. The first “program” that was uploaded to our living “computer” or brain, came from early childhood experience.
Why is it so important?
Research suggests that self-respect may be the single most important attribute and is crucial for happiness. The reason for this is that without it, there are negative consequences such as:
- You give more than you get and end up a doormat for opportunists and selfish people.
2. You lose yourself in a relationship to an extent and go against your values.
3. You are attention and approval-seeking.
4. Some of your relationships or friendships are one-sided.
5. You tolerate verbal, mental, or physical abuse.
6. You have sex as a way of feeling loved.
7. You are a puppet.
Obviously, someone who lacks self-respect can exhibit one or many of these behaviors. On the flip-side of this, someone whose ego is over-inflated will be the perpetrator to treating someone with lack of respect for themselves badly. Over-inflated egos actually do originate from lack of self-respect. Remember, the dictionary definition is having pride that your behavior is honorable and dignified. A person with true self-esteem also has self-respect. A person without them will oftentimes overcompensate with an over-inflated ego.
So how do we reprogram and build self-respect???
I’m glad you asked. I’ve found many awesome sources online, one of them being this article which gives you 23 WAYS TO RESPECT YOURSELF MORE… here.
Another article I found super helpful was by MindBodyGreen…here.
I think one of the greatest things about cultivating self-respect is that once you do, you teach others how to treat you as well. You begin to set healthy boundaries. You start rejecting disrespectful exchanges and people. Your self-love and self-worth grow as a result of this too!!
All around, self-respect is the key to solving many relationship and friendship issues.
When I get messages about someone being hurt or betrayed by someone they care about, the underlying issue always boils down to: WHY ARE YOU TOLERATING IT?
And the answer is always tied to lack of self-respect. Even if you weren’t blessed to be taught its’ importance at a young age, you can do something about it now!! You’re in the driver’s seat and I’m giving you some great tools.
If you’d like a double whammy dose of self-awareness, check out my episode on practical self-love…here.
As always, I appreciate your time and attention. I love to hear your feedback so please reach out! If you took something valuable from this and know someone who would like it as well, I would LOVE for you to share!
Please subscribe here for updated blogs and podcast episodes, as well as my upcoming eBook: Anxious Morning Remedy.
xo…G
