Self-respect is the key to living with dignity. It simply means having enough trust in yourself and your decisions, enough to make life decisions without either active or passive input from anyone else.
Of course, true self-respect is not the same as putting on a veneer of true value and trying to fool everyone into thinking that you are something else. This is toxic and will destroy you in the long run.
Self-respect is so important because it is one of the most important gifts we can give ourselves – our own voice – in this world that is trying to quiet us down and steer every single aspect of our thinking.
It is also that much harder to love and show respect to others when you have little to no motivation to respect your own self.
So, below are five reasons why you absolutely need to start working on developing some self-respect:
1. Other people’s opinions will not easily influence you
When you don’t know or have your own voice, it is so much easier for other people to control you. They can do this by giving you their own voice, which you can eventually accept to be yours.
This is dangerous and will cause you to have a breakdown sometime later in your life when you realize that you have just been listening to someone else’s voice and making isolated decisions all your life.
2. You will begin to speak and think positively about yourself
When you have self-respect, you will see yourself as someone who is worthy of love and respect. When that happens, your opinion of yourself will change into something better, more respectable, kinder.
You will no longer be able to treat yourself in a flimsy manner and you will be forced to take better care of your body and mind. This respect will then influence how you treat others.
3. You will get a better handle on your moral values
There is a saying among psychologists which says: “If you think better, you will act better. And if you act better, you will feel better.”
When you have better self-respect, you will be able to think clearly, which will inform your actions. You will sleep better at night knowing that you did the best you could and were the kindest you could be every single day.
4. You will be better able to control your emotions
This is a no-brainer. When you are at peace within yourself, people’s opinions will not easily rattle you. Anger and unrest will not be a regular part of your emotional cycle.
5. You will learn so much more about yourself and others
During the process of finding your self-respect, you must be introspective and go on a journey inside yourself, o really find what makes you, you.
During this process, you will find out so much about yourself, gaining knowledge both from the world and from your own self.
What are the reasons why you take the time to work on your self-respect? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.
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