Throughout our lives, we have always been told to respect one another. But, we are rarely told to respect ourselves. If you do not understand your own worth, how will you expect someone else to? Self-respect is one of the most crucial aspects in one’s life.
It’s a rare occurrence to have acknowledged your own strengths, weaknesses, flaws and faults that make you for who you are. Knowing what you can “bring to the table” is vital to have within a relationship, job, friendship and your overall life.
Life is too short to accept the least of someone or something, in order for yours to flourish; you need to put yourself first.
"Don't accept the least of things."
It’s easy to confuse familiarity with love. We tend to stay in toxic situations such as jobs and/or relationships because overtime we get used to them, and any dramatic change scares most of us in some way. Whether you admit it or not, the feeling of being lost and (or) alone can be terrifying. I’ll put it this way; we all have a security blanket in our lives, and overtime, if you don’t take care of it, it gets worn out. Things change and sometimes throwing away the blanket that used to keep you warm and safe is better for your own good in the end.
But, at the end of the day, most people accept the short end of the stick. They do not respect themselves enough to know they deserve better, which causes one to stop striving and only settle. When self-respect is lacking, relationships of any type become detrimental. You need to love yourself sufficiently and choose those who help your well-being and motivate you to strive for the best in life.
“You have to love and respect yourself, before anyone else can.”
From someone who’s been in the same situation as most, I’ve learned from various experiences, that not loving myself, only pushed away the ones I cared for. While it may not be true, it shows that you don’t trust them, and that you don’t have a back bone for yourself. One can only reassure someone so many times until it pushes the one they care for away.
Everyone has their own flaws -- physically and emotionally. The only way to fix them is to embrace them. Yes, it’s easier said than done, but what’s the point of dwelling on something that can’t be changed. Now, if it can be changed, then work on it day by day. Slow and steady will win the race.
“You are responsible for your fate.”
Self-respect and self-esteem correlate with each other. Self-esteem gives one the confidence to prosper in life, and without it, you are only setting yourself up for restrictions throughout life. Only you can decide at the end of the day how you view your life and what direction it will go.
Life is not meant to spend hating yourself; as this only stops progress you’ve been making. Once you have the confidence you wish to have, you won’t compare yourself to others because there’s no need to since you’re comfortable in your own skin.
Putting your self-worth first doesn’t mean you’re being selfish. It shows you love yourself, something that most don’t have. Too many people put others needs first, before themselves, but in order to help others, you need to help and respect yourself first. As this is fundamental for one to succeed and grow in life, it is often critiqued and a foreign concept to most.
