Respect Others To Earn Respect
It is funny when you see people trying to enforce respect maybe because they are older or they occupy a higher status than the person. Well, it does not absolutely work that way. If you want respect, then you have to also give the same respect to others to earn it. If you want to force it, you will end up creating a monster out of yourself and people will simply fear you and not respect you. That is, they will only do your biddings in your presence but when you are gone, you will lose their loyalty. But if you earn their respect, you will not have any problem gaining their loyalty both in your presence and absence. Let us look at various ways that can help one to earn respect.
In order to earn and command respect, you have to learn to respect yourself. It is what you give to people that will also determine what the same people and others will give to you. We all have minds, thoughts, and conscience, so we know when we are doing what is right or not. So if you are behaving yourself respectfully, you will also know. If you cannot respect yourself, how do you expect others to accord you the same respect that you lack? The way you dress, talk, walk, relate with people and the way you go about your normal daily activities should show respect.
In addition to respecting yourself, you have to also learn to mind your business. If someone does not want you In their matter and they do not invite you in their business, then mind yours. It is better to stay on your own lane than trying to poke your nose into what does not concern you and end up being disrespected. Know what to say and when to enter a discussion. If you notice that your opinion is not needed, then do not force it on others. There are many things you can do to keep yourself busy than looking for whose business that does not concern you. If you become easily available and accessible, it will keep reducing your self-worth because they tend to see you as being too common. When you learn to stay on your own, you will command a high level of respect and self-worth.
Another way to earn respect is to learn how to talk to people. There is a way you will talk to someone without regards and it will crash the respect they have for you. But there is a calm way you will talk to someone respectfully and you will earn their respect. You do not have to talk to people in way and manner that demeans them and hope for them to respect you. Even if you occupy a higher position than them as per social status, it does not call for you to talk to them anyhow. You have to understand that the way you respect the people above you should also be the way you accord respect to others, even those below you. If you respect only your superiors but disrespect your juniors, then you are not respectful and you will not earn respect.
The last point we will look at to make you earn respect is to respect people's differences, opinions and preferences. You have to realise that every individual is built differently and as such, they will also have dissimilar choices, preferences, points of view, etc, which you should also respect. Even if you want to disagree with someone over their point of view or any of their opinions, you have to do that in a manner that is respectful. I have this school of thought that "there is always a way to welcome people's opinion without necessarily being in agreement with it."
The truth is that you will not only earn respect by being respectful but it will make you appear good and attractive even in the eyes of others. If you see someone that is respectful, they make friendship easily and they will not find it difficult to have people around them. More so, you do not lose anything by according respect to people, rather you will have many things to gain from it.
Thanks for reading
