People often wonder why others don't treat them the way they feel they should be treated. We're quick to blame others for the way they act toward us, but little do we consider that it may have something to do with the way we carry ourselves on a daily basis.

All of your relationships are based on the respect you have for yourself. When we first meet someone, as much as we shouldn't judge, the first impression matters. Not everyone you meet will give you the chance to change their mind later on. You may only have one chance to show them who you are on the most minute scale possible. There are also times when people are just watching you and never even speak to you, and they form an opinion of you.

Of course, with all of this being said, this doesn't mean we should focus on what other people think of us because at the end of the day, if you love who you are, no one can tear you down with their opinions. But, respecting ourselves does dictate how people react to you.

I've had some conversations with some of my friends over the past couple of weeks regarding the way girls and guys act toward each other when it comes to relationships. I always find it interesting when some people say that they can never find a good guy/girl or it's hard to find a quality woman/man. The reason for this is simple. We lack respect for ourselves. My generation has missed the aspect and necessity of needing to respect ourselves in order for someone to respect us as such. You may be the most amazing girl or guy who has a lot of things to offer, but if you don't carry yourself in that manner then people won't think to do it. It's unfortunate that while we're learning to be ourselves and or being ourselves, we still have to consider how other people will react to us, but that's the way the world works. Some people aren't going to like your personality, some people will love you, some people won't understand you, some people will simply dislike you solely because you know who you are and they don't—the possibilities are endless.

However, despite how other people feel and react to you, it's not always their shortcoming that cause this. We have to look inside ourselves and really ask the tough questions that no one wants to face. Questions like: Am I doing something that's going to improve me as a person? or Am I happy with who I am? Ultimately, things play out differently when people see the standard of which you uphold for yourself and those who hang around you.