If I had the power to install one attribute 100% into my children and know that it would never falter it would be self-respect. Who are we if we do not have regard for our own respect?
We like to think we are empowering children by throwing the word respect around, but are we adding the word “self” before, or is it just more about respecting others, property and the environment. If we taught self-respect, surely all the other respects would fall suitably into line.
I have been looking at my inner workings over the past few weeks, and one thing that I have started to touch base is on, is how much do I ACTUALLY respect myself. I am starting to realize that my self-respect is rather low.
When did it become acceptable to put someone’s happiness above one’s own? I am talking about the little things like letting your running partner change the route at the last moment, because they don’t wish to tackle hills like we have been planning for weeks and I have been gearing myself up for and actually looking forward to it. So we run the flats.
Or I order a flat white, and they bring a latte out. Why don’t I value my happiness to say no, I paid $5 for a flat white, I would like my flat white not this latte please.
To the bigger things like life’s dreams and aspirations and fulfilling them.
Self-respect is not about downing a bottle of wine each night and skipping my coaches plan for me the next day. How is that loving myself when I am sabotaging myself? I need to love myself enough to take care of myself. Be healthy in mind, body and spirit. I know I want to swim 2km, bike 90km and run 21 km in a few months without falling apart or even worse having so much self-doubt that I don’t even make it to the start line.
I want to see that finish line, so I need to have enough self-respect to put myself first over the next few months. It’s not about making everything and everyone suffer the consequences. If I can make a few small changes (i.e. not down a bottle of wine when life pisses me off) then the day after the bad day surely can only be a good, productive day, so that I take one step in the right direction.
I firmly believe that everyone has the power to change his/her direction at any one moment. They have the ability to say no. This is not how my story is going to end. We have the power, if we have the self-respect.
Let’s all make the aim to love and respect ourselves just a little bit more. Take one step, even tiny, to that dream you have been thinking about for years and value yourself enough to start working towards it.