The Importance of Self-Respect

Written By: Farkhunda A.

Edited By: Happy J.

Self-respect is knowing your value and worth which leads you to expect others to treat you with respect. As the clinical professional counselor, Diana Lucas Flemma says, “Having self-respect helps others to see and treat you with dignity and worth”. Today we are living in a world where if you don’t respect yourself, others may think you are not worthy of respect. The first point in self-respect is to not expect others to respect you, but to start respecting yourself first. In addition, when you have self-respect, you love yourself for who you are both on the inside and outside. You do not just love yourself for how you look, what you have, or what are you capable of doing, but you love yourself with all your abilities and imperfections. This creates a sense that you are valuable, unique, and incomparable because we all have our own characteristics. On the other hand, if you lack self-respect, it is challenging to have confidence, honesty, and probity. Instead, you become a person with negative emotions of guilt, shame, blame, and anger which is due to the feeling of unworthiness.

The other advantage of self-respect is that it helps in making decisions and choices based on your needs and personal demands because self-respect is the result of understating your needs and wants. When you understand your needs, you know what you lack and what can be done to change your condition. This ensures that you have a sustainable and happy life. On the flip side, without self-respect, you will not be able to make the right decisions since you do not fully know yourself and your decisions are influenced by your surroundings, not your necessities. Besides, respecting yourself illustrates determination and morality because you are willing to accept your responsibilities and stand for your values and beliefs. As a consequence, others would admire your courage and independence. Thus, with all these significant roles that self-respect plays in our lives, how can we practice it?

1. Put your needs first: Although it is very admirable to care for the needs of others before caring for your own, to serve others, you must meet your physical and psychological needs. Therefore, fulfilling your own needs is a crucial part of self-respect.

2. Respect your body, mind, and spirit: Every human being is unique with their strengths and qualities of their own and thus you must respect it. Never, think you are not worthy of something or you are not in a position where others are. Remember, you are not similar to others, you are yourself and not anybody else. Whenever you are in a condition where you feel worthless, remind yourself of what Bill Gates says: “Do not compare yourself with anyone in this world. If you do so, you are insulting yourself”.

3. Respect your goals, dreams, and interests: Start making a list of your goals and begin working on them from the easiest ones. Then, feel good about what you have accomplished. Never hide your interests and hobbies, as there are many who will be interested in the real you.

Consequently, self-respect is a gift that we can give ourselves in celebration of accepting our personality. However, this gift should not cause selfishness, ego, and having superiority over others.

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Works cited:

Gregory, Eva. “The Importance of Self-Respect.” Eva Gregory, evagregory.com/the-importance-of-self-respect/.

Mindvalley. “What Is Self Respect And Why Is It Important?” Mindvalley Blog, 11 Sept. 2020, blog.mindvalley.com/self-respect-crucial-for-happiness/

Jacob, Carmen. “What Is Self Respect and Why Is It Important?” UpJourney, 10 Jan. 2020, upjourney.com/what-is-self-respect-and-why-is-it-important.